Red Horse Trail

[Crash]

I've always been intrigued about the Red Horse Trail. This trail starts on the north shore of Stillwater Reservoir and heads northward. I was intrigued when I read somewhere (probably on this forum) that the northern end crossed the Oswegatchie River at High Falls, but has since been lost to disuse. I've only hiked a short bit of this trail, turning around just past the wetlands on the east shore of Salmon Lake.

I wanted to share a section of a 1919 map that I stumbled across. Anybody ever try to follow the trail remnants the entire way?

[Dave Bourque]

This is a question for DSettahr. His knowledge of backcountry destinations is unsurpassed. I'm sure he will respond.

[DSettahr]

I've long been intrigued by this trail but have limited first hand knowledge of it. While camped at the west side of High Falls a couple of seasons ago as part of a longer paddling trip I did spend a few minutes searching for any remnant of this trail without any luck. I do remember that the woods in the vicinity were relatively thick with new growth stemming from the aftermath of the microburst. The old foundation from the foot bridge crossing from when the Red Horse Trail still terminated at High Falls is very prominent but the concrete abutments certainly could last far longer than what is left of any foot path.

I have also previously stumbled across the map shared by Crash myself. One of the hypothetical trips on my "to do list" would involve getting a shuttle across the Stillwater Reservoir to the southern terminus of the Red Horse Trail, and then following it north as far as the trail is still maintained, and from there attempting to bushwhack along as approximate a route as possible that matches the original route of the trail. One of the challenges of such a trip would be fording the Oswegatchie at High Falls- during times of particularly low flow it is possible to rock hop across the river at High Falls but I don't know exactly how common it is to see flow levels low enough to facilitate this.

Conk would presumably know more about this trail- or at the very least, the terrain that it once traversed- than I do, given that he's paddled every named body of water in the Five Ponds Wilderness.

[Wldrns]

Years ago, sometime in the late 1980's or early 1990's, prior to the 15 July 1995 derecho microburst, I followed the Red Horse trail from Stillwater to bushwhack Beyond Summit Lake and Crooked Lake, all the way to visit Toad, Oven and Gull. I found no indication of any trail beyond the ridge crest. I was so intrigued by the odd shape of Oven that I wanted to carry my Hornbeck to further explore that area at a later date. Before I could get back in there, the derecho hit. A couple of years later I made it to the crest of the ridge on the north side of Clear Lake and Summit Pond.

When I reached the top of the ridge and gazed beyond, all I could see was a flattened landscape. only one or two distant broken branchless stubs were rising above the otherwise flat debris field. 100% destruction in a nest of broken tree tops and cris-crossed logs everywhere. No chance of getting very far through that, so I turned around and camped near Crooked Lake before going home. I had other experiences in that same storm blowdown in the area west of Lows Lake, so I knew what to expect if I pressed on.

I waited another couple of years and returned again to much the same view. Fresh new growth thumb size sapling trees were like a jungle growing in new open sunlight between the downed tree trunk logs, so thick they were difficult to push through. Worse, a carpet of waist tall green ferns covered the damp slippery logs, making for a broken leg waiting to happen,especially with a canoe on my back. So I turned around again. I have not been back beyond Summit to attempt it again since.

By the way, Clear Lake is properly named, as its water is unusually absolutely as clear and clean as tap water, you can see all the way to sunken logs on the bottom virtually everywhere. All other regional lakes are the usual color of Adirondack tannin brown tea

[Pat T]

You might try this website for more info. https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2...rse-trail.html

Also, although I cannot find my copy right now, I seem to recall that Paul Jamieson wrote about the Red Horse Trail in his canoe guide North Flow. And, Dsetthar, I'm still available for shuttle service, this coming summer.

[Crash]

Thanks for the info. Paul Jamieson's North Flow has over two full pages on this trail. And the 1931 Cranberry Lake Topo Map shows the entire northern part of the trail - from High Falls to Crooked Lake.

[Prints]

I've followed that "trail" from Clear Lake to High Falls. Terry Perkins our old DEC officer for Stillwater calls it the Teapot trail. It's gone. You see signs of it maybe once every mile, flat trail bed sections and ax blazes. Terry said he's seen a few large yellow AMC markers from the 1920s back in there. But I didn't. It's not the easy way through the forest anymore, especially over Partlow mountain into High Falls. The Beaver have taken over that section, you fight yourself into a cage of spruce and balsam if you try to stay on the trail.

[Wldrns]

you fight yourself into a cage of spruce and balsam if you try to stay on the trail.

.

As Terry Perkins once described it to me, and later also by Ranger John Scanlon, they called it "Dog Hair Spruce". Confirmed by me when I bushwhacked and fought my way through it to Oven and Toad. I'd be interested to see what 25 years of decay and new growth has done to the area since the derecho.

[Crash]

I found this photo from 1968 of what I believe to be the old footbridge at High Falls: Photo courtesy of Lynn Hunneyman
RedHorseBridgeAtHighFalls.png

[Wm Cranker]

In 1971, several of the Ranger School students, as I recall, described backpacking South from Wanakena to Stillwater Reservoir via the old trail to the Red Horse Trail. I was in the Class of 1972 with one maybe two of the hikers. They reported the path faded away South of High Falls, unable to find it after reaching the Robinson River crossing. They bushwhacked from there to Clear Lake to pick up the Red Horse Trail. That was over 50 years ago. Microburst issues since then. The map snip was interesting as quite possibly the party in 1971 stayed on the trace directly to the Robinson River and crossed as there was an older path South from there that may have lead them astray. The ADK trail that was established may have followed the route shown on the map snip. I am uncertain. I think there maybe some maps showing where that was route was established. Nice to see the picture of the High Falls Bridge, I used the bridge a few times out wandering around from the Ranger School on Sunday break from studies walked over to the leantos to see what there was to see. Happy Trails everyone.l