Green Lakes State Park

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away."
George Carlin

Time stood still as we walked around the lakes.
It was difficult not to stop and stare.
With every step another wonder!

The Colors!
looking down, farther down
past the trees trunks strewn along the shore
even deeper, and deeper still

until I noticed
somehow,
the deepest green had become the deepest blue!

pumpkinseed sunfish!
so bright and clear
somehow they disappeared
right in front of my eyes.

their stillness was remarkable and admirable.

deeper in the woods,
gazing across the lake,
the sky reflected the water!
a beautiful illusion.

immortal tease!
billowing clouds, lazily drifting across everything blue.

This secret world
with ancient trees
beckons adventure.

Deep, “Green,” And Meromictic: Glacial Jewels of Green Lakes State Park

Green Lake has 65 surface acres and is about 195 feet deep. Round Lake, a National Natural Landmark has 43 surface acres and is 170 feet deep. These pristine lakes, occupying glacially-carved basins, have many unique features, including unusual chemistry, shoreline reefs, and meromixis.

Green Lake - August 9, 2017

Green Lake - September 26, 2017

Round Lake - August 9, 2017

Round Lake - September 26, 2017

What is a Meromictic Lake?

Green and Round Lake are two of only a few lakes worldwide that do not experience “turnover,” or mixing of the upper and lower water masses. Several factors contribute to this complex and unusual condition known as meromixis. Differences in density and salinity between the upper and lower water masses; the lakes depths and surface areas; and their locations in deep basins with tree-rimmed shorelines that protect the water from strong winds are all conditions thought to help prevent turnover.

Green Lake - August 9, 2017

All the Colors of the Rainbow: Why the Lakes are Green

Green & Round Lakes - Often described as aquamarine or turquoise, their water is actually very clear. As you move along the lake trail, observe the water in different locations. You’ll enjoy all the color variations of blue and green.

As a light ray penetrates water, it separates into the spectrum of all colors of the rainbow. Each spectral color corresponds to a specific wavelength of light. The red wavelengths scatter little and are absorbed near the surface. The green and blue wavelengths pass through the clear water to a greater depth where they are reflected back to your eye.

Green Lake - August 9, 2017

Green Lake - August 9, 2017

Deadman’s Point: An Ancient But Living Reef

Although known as “Deadman’s Point”, this freshwater reef is both alive and growing! For thousands of years, microscopic organisms called cyanobacteria have lived in the reef’s surface, using sunlight and nutrients dissolved in the lake water to build the reefs. The nutrients are deposited on the reef, creating a type of limestone called marl that hardens to form the reef structure.

This unique and beautiful ecosystem is very fragile. Some organisms that live on the reef have existed on earth for millions of years. However, stepping on the reef can destroy them, and without these organisms the reef will no longer grow. Without the reef’s protective canopy, the plants and animals living underneath will also die.

The reefs along the shores of Green Lake provide homes for many organisms. The green and brown patches on reefs are microbial mats made by ancient organisms. Below the reefs, rare sponges and mosses grow from ledges and caves. The mosses provide hiding places and protection for fish and other animals.

Deadman's Point - August 9, 2017

Freshwater Reef - August 9, 2017

Deadman's Point - September 26, 2017

Colorful and Busy Bacteria

Although bacteria are too tiny to be observed, here at Green Lakes the results of their activity may be seen and appreciated.

Approximately 55 to 75 feet below the lake surface is a three-foot thick layer of rosy-brown water created by the presence of photosynthetic purple and green sulfur bacteria.

At least three groups of bacteria that convert sunlight into food live in the lakes. At the surface, small cyanobacteria (cyano = blue) and diatoms (a type of algae) provide the main food source for zooplankton, which in turn provide food for other aquatic animals higher on the food chain.

Near the lakeshore, cyanobacteria combine with and precipitate calcium carbonate, forming interesting reefs around the lakeshore. The reefs provide a substrate for aquatic plants and shelter for fish.

Freshwater Reef - August 9, 2017

Freshwater Reef - September 26, 2017

Freshwater Reef - September 26, 2017

Round Lake: A National Natural Landmark

In 1973, Round Lake and 100 acres of the surrounding forest became our nation’s 182nd National Natural Landmark. This designation by the U.S. Department of the Interior is “reserved for resources that are sensitive and unique and which represent the natural heritage of our country.”

