Photos, Albany Pine Bush, 6/29/14

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.

This is a/the drainage point of Rensselaer Lake, looking North toward the visitor area

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

Trailhead #2, Rapp Barrens, across Rapp Road from a clearcut area (species replacement?)

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.

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.

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).

Pines, one dead or dying, on the shore of Rensselaer Lake, looking southeast from under the onramp to I87 North from I90 West.

Here is the same spot from overhead (Google Maps).

A swampy/silty ferny area just northwest of Rensselaer Lake, on a "secret" trail.