Moose River Plains Wild Forest
Encyclopedia
The Moose River Plains Wild Forest is a 50000 acres (202.3 km²) tract in the Adirondack Park in Hamilton
and Herkimer
counties in New York State; it is designated as Wild Forest by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
. It is bounded on the north by the Pigeon Lake Wilderness Area
, Raquette Lake
and the Blue Ridge Wilderness Area
, on the east and the south by the West Canada Lake Wilderness Area
and the private lands of the Adirondack League Club
, and on the west by the Fulton Chain Lakes
and New York State Route 28
. It includes the Red River, one of the many Indian Rivers in the Park (originating at Brook Trout Lake), Cobblestone Creek, Mountain Lake Outlet, Horn Lake Outlet, Ice Cave Mountain Outlet, Benedict Brook, Muskrat Creek, Silver Run, Otter Brook, Twin Lakes Outlet, the headwaters of the North Branch of the Black River (beginning just over the hill behind Horn Lake), the South Branch of the Moose River
and the 675 acres (2.7 km²) Cedar River Flow, as well as Mitchell Ponds, Lost Ponds, Twin Lakes, Icehouse and Helldiver Ponds, Beaver Lake, Squaw Lake, Balsam Lake, Stink Lake, Mountain Lake, Monument Lake, Snyder Lake, and furthest in, Horn Lake. This is the area that the Adirondack Guide, French Louie, ran so many of his traplines. Entrances to the Plains are at Cedar River Gate, back in from Indian Lake, NY, and Limekiln Gate, near Inlet, NY. It is the largest block of remote lands in the Adirondacks readily accessible by motor vehicle, and probably contains the most remote lands in the Adirondacks.
The "plains" of the Moose and Red Rivers are zones of grass
and herbaceous
vegetation that contrast with the forest that covers much of the Adirondack Park.
The Moose River Plains Wild Forest has miles of marked trails for hiking, skiing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling, along with many lakes and ponds for canoeing and fishing; hunting and primitive camping are permitted.
Hamilton County, New York
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is named after Alexander Hamilton, the only member of the New York State delegation who signed the United States Constitution in 1787 and later the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. Its county seat is Lake Pleasant...
and Herkimer
Herkimer County, New York
Herkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
counties in New York State; it is designated as Wild Forest by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources within the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department...
. It is bounded on the north by the Pigeon Lake Wilderness Area
Pigeon Lake Wilderness Area
The Pigeon Lake Wilderness Area, an Adirondack Park unit of the forest preserve, lies in the town of Webb, Herkimer County, and the towns of Long Lake and Inlet in Hamilton County...
, Raquette Lake
Raquette Lake
Raquette Lake is the source of the Raquette River in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, USA. It is near the community of Raquette Lake, New York. The lake has 99 miles of shoreline with pines and mountains bordering the lake. It is located in the towns of Long Lake and Arietta,...
and the Blue Ridge Wilderness Area
Blue Ridge Wilderness Area
The Blue Ridge Wilderness Area, a unit of New York's Forest Preserve in the Adirondack Park, is located in the towns of Arietta, Lake Pleasant and Indian Lake in Hamilton County...
, on the east and the south by the West Canada Lake Wilderness Area
West Canada Lake Wilderness Area
The West Canada Lake Wilderness Area is an Adirondack Park Forest Preserve management unit in the town of Ohio in Herkimer County and the towns of Morehouse, Arietta, Lake Pleasant and Indian Lake in Hamilton County...
and the private lands of the Adirondack League Club
Adirondack League Club
The Adirondack League Club is an organization that own a large piece of wilderness lands in the New York State Adirondack Park. The Club was founded in the 1890s as a club for hunting and fishing. The club was involved in a protracted legal dispute with the Sierra Club over the right of public...
, and on the west by the Fulton Chain Lakes
Fulton Chain Lakes
The Fulton Chain Lakes are a string of eight lakes located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York in the United States of America. These lakes are located in Herkimer County and Hamilton County...
and New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
. It includes the Red River, one of the many Indian Rivers in the Park (originating at Brook Trout Lake), Cobblestone Creek, Mountain Lake Outlet, Horn Lake Outlet, Ice Cave Mountain Outlet, Benedict Brook, Muskrat Creek, Silver Run, Otter Brook, Twin Lakes Outlet, the headwaters of the North Branch of the Black River (beginning just over the hill behind Horn Lake), the South Branch of the Moose River
Moose River (New York)
The Moose River is a mountain waterway which consists of three branches: the North Branch, the Middle Branch and the South Branch. The outlet of Big Moose Lake forms the North Branch in northern Herkimer County. The Middle Branch originates at the Fulton Chain Lakes in Old Forge. And the Southern...
and the 675 acres (2.7 km²) Cedar River Flow, as well as Mitchell Ponds, Lost Ponds, Twin Lakes, Icehouse and Helldiver Ponds, Beaver Lake, Squaw Lake, Balsam Lake, Stink Lake, Mountain Lake, Monument Lake, Snyder Lake, and furthest in, Horn Lake. This is the area that the Adirondack Guide, French Louie, ran so many of his traplines. Entrances to the Plains are at Cedar River Gate, back in from Indian Lake, NY, and Limekiln Gate, near Inlet, NY. It is the largest block of remote lands in the Adirondacks readily accessible by motor vehicle, and probably contains the most remote lands in the Adirondacks.
The "plains" of the Moose and Red Rivers are zones of grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
and herbaceous
Herbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
vegetation that contrast with the forest that covers much of the Adirondack Park.
The Moose River Plains Wild Forest has miles of marked trails for hiking, skiing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling, along with many lakes and ponds for canoeing and fishing; hunting and primitive camping are permitted.