The lake which covers 34 acres and is 170 feet deep is of national ecological and geological significance due to its glacial origin, meromictic (non-mixing) character, and its adjacent old-growth forest. This forest, which has abundant bird life and some of the oldest trees in the country, may be seen southwest of the lake. Enjoy the spirit of this magnificent forest and lake setting as you explore this special environment.

Round Lake - August 9, 2017

Round Lake - August 9, 2017

Looking into Round Lake - September 26, 2017

Green Lakes State Park is an amazing place to visit. There is a vehicle fee during certain times of the year (I believe from Memorial Day to Labor Day it is $8), but the park also has boat rentals, a swimming beach, a changing area for the beach, concessions, as well as public restrooms and drinking fountains.

I easily see myself visiting Green Lakes State Park again. There is still so much more to discover!
I would love to go back and see the old-growth forest. A sign near Round Lake reads, “Some of the Eastern Hemlocks located in the old-growth forest southwest of Round Lake are more than 90 feet tall and over 400 years old.”
I would also go back just to investigate the Indian Ovens, which somehow I missed on the park map repeatedly, until just recently.

All information shared was gathered from signs within Green Lakes State Park.
Fayetteville, Town of Manlius, NY

All photos were taken by me (Alicen).
My good friend Tambre & her daughter Micheala shared the park with me in August for the first time.

Tambre and I went again at the end of September hoping for some autumn foliage.

Natural Stone Bridge & Caves

I started writing about the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves in October, 2016. A few months ago, I had a dream that I had lost my souvenir pin and I had felt panicked in my dream. I revisited some photos and realized that I had tons of information already typed out about my adventure with my friend Michelle. Today, I finally had a moment and the mind to organize my story and the information with a few photos.

About an hour north driving from Saratoga Springs, New York, there is a unique geological feature within the Adirondack Mountains. CAVES!

I’m not sure if a lot of locals have been to this park or not, or if it’s more of a tourist thing, but I enjoyed myself and would recommend going there if you want an unusual, yet scenic hike with a lot of stairs.

They do provide walking sticks in the beginning if you are a person who has troubles navigating rocky terrain with a lot of stairs.

At the Entrance Gift Shop, Michelle and I received a Trail Guide of the park. A nice list of facts was printed below a map, for easy use, with corresponding numbers along the path. The Gift Shop is Point 1 on the Trail Guide.

An Adirondack Natural Wonder

Growing Adirondack Mountains

• Young mountains made of old rock is how the Adirondacks are often characterized.
• The mountains are currently growing at 2-3mm/year, a very fast rate in geological terms. They are pushing up rock that was once buried over 10 miles beneath the surface and over a billion years old.
• The mountains look old because they were scraped bare by glaciers during the last ice age.

Marble Caves

• Unlike caves formed over millions of years through acidic water dissolving limestone, these caves are Grenville marble and were formed since the last ice age. Marble is formed when limestone is buried deep underground and the intense pressure and heat transforms it through a process called metamorphosis.
• This marble contains large calcite crystals that are dissolved by acidic waters and produce caves.

Michelle and I took a moment to take photos with the Caveman. Then we were off, excited to check out some caves!

Me and the Caveman.

Michelle and I walked right past the Petrified Wood Display and Caveman Adventure Park and began our tour at Trout Brook, Point 4 on the Trail Guide. I missed taking photo of the Interpretive Sign here, and I noticed looking back at this adventure, the information on the Interpretive Signs is different than the information provided on the Trail Guide. I actually thought I took a photo, but I just as easily could have assumed at the beginning of our exploration that the signs and guide stated the same thing.

Trail Guide Point 4, "At the end of the last ice age the melting Wisconsin Glacier produced this once mighty river the formed the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves. The brook is now a usually tranquil waterway filled with many brook and rainbow trout, snapping turtles and the occasional beaver."

Trout Brook.

Following the trail we came across the Sawmill Waterfall Site, Point 5 on the Trail Guide. I remember looking for signs of the old structure and only finding a piece of wood from an old stair.

My foot with the Sawmill remains.

Trail Guide Point 5, "The waterfalls of Trout Brook provided the water wheel power for early Dutch pioneers to cut lumber and grind grain (1750-1910). The very last beam and some old stonework at your feet are all that remain."

Sawmill Waterfall.

