[Journal Entry for September 15, 2018; Sutherland Swamp, Black Rock Forest, Cornwall New York] I arrived at the Mine Hill Trailhead at about noon, on a partly sunny day with a sky filled will puffy clouds. I parked at the lot on Mine Hill Road, which is itself high up on Sackett Ridge and took the Mine Hill Trail (blazed in yellow) up to the ridge crest. I paused at a little overlook that command a nice view towards the northwest. The long ridge of Schunemunk Mountain is in the western part of the view, and Shawangunk Ridge in the much more distant north.

I took the Sackett and Stillman Trails (both blazed in yellow) to an overlook at the southern end of Sackett Ridge. It offers a view of Schunemunk Mountain that is a bit wilder and picturesque than the one at the Mine Hill Trail overlook. I ate lunch at the overlook, firing up my MSR PocketRocket stove and heating up soup. I had brought a can of Campbell’s Pea Soup, and diluted it to make a very thin broth. I needed the hydration, for the day, while not very hot, was extremely humid. I then retraced my path to the Short Cut Trail (blazed in yellow), connected with the Stillman Trail (also yellow) and took it over to the Split Rock Overlook. I passed numerous bright orange coral fungi, each four to inches high, along the trail. The view from the overlook to Sutherland Pond and surrounding hills is terrific. Sutherland Swamp, located at the southwestern end of the pond and covering a similar area, is already in it fall colors. I decided to try to find a vantage where I could see it, close up. I could see a point of land at the southeastern end of the pond, demarked by a group of Pine Trees, which looked as though it might offer a view.

I took the Split Rock Trail (blazed in blue) down to the Southerland Road – Chatfield Road intersection and then took Chatfield Road a little south. I then bushwhacked parallel to the southwestern shore of the pond, but on the hillside above it, to the point with the Pines. Progress was slow, for I had to detour around fallen trees, around rock scarps and through tangles groves of Mountain Laurel. Eventually, when I reached the point I found that it did indeed offer a splendid view of the edge of the swamp. The vegetation, and especially the High-bush Blueberry, is already red, and indeed some bushes have already lost their leaves altogether. Water lilies and grasses, on the other hand, are still green. The long log that floated at the edge of the swamp was occupied by several turtles, basking in the sun. I found a second vantage, a little further along, that gave another view into the central part of the swamp. While colorful , the center is not as interesting as the edge, for it has less open water.

I then bushwhacked east, choosing to cross wooded highlands with mostly Blueberry ground cover (and not the more difficult Mountain Laurel), and keeping as much as possible to bare rock ledges. I passed several beautiful Blueberry meadows, now well lit by the late afternoon sun. I joined the Chatfield Trail (blazed in blue) and took it to Chatfield Road. I was running low on water and decided to stop at the Stone House (more of a hiker’s hut), whose grounds host an old-style hand-pumped well. Along the way, I stopped twice at Tamarack Pond. The vegetation on the little island near its northern shore is also fall red. After refilling my water bottle, I walked Walter’s Way, a short path that follows the shore of Arthur’s Pond and offers nice view of it.

I then walked Continental Road to the Two Gates intersection. I passed several streams along which were blooming waxy white flowers on a tall stark, of a type I did not recognize. My colleague Dorothy Peteet, a botanist, later told me that they were White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra). I made a brief stop at the point where the Sphagnum Pond outflow stream crosses Continental Road, were a vantage by a Beaver dam offers a great view of a wetland. Like Sutherland Swamp, it too is showing quite a bit of fall color. I then connected with the Sackett Trail (blazed in yellow) and took it back onto Sackett Ridge. I passed an odd chimney-like structure, build on a high ledge near where the trail crosses Century Brook. I was unable to divine its purpose, for it did not seem to be an actual chimney. Perhaps it is ornamental. Eventually, I connected with the Mine Hill Trail and took it back to my car. The east flank of Schunemunk Mountain was now in shadow, but the sun was not yet close to setting.

I had a sausage and green pepper pie from Leo’s Pizzeria, in a strip mall off of Quaker Avenue in Cornwall New York, before driving home.

About five and a half hours, overall.