Another Moose River Plains Question

[madison]

Hey all,

I know that over the years there have been extensive discussions on this forum about the Moose River Plains rec area. And I know that there have been changes proposed in that area, as far as motorized access on Otter Brook rd, south of Moose River rd. But I am unclear as to whether those changes have been enacted. Is it still possible to drive to the Beaver Lake trailhead? And how about farther south, to Squaw and Indian Lakes? I've done lots of camping in the MRPRA and hiked to Beaver Lake a few times, but I've been meaning for years to bring a canoe in to Squaw and Indian Lakes and never gotten around to it. I hope I'm not too late.

[DSettahr]

Not 100% sure, but I think that there was extensive flood damage to Otter Brook Road, and, regardless of the proposed changes to the MRPWF, it wasn't opened south of the bridge over the Moose River at all last year...

[Otter Laker]

I hiked that section last July in route to Brooktrout Lake. The road is chained just south of the Moose River. It had extensive damage(complete washouts and huge sink holes). It would take a miracle for the state to reopen that section.

[madison]

Thanks guys. So is the turnoff to Beaver Lake closed off, or is the blockade just past that? As i recall the turn to that trailhead is just south of the moose river. I really like the 2 campsites on that road, and Beaver Lake is a great dayhike or overnight.

[Grey-Jay]

I camped there last September and drove to the bridge where the trail begins. Thus the short roadway was open. It was fun to put a kayak in at the barricaded bridge and get in the S moose

[NorthBay]

I was in there last November and drove all the back to the Squaw Lake TH. It may be closed again at this point though. As far as the Beaver Lake TH I was able to dive up to the bridge at the S. Branch of Moose, but no further. Again that was back in November, they haven't opened the gate at Limekiln as of yet.

Steve

[DSettahr]

Originally Posted by NorthBay

I was in there last November and drove all the back to the Squaw Lake TH. It may be closed again at this point though. As far as the Beaver Lake TH I was able to dive up to the bridge at the S. Branch of Moose, but no further. Again that was back in November, they haven't opened the gate at Limekiln as of yet.

Steve

They must've repaired it late in the summer...

In any case, I believe that the long term plans are for the road to be closed at the bridge. The stretch from the Falls Pond trailhead west to Horn Lake (and eventually North Lake) by way of Squaw Lake, Indian Lake, and the Indian River is intended to become part of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

I made it in back there in the summer of 2008. The trail was pretty easy to follow all the way to the ford on the Indian River. From there on, the old logging roads were pretty overgrown with thick Balsam. I made it as far as Balsam Lake before I turned back- I'd hoped to get to Horn Lake but the going was too tough.

[NorthBay]

They must've repaired it late in the summer...

They must have...I couldn't go much further than the S. Branch of Moose River when I was there last May. It was gated off shortly after that. I was pleasantly surprised to see it was open in November. I'm hoping they open it again, that is some awesome country back there.

Steve

[Wldrns]

Originally Posted by DSettahr

The stretch from the Falls Pond trailhead west to Horn Lake (and eventually North Lake) by way of Squaw Lake, Indian Lake, and the Indian River is intended to become part of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

That section of the NCNST seems to be on hold for the moment. I worked on defining the "Rome North" section for a couple of years, and potentials with the DEC for continuing the link beyond Forestport (via North Lake and the Horn Lake trail as just one possibility). But that section seems to be even more on hold, and the group working it seemingly has completely stalled.

Originally Posted by DSettahr

I made it in back there in the summer of 2008. The trail was pretty easy to follow all the way to the ford on the Indian River. From there on, the old logging roads were pretty overgrown with thick Balsam. I made it as far as Balsam Lake before I turned back- I'd hoped to get to Horn Lake but the going was too tough.

I passed through there on my way to Plattsburgh with a Hornbeck overhead, with an overnight stay at Balsam Lake. It's pretty rough with the trail very indistinct from there on up toward Rock Dam on the Moose. Some sections of trail are not as depicted on the map, but that is not terribly unusual for this area.

[DSettahr]

This may be of interest: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/39658.html

It's the DEC's draft plan for the NCT from 2007. A few things have changed since then... In particular, the route as depicted in the plan is for the NCT to go south of Indian Lake. It's been assumed for years that the French Louie Trail from Perkins Clearing to the West Canada Lakes would become part of the NCT (and I believe that this is the route followed by those brave few that hike the trail in it's current state). My understanding is that after the draft plan was released, though, the town of Indian Lake started to lobby pretty hard for the trail to take a more northern route, through town, so that Indian Lake could become a "trail town."

Interestingly enough, it's similar lobbying that dictated the route of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Apparently the original plan for the NFCT was a more southerly route through Vermont, via the LaMoille. When the trail was still in the planning stages, however, some of the towns along the Mississquoi lobbied effectively for the trail to take a more northern route- hence the current route of the NFCT.