Interpretive Sign 5, “Logging in the Adirondacks- One of the main industries from 1800s until present, it reached its peak in 1905 when 700 million board feet were cut for use in construction and pulp.
Rivers were the method of choice for transporting timber. Truly a hazardous profession, approximately 200,000 logs were tallied along the Hudson River in 1904.”

"Remains of Sawmill Site- The early sawmill was built by Jacob VanBenthuysen (1764-1841). He received this property for service in the Revolutionary War and it has been in the family for over 200 years.”

“Logging Dam- The Stone Bridge Caves systems presented a problem for sending logs down Trout Brook and on to Schroon River. To prevent logs from getting jammed into the caves, the loggers would construct log dams to divert the water and logs. Unfortunately, many times the spring floods would overwhelm the dam and there are still a number of ancient logs preserved under the Stone Bridge.”

I sat on a bench on Meditation Isle, enjoying the sound of the waterfall. Meditation Isle is Point 6 on the Trail Guide.

View from Meditation Isle.

When I finally moved my attention away from the waterfall, I turned around and saw the Stone Bridge. I honestly didn’t realize it yet because I was too absorbed in viewing the cave in front of me. The huge entrance to the marble cave was so magnificent, even in the blinding sun, it was difficult to look away from.

Trail Guide Point 6, "Your first spectacular view of the Natural Stone Bridge, discovered by Explorers in the 1600s."

View from Meditation Isle.

Interpretive Sign 6, "The Natural Stone Bridge- Cavers have been mapping the caves (2003-2008) and have determined the Stone Bridge is the largest cave entrance in the East. At 166’ wide and 32’ high, it is massive. (Sign pointing to the stone bridge states 62’ high 180’ wide) It is the largest of the two main cave systems and contains an underground lake located right below the gift shop. These caves were formed during the retreat of the Wisconsin glacier approximately 10 to 13 thousand years ago. In geological terms these caves and formations are quite young and still changing.”

“Fiddlestring Falls- For over 100 years strings of water have been falling from the Stone Bridge. In 2006, something changed and much of the water is now flowing against the cave face and is depositing a reddish brown material. At first we were unsure what it was, but now we are certain that is flowstone containing some iron. In the winter, the water continues to flow and forms a large ice column every year.”

“Flowstone- These marble caves are called solutional because they are being dissolved by acidic water. Water that then contains dissolved calcium carbonate and other minerals can deposit onto the cave and are called speleothems. You may know them as stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone. Because these caves are so young and get washed out by high water, there are only a few examples."

The path then takes you over the Stone Bridge. I must admit I didn't know at this point that we were crossing over the Stone Bridge. Lookout Point, Point 7 on the Trail Guide, is the center point of crossing the Natural Stone Bridge. Looking down you wouldn't know you were standing on top of a huge marble cave entrance!

Lookout Point.

Lookout Point is where I basically where I lost what little control I had with my information gathering. My signs stopped matching up with my pictures at Point 8, The Giant's Slide. I have a picture of the wood carved giant, but not the actual slide. If one was to look down a hole near this giant you would see water flowing under the stone bridge. Again, at this point I didn't realize I was on the Stone Bridge.

The Giant.

View from below the Stone Bridge.

Noisy Cave.

After leaving the Noisy Cave, Point 10 on the Trail Guide, the path led over the cave, under Arch Rock. After going under the arch, which was awkwardly low, Michelle and I went down some stairs to a small cave where (one at a time) you could look down and see the water flowing through Noisy Cave.

The interpretive sign at Peter Pan's Peephole, Point 11 on the Trail Guide, had a photo of a bat hanging in the cave. Perhaps it was the mention of bats that made me lose focus of gathering information. I am pretty sure Michelle said to me during this hike something akin to, "One would think with your dislike of mosquitoes and your love of vampires that you would be a huge fan of bats."

Something about the geology of caves draws me to them. They pique a fascination in me, but the idea of bats in a cave truly gets the better of me.

The Natural Stone Bridge.

Artist's Gorge.

My favorite part of the hike was the Artist's Gorge.
Such stillness and reflection
the smallest movement of water dripping
rippled in vibrating colors
giving the area surrounding us
a kind of magic.

There were 20 Points on the Trail Guide. I thought I'd go through my photos one last time and see if I could add anymore.

Trail Guide Point 9, The Natural Stone Bridge

Sunlight shining from Giant's Slide against the cave wall under the Stone Bridge.

Trail Guide Point 13, Serenity Point.

