Clapper Hollow State Forest(Schoharie County, NY)

Welcome to summer!  Not my favorite season for hiking, but the long days sure are nice.  With high heat and humidity today, I decided to explore 818 acre Clapper Hollow State Forest in the hills of Schoharie County.  There were no other cars in the lot when I arrived in the parking are along Clapper Hollow Road, marked with a DEC Nordic Ski Trail sign.  Elevation to start the hike was already over 1800 feet, meaning snow pack is probably a good bet for most of the winter.

There are over 8 miles of trails in the State Forest, some marked-some not.  I started on an unmarked but obvious old road/ ski trail, with dark storm clouds rolling in above.

 The forest is extremely serene and laced with an abundance of fern glades.

I wandered around a bit on various trails and bushwhacked a little too, checking out this wide open clear cut area, with a view SE.

Near the north end of the State Forest is a small but pretty pond, with the lively sounds of nature all around.

Situated on the north shore of the pond is a Lean To, which has suffered some damage from a large fallen tree.

 The Lean To occupies a pretty spot just yards from the water and is shaded by spruce.

 From inside the Lean To looking out.

 A nice spot for a fire...smores anyone?

 On the return route, I followed a wide ski trail south, marked with yellow blazes.

 Passing through more dense fern glades.  Very picturesque.

 Of course I found many old stone walls, that pre-date the state purchasing this land in the 1930's.

Back near the car, I decided to check out a trail that follows the east side of the State Forest...and summer growth has really grown thick here.  There were many spots with fallen trees or where the trail wasn't even visible.  This section may be better on a cold winter day, minus vegetation. 

Hiked about 3.3 miles total with 370 feet of climbing.  A quiet little retreat on a sultry start to summer.