Hamilton County 📍

Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its county seat is Lake Pleasant. It is one of only two counties that lie entirely within the Adirondack Park (Essex is the other). As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,836, making it the least populous county in New York. It is also the most sparsely populated county in the eastern half of the United States, with a population density of just over three people per square mile.

Hamilton County is in the north central part of the state, northwest of Albany. It lies entirely within Adirondack Park and consists mostly of publicly owned parkland. As the tourist folk will tell you, there is no permanent traffic light in the county.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_County,_New_York
http://www.adirondackexperience.com/

🖼️ Photos
Thematic Map: Susquehanna Watershed

Exploring Robb Creek Mill Road

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On Saturday, I walked around the Speculator Tree Farm, hiking 13 miles on dirt roads. While nothing that remarkable, these roads were quiet and there was much wildlife to see in these managed timberlands.

Saturday May 15, 2021 — Perkins Clearing and Speculator Tree Farm Conservation Easement Lands — Jessup River Road - Perkins Clearing - Campsites and Mason Lake Access 🗺 — Kunjamunk Cave 🗺 — Old Route 8B - Austin Falls - Robbs Creek - Camping 🗺— PDF with All Maps 📚
Map: Forest Road 13 Informal Camping Opporunities
Map: Doodletown Wildlife Management Area
Map: Floodwood Mountain Trail

Kujamunk Cave

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The Kunjamuk Cave, found off Pine Lakes Road in Speculator Tree Farm, is a natural rock shelter that was dug out of a hillside. The cave is a popular destination for hikers and mountain bikers exploring the dirt roads of this conservation easement.

Kunjamunk Cave

To reach the cave, hikers typically start at the Elm Lake Road entrance to the Speculator Tree Farm in village of Speculator or off Old Route 8B past the upper bridge at gated Pine Lakes Road/Kunjamunk Cave Trail. The trek is approximately 2.5 to 4 miles one way, depending on the specific starting point. The trail follows an old logging road that winds through dense hardwood forests and parallels the Kunjamuk River.

The history of the Kunjamuk Cave is inextricably linked to the legend of “French Louie” (Louis Seymour), a famous Adirondack hermit who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While Louie had more permanent camps in the West Canada Lakes region, local lore suggests he used this cave as a temporary shelter during his travels or trapping expeditions. Before the era of legendary hermits, the area served as a hunting ground for the Mohawk and Abenaki people, who likely used the rock formation for protection against the elements long before European settlers arrived.

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“View of the cave through the cutting in the roof, allowing the occupant to build a fire inside to stay warm during cold weather.“

Looking Out the Kunjamunk Cave

Kunjamunk Cave