View from Serenity Point.
Sawmill Waterfall Site and Meditation Isle.

Trail Guide Point 16, Indian Maidens Kettle. "One of the largest potholes in NY at over 30 feet across, it was formed by swirling waters from the ancient raging river."

View looking over Indian Maidens Kettle into Artist's Gorge.
Echo Cave is on the left.

Geology of Natural Stone Bridge & Caves

September 22, 2016 - Pottersville, NY
There was a $14 entry fee for adults.
You can find current rates and hours at stonebridgeandcaves.com

All information shared here I gathered from the park trail guide or signs at different vantages throughout the park.

Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

Þingvellir National Park

The Golden Circle

Iceland has so many wondrous natural features!
Waterfalls, mountains, glaciers, fjords, lava fields, volcanoes, and many other active geothermal features like hot springs and geysers.
Many tourists (including us) do the "Golden Circle" which has three main features Thingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss (so many people at these attractions, even in February).
Of course if you have plenty of daylight hours, you could add numerous other sights to your agenda along the way to and from Gullfoss (most likely with less people around).
Because we visited Iceland in February, the sun didn't rise until around 9 am. I loved this! Although the shortened daylight hours available did limit what we could see in one day.
We added Faxi to our adventure (notably less people here) and I have to mention... I had so much fun the whole day, spotting Icelandic horses along the countryside.

Geysir

Gullfoss

Faxi

Icelandic Horses!

gold glitter sunbeams escaping dark clouds.
the sun seemed to hang low on the horizon
all day
eerily hovering in the same spot
somehow.
in a magical way
rain fell
in a bright silver shimmer
rainbows appeared!
one after the other
glimmering.
sparkling.
creating a surreal existence
where just for a moment
you glimpsed the end of the rainbow.

Þingvellir National Park

Google Maps - My Places - Starred and labeled "Where I Want To Go the Most!"
I was obviously in it for the rocks. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge! The rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are moving away from each other. Visible. Tangible. I desperately wanted to see this!

Thingvellir being the first stop on our "Golden Circle" day, we did a fairly quick walk through a small portion of the park. Starting at the Visitors centre, we walked along the path in Almannagjá, the gorge that marks the eastern side of the North American tectonic plate. From this path we saw the flag that marks the Lögberg (Law Rock) and continued down the path a little further when we came upon Drekkingarhylur (Drowning Pool).

I was morbidly fascinated with Drekkingarhylur. The Öxará River rushing over volcanic rock (which I feel is waterfall worthy), pooling in a small area before rushing over the edge of the pool, down to the rift valley floor. A sign nearby read, “Seventy-two people are known with certainty to have been executed at Thingvellir from 1602 to 1750: 30 males were beheaded, 15 hanged, and nine burned at the stake. Eighteen women were drowned here in Drekkingarhylur.”  I caught myself daydreaming about the lives of people during an age where these forms of punishment were considered reasonable.

After the Drowning Pool we turned back to return to the Visitors centre. We didn't walk down by the church in the valley, and we didn't see Öxaráfoss, but it gives me a reason to visit the park again.

Welcome to Þingvellir

"Thingvellir is one of Iceland’s most important historical sites, fundamental to the history of Iceland and the Icelandic nation. The Althing (parliament) was founded here around 930 AD, and assembled each summer until the end of the Old Commonwealth in the 13th century. After that time it functioned as a court of law until 1798. Many crucial events in Iceland’s history took place here, such as the adoption of Christianity around 1000 AD, and the foundation of the modern Icelandic Republic in 1944. Thingvellir thus has a special place in the Icelandic consciousness. Since 1930 Thingvellir has been a National Park, and in 2004 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The natural environment of Thingvellir is unique in the world. The geology of the region, together with the ecosystem of Thingvellir Lake, Iceland’s largest natural lake, constitute a valuable whole. The ecosystem of the lake is rich and the catchment area of the lake which is about 1,300 km2, is a huge resource for future generations. Thingvellir lies on the junction of two tectonic plates, on the Mid Atlantic Ridge. The junction of the two plates is more clearly visible here than anywhere else in the world: the two plates are constantly diverging, causing fissures and gullies throughout the zone.

