I took a couple hours for myself for a hike in the Albany, NY,
Pine Bush while the family went to a movie Sunday 6/29/14. With no definite plan, I ended up at so-called
trailhead #3, Rensselaer Lake (pdf), via the parking lot at
Six Mile Waterworks Park off of Fuller Road. This is an interesting combination of "wilderness" mixed right into the infrastructure of a major interstate interchange, the New York State Thruway Exit 24 (and toll plaza) between I87 and I90. I hiked from there over to several locations off of Rapp Rd., including trailhead #2.
Anyway, here are some photos I took along the way.
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| This is a/the drainage point of Rensselaer Lake, looking North toward the visitor area |
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| There are several signs like this all around. Not clear whether the trails are really closed or not. Info at the website indicates that 6/8 was the last closed date, but clearly no one has bothered to remove the signs. :-S |
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| Trailhead #2, Rapp Barrens, across Rapp Road from a clearcut area (species replacement?) |
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| A managed flower bed at Avila Retirement Community, corner of Rapp Rd. (Lincoln Ave.) and Washington Ave. Ext.. To compare with the "wilder" Pine Bush. |
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| Sumac near the Lincoln Rd. overpass over NYS Thruway I90, near the entrance to the Albany Landfill. Yes, there is a landfill in the middle of the Pine Bush "wilderness" as well. |
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| The "trail" heading back toward Rensselaer Lake (from Rapp Rd.). This is, amazingly, very close to the whole Exit 24 toll plaza complex (off the right of this frame). |
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| Pines, one dead or dying, on the shore of Rensselaer Lake, looking southeast from under the onramp to I87 North from I90 West. | |
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| Here is the same spot from overhead (Google Maps). |
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| A swampy/silty ferny area just northwest of Rensselaer Lake, on a "secret" trail. |
