Pownal Overlook via Taconic Crest Trail(Taconic Ridge State Foest, Rensselaer County)

Took advantage of a mild and even a bit humid late October day by visiting the very north end of the Taconic Crest Trail just west of the NY/ Vermont state line on Route 346 in Petersburg.  When I arrived at the parking lot(Elevation 525 feet) in the late morning I was actually surprised to see so much color hanging on.  Here is a view north across Route 346 near the parking lot under clearing skies.

Headed south/ southwest on the Taconic Crest Trail, climbing steeply up on a carpet of freshly fallen leaves.

Conditions were perfect for this time of year!!  Temps pushing 70 degrees with a bounty of fall colors still lingering...the only drawback was that I had to pick several ticks off along the way.

I had forgotten just how steep this climb was and I had worked up a pretty good sweat under the suddenly mostly sunny skies.

 

 Mellow yellow.

 

A steeper section of trail made a bit more tricky with the bevy of fallen leaves covering the ground. 

There is A LOT of beech high up on the this section of the Taconic ridge, which turns a bit later than the maples and extends the foliage season.

Arriving at the Pownal Overlook, at just over 2000 feet.  The view is quite nice, with Bald Mountain's east ridge in the foreground and the Valley of Vermont and the northern Berkshires beyond.

 

View east into Pownal from the Overlook.

East view across the valley towards the Dome, whose summit was completely clouded in.

 

On the other side of the ridge, just a short distance away, is a view west towards the Rensselaer Plateau.  Unfortunately this view is almost completely grown in now.

From the viewpoint, I turned back, retracing my steps back north on the trail.

A nice and easy descent under changeable skies brought me all the way back to the car for a total of 4.3 miles RT and over 1700 feet of total ascent.  Didn't see another soul all day.