Thingvellir had many advantages as a location for the Althing (parliament), but over the centuries the remarkable natural environment also led to some problems. Subsidence in the Thingvellir rift valley is believed to total about four metres since the Althing first assembled around AD 930, and this meant that water flooded over the assembly site. Thingvellir Church is believed to have been moved to a new site in the 16th century due to changes in the water level. The Lögrétta (Law Council) was also relocated in 1594 due to flooding. Severe subsidence during the earthquakes of 1798 caused more difficulties: grassfields were inundated, and new fissures opened. At Vatnskot the ground subsided by two metres, and Hallvegur, the old Thingvellir road, disappeared under water."  

Thingvellir National Park

Sundial

Almannagjá

Almannagjá

Almannagjá (left), Öxará River (right).

Öxará River traversing the rift valley.

Lögberg (Law Rock)

Drekkingarhylur

A chatty Raven.

The vastness of Thingvellir National Park is great!

Straddling Two Continents

"Thingvellir lies within a belt of volcanic activity and fissures which passes across Iceland, a part of the mid-Atlantic Ridge, the junction of the American and Eurasian tectonic plates, Thingvellir is located at the western end of a rift valley which extends from the mountains in the northeast down to Thingvallavatn (Thingvellir Lake). Over the past 10,000 years the earth’s crust has been subsiding and diverging here. West of Almannagjá (Public’s man Gorge) the land is moving westwards, while to the east of the Hrafnagjá (Raven Gorge) it is moving eastwards, at the rate of about 3 mm annually. Readings indicate that the divergence over 10,000 years amounts to 70 meters. Over the same period the valley floor has subsided by 40 m. The extent of the subsidence can be seen by comparing the level of the top edge of Almannagjá and the plains below."
Taken from the park brochure available at the Visitors centre.

Thingvellir National Park. What a fascinating place to experience in person! Ultimately, pictures don't do this amazing geological feature any justice.

Did I mention you have to pay to use the toilet here? Which in all honesty is fine, but a little unexpected...

February 19, 2017 - All photos were taken by me (Alicen) or Nathan.

John Boyd Thacher State Park

I have this book that I flip through often. I look at it to read about places I've hiked. I like to see what I missed, where I was, where I should have gone...

I also look through this book to find new places to go hiking. Planning adventures. Although planning isn't really the right word to describe how I prepare for a hike. It's more like... I want to go there. It's not too far away. Let's go!

The first weekend of May 2015, Nathan and I decided to go for a little hike. With so many choices living in the northern section of the Great Appalachian Valley, it's not always easy to decide where to go. We have an ambitious goal for the Adirondacks since they are so near, but the terrain is often challenging for me. I wanted something easier. I picked up my book and started looking for something close and spectacular.

Hiking New York: A Guide to the State’s Best Hiking Adventures

Capital-Saratoga Region - Honorable Mention
“This 2,3000-acre state park west of Albany boasts 6 miles of the famous Helderberg Escarpment – one of the richest fossil-bearing formations in the world – as well as Mohawk-Hudson Valley panoramas, a historic Indian trade route, echoes of Tory spies, and a Revolutionary-times paint mine. Waterfalls and mixed woods complement the limestone cliff landscape.
"The park’s premier Indian Ladder Trail wraps below the 100- to 200-foot-high light-colored platy cliffs of Helderberg Escarpment. Here the Mohawk Schoharie built a shortcut to the valley, placing a sturdy notched trunk against the cliff for descending and scaling. Today stonework steps pull that duty. The cliffs command eyes skyward with bulges, overhangs, flutes, fissures, clefts, and hollows” (pg 201).

I had found John Boyd Thacher State Park. I was eager to explore the Indian Ladder Trail based on the description alone. When Nathan and I got to the park, we stopped at the Cliff Edge Overlook before our hike and the view was amazing! I could see the Mohawk and Hudson Valleys, Adirondack Mountains in New York, Green Mountains in Vermont, Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts, as well as a portion of the Helderberg Escarpment. My pictures certainly don't do it justice.

View from the Cliff Edge Overlook (11/13/2015).

