Dyken Pond Environmental Eduction Center(Grafton, Rensselaer County)

Headed to the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center high up in the Rensselaer Plateau on an absolutely gorgeous spring morning.  Bright blue skies and temperatures rising quickly through the 40's and 50's made for a perfect setting as I dropped down to 134 acre Dyken Pond on the Shoreline Trail.

Following the Shoreline Trail north, hugging the beautiful edge of the pond.   Doesn't get much better than this.

Wandered along the Shoreline Trail up to the Otter Creek Trail, then onto the Abbot Farm Trail, where I passed by stoic old stone walls.

Crossing over Dyken Pond Road to the southern section of the Center, through mossy, wet woodland.

Dustin Swamp, a sprawling marsh, covers a large section of the southern part of the Center.

My favorite area at the Center is the long 400 foot boardwalk that crosses Dustin Swamp, affording up close wildlife views.

Running water in Dustin Swamp, looking west.

Continuing on, just west of Dustin Swamp is another fantastic, sizeable wetland that is much more reminiscent of the Adirondacks than Rensselaer County.

The white blazed Long Trail, the longest trail at the Center, seen here passing through a wet section on puncheon near the western edge of the Center.

Moving onto the Koch Trail, I stumbled across a rusted old automobile, or what is left of it,  just a couple yards off trail. 

A quiet, peaceful walk along gravel Dyken Pond Road brought me back to the car for a total of 3.6 miles RT.  Elevation gain was fairly minimal on a perfect spring morning.