[Journal entry for September 5, 2018; Sutherland Pond, Black Rock Forest, Cornwall New York] At about 4PM, Dallas and I parked off of Route 9W at the Peck’s Road pullout. We bought a one-dollar hiking map at the kiosk, for I had lost my old one, and headed up Hulse Road. This woods road heads uphill, with a steady moderate grade through woods with tall trees and undergrowth of Blueberry Bushes and Fern. The waking was not difficult, but the afternoon was so hot – in the nineties Fahrenheit – that we were soon very sweaty and glad that we had brought plenty of drinking water. I was on the lookout for Cardinal Flower as we passed several streams, for this water-loving plant is now in bloom. I was disappointed to sight none. Dallas spotted a Wood Frog, which surprised us by making very long leaps for such a small animal.

We reached the Two-Gates intersection in about an hour. I made a detour to view the wetland around the Sphagnum Pond outflow stream, which was nicely lit up by the late afternoon sun. We then continued for another half hour on Sutherland Road (another woods road), which is more level than Hulse Road. We walked down to view Sphagnum Pond at the dam. The water level in this impoundment is back to normal; it had been partially drained back in the spring so that the dam could be repaired. The brown stone curve of the dam was rather pretty against the background of blue water and sky and green trees. Continuing on, I walked down to the opposite shore of the pond, taking a short informal trail that led from the road.

The road then descends down to Sutherland Pond and follows its northwestern shore. Sutherland is the only natural pond in the Forest; all the rest are impoundments. The water was still and the brightly-lit southeastern shore was reflected by it. Some of the Maple Trees and Blueberry Bushes along the shore (and especially in the swamp at the southern end) are starting to show their red fall colors. The road then veers away from the shore, but an informal trail cuts through the woods back to it, to a small rocky peninsula. Swimming is allowed here, at the swimmer’s own risk. Dallas swam while I prepared dinner, cooking corn beef, beans and vegetables on my MSR PocketRocket camp stove. After Dallas dried off, she and I enjoyed a peaceful dinner, watching the color of the reflections gradually shift to orange as the sun grew lower and lower on the horizon.

We then cleaned up and retraced our path to our car. The sun had not quite set by the time we reached it. About three and one quarter hours.