Helderberg Escarpment
A sign at the Cliff Edge Overlook read, "The Helderberg Escarpment probably takes its name from the Dutch helder bright or light, and berg, mountain. It was formed several hundred million years ago when a series of limestone, sandstone, and shale layers were gradually uplifted and then eroded by streams and weather. As softer rock was worn away, undermining the harder limestone above, blocks broke from the cliffs along vertical joints, leaving a perpendicular rock wall. Two limestone formations, the Manlius and the Coeymans (which date from the Silurian and Devonian geologic periods - almost 450 million years ago) make up most of the escarpment you see today. The altitude of the cliff, which ranges from 800 to 1,300 feet above sea level, is emphasized by the steep drop to the valley floors below.
"Historically, this area was crossed by a footpath used by the Schoharie (Mohawk) Indians. Beginning at Albany, the path led over the Helderbergs, down Fox Creek Valley and ended in Schoharie. Traditionally, an old Indian ladder used to lean against the cliff where the path descended, thus the name Indian Ladder Trail."

View of the Helderberg Escarpment from the Escarpment Trail (11/13/2015).

Quick Fact: The Helderberg Escarpment is the northeast edge of the Allegheny Plateau (NYSDEC).

The Hike
The farther it gets from the time I have visited a place, certain details are lost. For instance, if the weather wasn’t extreme (really cold, snowy, high humidity, or very hot) I don’t remember the exactness of how the day was. Also, if the hike is short and/or flat, I can’t remember whether the hike was "difficult." Being uncomfortable certainly sets the scene for me while hiking. Although I know I was excited about every geological feature I came across, I was having a hard time writing about my experience.

It was suggested by my friend Michelle to go back. Revisit the Indian Ladder Trail and see it fresh.

Indian Ladder Trail
November 13, 2015 - I parked at the LaGrange Bush Picnic Area and was pleased to discover an entrance to the Indian Ladder Trail at the edge of the parking lot. I must admit I was a little confused about where to begin. I thought I was entering the trail from the same place as when I visited the park in May with Nathan, but I was wrong. I actually approached the path from the opposite end I intended, but it made for a whole different perspective and experience. I was eager to get started. I wanted to rediscover the breathtaking features seen along the half mile Indian Ladder Trail including majestic waterfalls, underground streams, and limestone caves!

The weather was moody with intervals of sun and rain... but mostly rain. The park was nearly empty. In May, Nathan and I ended up exploring the park the first weekend the Indian Ladder Trail was officially open. I remember there were so many people out and about that it was difficult to take pictures without getting people you didn't know in them.

Minelot Falls (05/03/2015).
See the tiny people and snow?

November on the other hand, two days before the trail officially closed... I came across two people on the trail, nine people in the park total.

Minelot Falls - 116 ft. (11/13/2015).

I took my time, enjoying my aloneness at Minelot Falls. Appreciating the view of the valley from behind the waterfall, looking closely at all the underground stream outlets.

Behind Minelot Falls (11/13/2015)

Underground Stream Outlets beneath Minelot Falls (11/13/2015).

A sign nearby read, "Here, the Coeymans and Manlius formations are well exposed. Below them, along the base of the cliff, you will see a very thin rock formation called the Rondout. Consisting mainly of fine-grained dolomitic mud, the Rondout has eroded under the Manlius. The rust-colored stains in the rock are iron pyrite crystals that have oxidized, or rusted, from exposure to moisture. Iron pyrite (also known as Fool's Gold) was once mined here, giving rise to the name 'Minelot Falls.'
"Minelot Creek, like Outlet Creek to the northwest, has lost most of its water to underground streams. During spring thaw and after heavy rains, Minelot Falls is in its glory. Below, are huge boulders that the powerful falls caused to break away, carving out a gulch in the cliff."

Me behind Minelot Falls (05/03/2015). You can see plenty of the rusty color behind me in this photo.
The second picture up is what is seen from my point-of-view.

I continued on, trying to figure out the differences in the limestone formations that make up the escarpment. It seemed to me that there was a noticeable line of demarcation where the Coeymans and Manlius formations met. I'm far from a geologist, but I certainly did my best to learn all about the two limestone formations so I might stand a chance at telling them apart. I only know for sure that the Manlius limestone rests beneath the Coeymans limestone along this escarpment of the Allegheny Plateau. Although I'm still not 100% sure.

Line of demarcation between the two limestone formations (11/13/2015).

Stairs. I didn't remember there being so many stairs. Perhaps it was because I was so very alone along the escarpment, things seemed exaggerated. The cliffs seemed taller too. More towering. More foreboding. The dripping water had an eeriness about it and at times I thought I could hear the limestone cracking deep within the hillside.

Nathan with some stairs on the Indian Ladder Trail (05/03/2015).

