Blooming Trails

The unusually cool but wet conditions  in the northeast part of the country this spring have resulted in blooming hiking trails on Bear Spring Mountain in the towns of Colchester and Walton in Delaware County.

Two rare specimens

Not only are ephemerals such as wild ramps or leeks and trout lilies prolific this year, but endangered species such as red trillium (Trillium erectum aka "Nosebleeds") are flourishing.

A flourishing patch of wild leeks or ramps

Traversing trail no. 7 during the first weekend in May was a feat - maneuvering through suction cup mud while battling ear-bound midges and no-see-ums.

Charlie Browne is an expert at fettering out the muddiest, wettest sections of a trail. Here, he found Skunk Cabbage or Symplocarpus foetidust 

Before embarking on the two hour hike, I crossed paths with one of the friendliest New York State DEC Forest Rangers to ever police the back country of Delaware County - Jason Seeley.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Ranger Jason Seeley

Seeley and I have found ourselves in the same place at the same time a number of times while I was covering a forest or brush fire and he was called in by a local fire department for his blaze extinguishing expertise.
The man is a pro in every sense of the word, and I dare say, he loves this mountain as much as I do. He offered a word to the wise before he began his patrol and I began my hike - carry a whistle and be alert for bears.
Charlie Browne and I  did not encounter a single bear, though we spotted fresh scat and more Spring Beauties than we could count.

Top: Spring Beauties, Left: Trout Lilies, Right:  Shoe Leather Express Only

#getoutsideandplay
#hikethecatskills

* Lillian Browne works as a newspaper and travel magazine editor to fund her adventure habit - which she indulges every chance she gets. She is exploring the world around her, one step at a time, with her dog - Charlie. Follow her on Instagram or on Twitter @browneinwalton