Notes on the Re-Run for Monday, September 13th.

Two years ago, I went for a hike up at Thacher Park’s OSI Parcel. As a kid, I never was a big fan of Thacher Park, but I’ve fallen in love with the more wild areas, where one can go up and explore for free. Manicured parks, roamed by jack-booted thugs, aren’t my thing but the views from the OSI Parcel are amazing.

— Andy

I went out hiking with my dog on this Sunday afternoon. I parked at the Carrick Road Old Querry. There where several other cars parked there. Here is a map of the Thacher Park OSI Parcel with all of the many different trails that criss-cross these lands. You can click on this map to download it for printing.

By September 20th, there where a few early signs of color, including this somewhat sickly looking Sugar Maple about a quarter mile from the query.

From High Point on the Thacher Park Cliff it was as clear out there as it gets in the summer.

With the cattle corn ready to harvest…

A toad sat out sunning on the rocks of High Point.

As a horse show was going on down at the Altamont Fairgrounds.

And Albany sat in mild haze, below the Taconic Range, with Berlin Mountain towering above, from Hang Gliders Cliff.

Looking at Horseshoe Clove and all that lies beyond in the distance. A little bit of fall color, but still a bit to go.

Walking along the Yellow Trail out to Whipple Road. A few signs of color along here.

The Yellow Trail is a snowmobile trail in the winter. This sign was installed by the local snowmobile club, and is kind of unusual for a hiking trail.

The Beaver Dam in the pond off the Red Trail from Whipple Road to Carrick Road.

… Thacher Park is not the Adirondacks or Green Mountains. It’s not the most remote parcel in the world, but it is close to Albany, offers some excellent views of the escarpment, and if you explore the OSI parcel to the north of main portion of park, it’s free to park and undeveloped and beautiful lands.