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DISTANCE: 5.1 miles TYPE: Loop TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN: 760 feet MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 2,475 feet DIFFICULTY: Easy HIKING TIME: 2.5 hours |
A popular destination for fishing, the Trout Pond loop also has several highlights to attract hikers looking for an easy walk through quiet woods. The route follows wide snowmobile trails, climbing less than 1,000 feet, and visits two scenic ponds that offer swimming, camping, and fishing. Additionally, you can see the ruins of a few settlements, and a very pretty waterfall. There are several primitive campsites on the drive down to the trailhead, as well as two shelters and half a dozen campsites around the pond itself, making this an excellent choice for explorers seeking a relaxing weekend getaway. Do note that all swimming should be done at your own risk.
GETTING THERE
Drive on NY-17 toward Roscoe and take Exit 94. Follow Old Route 17 north for half a mile, at which point it becomes NY-206 West. Follow NY-206 for 2 miles and turn left onto Morton Hill Road. Stay on Morton Hill Road for 3 miles. Turn left onto Russell Brook Road and follow it downhill for about a mile, until you come to a parking area marked by a large trail sign. There are several places to pull off and camp as you make your way down. This road is seasonal and is not maintained from December to April. Even when it is maintained, it is rocky and often uneven, so proceed with caution.
GPS SHORTCUT
Type “Mud Pond & Trout Pond Hiking Trail and Campgrounds” into Google Maps to have your GPS navigate you to the appropriate trailhead.
THE TRAIL
From the parking area, descend down a well-established trail on an old jeep road, following it for about a tenth of a mile. You will cross a bridge spanning Russell Brook, and make your way around a small grove of old apple trees. There is an unmarked but obvious trail running off to the right a short distance after crossing the bridge. Following it a few hundred feet will bring you to the ruins of a stone bridge that originally ran across Russell Brook. A little further upstream you can see Russell Brook Falls, a very pretty waterfall that stands about 40 feet tall. If the water level is high, it may be difficult to reach the foot of the falls without getting wet. When you are finished exploring here, return to the road grade to continue your hike.
A short distance from the trail to the falls, arrive at a trail register, just before the trail splits. Sign in and go left at the fork, heading up a wide, blue-blazed snowmobile trail that climbs gradually, ascending about 300 feet over the course of half a mile. The terrain is easy here, giving you the opportunity to look around and take in the scenery as you walk.
A mile from the trail split, you will reach the junction of the Mud Pond Trail, which is also blazed blue. You will eventually want to turn here and follow the trail uphill, but for now go straight. Mud Pond is visible through the trees off to your left, and in 0.2 mile you will pass a large campsite, which sits below a very old maple tree. A wide herd path next to the tree will lead you down to the water’s edge. A little farther up the main trail, you can see the decaying bluestone foundations of a previous settlement dotting the woods. Another campsite lies beyond the last foundation, a short distance from the shore.
Return to the trail juncture and turn left to follow the blue markers uphill on a grassy trail that crosses over an old stone fence shortly thereafter. The trail is a little rockier after passing this fence, but it is still quite easy. You will climb moderately, slightly more than before, for about a mile. Once you crest the hill, the trail veers to the right and begins descending. The descent is steeper than the climb, and drops about 450 feet over the course of a mile, although the trail is less rocky and wider than it was for the duration of the ascent.
NEAR THE NORTHERN END OF TROUT POND
Toward the end of the Mud Pond Trail, you will come to the northern tip of Trout Pond. There are good views looking out over the water from here, as well as two shelters, and a number of primitive campsites scattered all around the pond. Follow the trail as it passes the northernmost shelter, and cross a series of wide bridges over small inlet streams that feed the pond. Immediately after passing the shelter, you will notice the continuation of the Trout Pond Trail to your left, heading north. Ignore this split, and follow the trail south, along the side of the water on a flat, grassy snowmobile trail. At the southern tip of Trout Pond, there is a large gravelly clearing next to a concrete spillway, which provides nicer, more open views looking back up the water. This would be a nice place to go for a swim.
Continue to follow the snowmobile path as it heads downhill, passing a few hemlock stands. The trail will gradually drop roughly 200 feet, and in 0.75 mile, you will reach the junction where you started and the trail register. From here, sign out and make the short trek back to your car.
