Adventures close to home
A good friend of mine is on a trip to visit the Bad Lands and the Black Hills of South Dakota. He's had some hiking adventures, and the photographs he sent back make me envious of his experiences. I've never been to the Dakota states, but after seeing his pictures, my effort to get there should move on to my priority list.
Hiking and exploring new areas intrigues the wanderlust in many people. Still, one doesn't need to venture far from our Chenango County home to experience new and never seen before sights and sounds. There's plenty to do nearby, and many of our attractions are free.
First on the list of fun things to do close to home are the museums that should soon be open; the County Historical Society Museum and Northeast Classic Car Museum, both on Rexford St in the appropriately named Museum District. Also close to home are the Farmer's Museum and Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
All museums in New York State are included in Phase 4 of the COVID-19 reopening plan, which should allow for visitors sometime in July. Watch the news or museum internet pages for details. Each of these museums has an admission fee of some form or another, but well worth it.
Here are some other attractions, just as worthy of mention and possibly better because they are free. A local favorite for generations is the Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne. There you will find miles of nature trails, ponds teeming with wildlife, forests full of birds and if you're quiet as you walk you will see animals galore. There is usually a Friends of Rogers or state employee nearby to answer questions.
If solitude is more of your style, there are plenty of places you can go nearby and see amazing sights that many people are surprised are this close to home. Again, in Sherburne is Rexford Falls just east of the Village on NYS Route 80. Of course, the locals use Chapel Street to get the falls so they can park in the shade.
Rexford Falls are created by the Mad Brook, which flows from the Sherburne reservoirs, on East Hill Road south-west into the village where it meets the Chenango River. Along the way, the brook drops 75 or more feet, creating a spectacular sight to see. If you suffer from acrophobia, avoid walking across the century-old steel-truss footbridge that spans the gorge. If you dare to use it, this footbridge offers a dizzying view, straight down, to the white water breaking over the precipice.
Another elevated water view, but not quite so high, is the observation platform at the Round Pound Wetlands in the state forest in the Town of Plymouth near Plymouth Reservoir. This attraction is relatively new, having been erected by NYS DEC in 2018. This 20-foot tall platform is handicap accessible by use of a 150-foot "switchback" ramp that is almost as impressive as the view.
The observation platform at Round Pond offers a lofty view of the 25-acre pond full of exciting sights; most notable is the Sandhill cranes that call this area home. Sandhill cranes are large, long-legged birds rarely seen east of the Mississippi River, and Chenango County is lucky these birds decided Round Pond would be their annual migration destination.
Down Afton way is the highest point in Chenango County. In Melondy Hill State Forest, the hilltop claiming this title is easily accessed by a trail, which is sometimes a muddy road, depending upon the logging activity. Access to the highest point is off Hunt Road, and the specific coordinates of the summit are 42.20825, -75.452552. Once was the time a hiker needed a GPS unit to find a distant location, but now nearly every smartphone knows latitude and longitude. If my memory serves me, there isn't much of a view from the highest point, but it is something you can check off your list of things accomplished.
The last interesting thing to experience close to home is a dangerously deep gorge in the Five Streams State Forest in the Town of German. Just west of the intersection of Jones Hill Rd and Skillman-Hoffman Rd is a creekside trail leading up a hill and into the woods. Once at the top of the hill, you should see well-worn bark on trees at the edge of a cliff. The trees are well worn because of people's death grip as they peer downward. Unlike Rexford Falls, the overlook in Five Streams Forest has no safety fence. Experience this deep gorge at your own risk.
If your summer vacation plans have been canceled by the pandemic, try scouting the area closer to home. The suggestions offered today are just some of the noteworthy destinations nearby. These are places that many people outside our area travel hours to see. Don't be like the people who live in New York City and have never been to the Statue of Liberty. These attractions are in our back yard and should be appreciated.
Hiking and exploring new areas intrigues the wanderlust in many people. Still, one doesn't need to venture far from our Chenango County home to experience new and never seen before sights and sounds. There's plenty to do nearby, and many of our attractions are free.
First on the list of fun things to do close to home are the museums that should soon be open; the County Historical Society Museum and Northeast Classic Car Museum, both on Rexford St in the appropriately named Museum District. Also close to home are the Farmer's Museum and Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
All museums in New York State are included in Phase 4 of the COVID-19 reopening plan, which should allow for visitors sometime in July. Watch the news or museum internet pages for details. Each of these museums has an admission fee of some form or another, but well worth it.
Here are some other attractions, just as worthy of mention and possibly better because they are free. A local favorite for generations is the Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne. There you will find miles of nature trails, ponds teeming with wildlife, forests full of birds and if you're quiet as you walk you will see animals galore. There is usually a Friends of Rogers or state employee nearby to answer questions.
If solitude is more of your style, there are plenty of places you can go nearby and see amazing sights that many people are surprised are this close to home. Again, in Sherburne is Rexford Falls just east of the Village on NYS Route 80. Of course, the locals use Chapel Street to get the falls so they can park in the shade.
Rexford Falls are created by the Mad Brook, which flows from the Sherburne reservoirs, on East Hill Road south-west into the village where it meets the Chenango River. Along the way, the brook drops 75 or more feet, creating a spectacular sight to see. If you suffer from acrophobia, avoid walking across the century-old steel-truss footbridge that spans the gorge. If you dare to use it, this footbridge offers a dizzying view, straight down, to the white water breaking over the precipice.
Another elevated water view, but not quite so high, is the observation platform at the Round Pound Wetlands in the state forest in the Town of Plymouth near Plymouth Reservoir. This attraction is relatively new, having been erected by NYS DEC in 2018. This 20-foot tall platform is handicap accessible by use of a 150-foot "switchback" ramp that is almost as impressive as the view.
The observation platform at Round Pond offers a lofty view of the 25-acre pond full of exciting sights; most notable is the Sandhill cranes that call this area home. Sandhill cranes are large, long-legged birds rarely seen east of the Mississippi River, and Chenango County is lucky these birds decided Round Pond would be their annual migration destination.
Down Afton way is the highest point in Chenango County. In Melondy Hill State Forest, the hilltop claiming this title is easily accessed by a trail, which is sometimes a muddy road, depending upon the logging activity. Access to the highest point is off Hunt Road, and the specific coordinates of the summit are 42.20825, -75.452552. Once was the time a hiker needed a GPS unit to find a distant location, but now nearly every smartphone knows latitude and longitude. If my memory serves me, there isn't much of a view from the highest point, but it is something you can check off your list of things accomplished.
The last interesting thing to experience close to home is a dangerously deep gorge in the Five Streams State Forest in the Town of German. Just west of the intersection of Jones Hill Rd and Skillman-Hoffman Rd is a creekside trail leading up a hill and into the woods. Once at the top of the hill, you should see well-worn bark on trees at the edge of a cliff. The trees are well worn because of people's death grip as they peer downward. Unlike Rexford Falls, the overlook in Five Streams Forest has no safety fence. Experience this deep gorge at your own risk.
If your summer vacation plans have been canceled by the pandemic, try scouting the area closer to home. The suggestions offered today are just some of the noteworthy destinations nearby. These are places that many people outside our area travel hours to see. Don't be like the people who live in New York City and have never been to the Statue of Liberty. These attractions are in our back yard and should be appreciated.
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