Burnt-Rossman State Forest

Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest, spanning an impressive 10,588 acres, proudly holds the distinction of being Schoharie County’s largest state forest. This natural haven has garnered immense popularity among enthusiasts of outdoor pursuits such as hiking, camping, and various recreational activities.

Traversing a segment of this expansive landscape is the Long Path, a trail adorned with aqua blazes, stretching over 350 miles. Within this forest, the Eminence Lean To stands as a notable point of interest along the Long Path, positioned roughly 0.5 miles to the east of Old Cemetery Road. A crossing of Old Cemetery Road can be spotted just to the south of an ancient burial ground.

Among the captivating features of the forest are the campsites discreetly nestled along Betty Brook Road, as well as the inviting spots found at Duck Pond, situated along Burnt Hill Road.

For those with a penchant for angling and boating, Looking Glass Pond, located along Rossman Hill Road, offers an inviting prospect. This charming pond not only facilitates fishing and boating but also boasts well-maintained fishing platforms courtesy of the Fulton Fish and Game Club.

I drove over a nail on Burnt Hill Road 🛻

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I know, Duck Me. 🦆

Must be a beautiful day on the Catskill Scenic Trail. Darn nail I ran over this morning on Burnt Hill Road. Fortunately I was able to reinflate the tire to make it home, slow leak and I have a full size spare I’m installing safely from home rather than on the shoulder of the road from the driver side.

Fortunately I have a full size 35 inch spare that has similar wear to the other tires and I’m 90% sure the other tire can be plugged. It’s those dang BFG KO All Terrains, had the same problem 15 years ago with the last set I ran. But it’s all I could get during the pandemic.

Those 35s are mad heavy to lift and bolt to the wheel. I was worried the spare tire holder would be rusted up but the spare came off with ease. And YES, SAFETY POLICE, 🚨 I support the weight of my truck on a 4×6 block of wood to raise the bottle jack under the axle. It works fine, it has sufficient compressive strength I’m not climbing under the truck or jacking it that high. I did not die yet.

I forgot how heavy 35s are to lift! I lifted with my knees but wow did it truck take a try or two to get it up in the bed. But I’m tired now, I’m kind of glad I didn’t change my tire on the roadside, even if it ultimately went smoothly after getting home. I really needed an hour to rest after the hour of wrangling the tire. Ultimately I did at 7 1/2 mile hike to Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Meads Lane in the evening.

I was afraid that the spare tire holder would be completely rusted up and I wouldn’t be able to get the tire down or the lug nuts would be on super tight and I couldn’t break them free or the wood block I use to extend the bottle jack to the axle on my lifted truck would have rotted and cracked under the weight. Maybe it was catastrophizing but I don’t think ultimately I would have gotten hiking on the Catskill Scenic Trail even after the tire change. It’s fine, it got cloudy by evening and I like hiking at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center.