Oneida County, NY

Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that lives in the region.

Oneida County is in the central portion of New York State, east of Syracuse, and west of Albany. Oneida Lake is on the northwestern corner of the county, and the Adirondack Park is on the northeast. Part of the Tug Hill Plateau is in the northern part of the county. Interestingly, Oneida County’s highest point does not lie on either the plateau nor in the Adirondack Park, but in the county’s southern extremity. The peak’s name is Tassel Hill. It is located slightly southeast of Hardscrabble Road (Tassel Hill Road), between the villages of Waterville and Cassville.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneida_County,_New_York

Mountain Bike Trail from Janis Road to Tassell Hill

While many people hike up to Tassell Hill via Hardscrable Road from the north, another option is to hike from Upper White Road / Janis Street via the Mountain Bike Trail. This is a nice hike, with gradual ascents, though the bike trail has a lot of switch backs but it beats trying to climb over all the downed trees over the very rutted old woods road.

Long Lake – NPT

 Long Lake - NPT

This map shows the North County - Lake Placid Trail along the shores of the northern section of Long Lake, including the lean-tos and designated campsites along the shorelines.

Mountain Bike Trail

Walking along a narrow part of the mountain bike trail that runs up to Tassell Hill. Most of the trail would be good for cross-country skiing but maybe not this very narrow section.

Taken on Monday January 16, 2023 at Alfred J Woodford State Forest.

Filtered Light on Janis Road

The hoar frost on the trees filters the light of the blue skies as I walked along Janis Road on Martin Luther King Day, hiking up to Tassell Hill. While the road is drivable with only a few icy patches, there is something nice about a quiet walk in the woods, observing nature without necessarily motoring.

Taken on Monday January 16, 2023 at Alfred J Woodford State Forest.