Cranberry Lake 50 mile trail

[Lucky Laura]

Nice article about a Syracuse couple (ADKers, too) who ventured out in adverse conditions on the newly re-established Cranberry Lake Trail

http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2009/10/central_new_york_couple_master.html

 

[DSettahr]

Was back in the area this weekend, did the High Falls Loop. Note that on the section they talk about, where the trail is covered with waist deep water, it is very easy to bushwhack around through the woods. This section is only about 200 feet long. It's not actually in "The Plains" like is said in the article, but a little ways north on the High Falls Truck Trail. So don't let their description of it hold you back from hiking in this area.

 

[Rick]

Wow - I remember that secion from about 13 years ago - 1996 - The year after the Microburst. - We crossed it very carefully on logs - It was very tricky and almost as long as a football field and looked painful if you fell in due to all the downed trees with branches sticking out....

 

[AOC-1]

I tried to follow the old abandoned trail through the Plains (not the section referenced in this article) sometime in the late 80's. Very interesting terrain, but the route was tough going with a lot of boggy, flooded areas. I gave up about 1 mile from its intersection with the High Falls trail. Does anyone know when the Plains trail was closed?

 

[DSettahr]

I tried to follow the old abandoned trail through the Plains (not the section referenced in this article) sometime in the late 80's. Very interesting terrain, but the route was tough going with a lot of boggy, flooded areas. I gave up about 1 mile from its intersection with the High Falls trail. Does anyone know when the Plains trail was closed?

Are you referring to the old trail that went straight from Wanakena to High Falls, cut, according to the ADK Guide, by the owner of a hotel at High Falls? If so, it's shown on a map in a ski trails pamphlet/book that was published by the state in the 80's. We were able to find where it left the High Falls Truck Trail (it's pretty easy to spot) but not where it rejoined it.

Or the old trail from Janack's Landing that went through the Plains, and was rerouted to the south side of the plains? We were able to see old bog bridging from this trail on our trip this past week.

 

[DSettahr]

http://docs.unh.edu/NY/crbl21sw.jpg

According to the map there, the two trails I mentioned actually intersected north of Glasby Creek and came out together at the same spot!

 

[DSettahr]

From the DEC Website, concerning the trail through The Plains:

The new Plains Trail was constructed in 1986 on higher ground.