Nathan on the Indian Ladder Trail (05/03/2015).
I am always making him pose near tall things for scale because he is 6' 6"

I went along and saw Outlet Falls. Although the drop of the water from the edge of the escarpment is spectacular, along the trail... beneath the falls... there is a fantastic underground stream escaping the side of the cliff.

Outlet Falls - 100 ft. (11/13/2015).

Underground stream beneath Outlet Falls (11/13/2015).

The bottom of Outlet Falls (05/03/2015).
On the left you can see water rushing down from the underground stream pictured above.

Leaving the falls, a bridge crosses the Underground Stream Outlet, fed by Thompson's Lake about two miles away. A sign nearby read, "As surface water seeps into the characteristic cracks and vertical joints, it eventually dissolves passages through the soluble rock, and underground streams form. Over time, the passages enlarge to form caves and caverns.
"A stream flows out of Fool's Crawl Cave here, at the base of the limestone, where it reaches a layer of rock that erodes easily. A similar underground stream is beneath nearby Outlet Creek waterfall. All these streams converge below with Minelot Creek and flow down to the valley, ultimately reaching the Hudson River."

Underground Stream Outlet also known as Fool's Crawl Cave (05/03/2015).

As I rounded the corner... the sight of a cave coming into view? It literally made me gasp. I mean, I was looking forward to investigating the caves, but approaching it from this different direction... Wow! It was daunting. Magnificent. It THRILLED me!!! I became giddy thinking that I could explore the caves without anyone around.

A sign nearby read, "Although this site was historically known as "The Bridal Chamber" or "Giant's Castle," the origin of these names has been lost" (11/13/2015).

In May, I only took photos of one cave. There are two caves across from each other along the trail, but there were far too many people swarming one of the caves, and I didn't wait around to see it.

Crevice Cave (05/03/2015).

The anticipation. Not knowing at all what I was going to see!

Approaching the "other" cave... (11/13/2015).

As I got nearer, excitement turned more into panic. What if there were bats? I spooked myself. The cave was a lot darker and deeper than I expected. I looked into the blackness of the cave. I couldn't tell how far back it went... My mind kept playing tricks on me. Having fear rise up in me and choke me. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t step forward. I couldn't explore. Maybe if I had a flashlight I would have gone in... No, I think it's safe to say (and you know this if you have ever seen me encounter bats) I would never have gone in the cave alone.

I took this photo with my flash on because I could not see very far into the darkness.

I continued on until I got to the stairs leading up to the Escarpment Trail. This was where Nathan and I started in May. I followed the Escarpment Trail back to my car making the hike about a mile loop.

Escarpment Trail
In May, Nathan and I had started our hike parking in the Minelot Pinic Area. We walked along the Escarpment Trail the opposite direction than what I ended up doing in November. Just like the Indian Ladder Trail, I had a whole new perspective coming from a different direction. As I walked I kept taking pictures... basically of the same thing, but it was as if each view was somehow better than the last.

Escarpment Trail (11/13/2015).

I passed Historical Markers for the Tory Cave and the Indian Ladder Trail, as well as signs about The Tory Cave and Thacher Point. Some new construction was taking place nearby. I had heard it above and could see it in the distance when I began, but I didn't realize it was actually New York State Parks building the Thacher Park Center.

Tory Cave Historical Marker (05/03/2015).

I am not sure of its actual location, but I think it's safe to assume the Historical Marker wouldn't have place where it is unless the Tory Cave was somewhere nearby. The Tory Cave is no longer open to the public.

Indian Ladder Historical Marker (11/13/2015).

Thacher Point (05/03/2015)

I passed the creeks that feed the waterfalls. The sun came out and teased me so. Making all the autumn colors bright just for a moment. Too soon, the clouds came and everything was dreary again.

Escarpment Trail (11/13/2015).

Eventually, I made it back to my car and the view compelled me to go to the cliff side at the crest of the hill.

View from where I parked at LaGrange Bush Picnic Area (11/13/2015).

The view was fantastic! I was so awed by seeing my entire hike before me. I could see Minelot Falls as well as the construction taking place where I came up from the Indian Ladder Trail and started walking along the Escarpment Trail.

View of my hike (11/13/2015).

-History of Thacher State Park

Voorheesville, NY - May 3rd, November 13th 2015

Distance Traveled ~1 mile.

Difficulty – Moderately Easy with Stairs

For more pictures from both hikes... Click Here!