Snowshoeing at Rensselaerville State Forest

About two weeks ago on Presidents Day I went out snowshoeing at Rensselaerville State Forest. Previously one of my favorite places to camp and explore, I haven’t spent a great deal of time up there lately.

Along Scutt Road

I parked off of CC Road. Going along Scutt Road you come to the point where it becomes plowed, and you can see Gensing Mountain (just north west of the Catskills) in the distance.

 Friday\'s Snow Squall

It used to be there was no designated campsites up there until 2007, when the state started posting four sites along main roads, along with “Camping By Permit Signs”. I used to camp off one of the truck trails in one or two places, and spent a great deal of the summer out there.

Campsite 4

Snowshoeing along a truck trail. The truck trails up here are a lot of fun to drive in the summer, although they are bit overgrown and tight to drive, even with a compact pickup.

Along Truck Trail

Looking North Towards Dutton Ridge, you can see a clearing where Livingstonville is located.

Cotton Hill State Forest

Here is the section where the field is reverting back to woods. I used camp out back here a lot in the past.

Reverting Meadow

The C.C. Road sign recognizing the history of this preserve as an old CC Camp. The camp facilities where later developed into a youth treatment center, and now a training center for state park rangers, that currently is unused.

The CC Road

The map of the snowshoe hike.