Cage Lake Trail in FPWA

[Bagadeez04]

Im considering a trip to the lean-to on Cage Lake in Five Ponds Wilderness Area with kids, but ive seen posts over the years suggesting the trail is a muddy, torn up mess up until the hunting camp at Buck Pond (whos owners apparently have a ROW to use ATVs to access their camp).

My question is, is this camp and ATV use still an issue? Has anyone been back there recently to report on the condition of this trail (the last post I could find on this trail dates back 10 years or so)?

[DuctTape]

5 years ago it was a muddy mess.

[Tug Hill]

I went in to Cage on that trail once several years ago, the old Post Henderson RR bed. I swore I would never hike or even ride an atv on that trail again.
there are better and shorter ways to Cage if you are not adverse to bushwhacking.

[Bagadeez04]

Why won't anyone just tell me what I want to hear?! Which is that the state acquired the camp a couple years back, and the trail is now in great shape lol! Oh well.

I would love to do the bushwack from the west if I knew more about it. If it was just me I'd do it in a heartbeat, but with kids Im not sure. It would depend on how thick/difficult it is in those woods, and how rough the Oswagatchie crossing is.

I've read between the lines that there may be a way that isn't so bad, but I dont know anything about it from the research I've done. Anyone with info id be happy to talk with offline if willing.

[Tug Hill]

From what I’ve heard from talking with residents of Star Lake, is that the owners of Buck Pond will never sell to the state. But who knows, money talks and bs walks. Not sure if it is true, but I’ve been told the owners are descendants of the surveyor who laid out the Post Henderson RR. It was payment or partial payment for his surveyor work.

ive done the western route, but in the 70’s I worked for International Paper CO’s, logging contractor that logged off Alder Bed Mtn.,so I’m familiar with the area. The river crossing can be difficult at times. Send me a PM if you have questions.

[paddles]

I’ve paddled down Alder Bed Flow, then bushwhacked from the north end of the flow to Cage Lake. I stayed south/east of the line of beaver meadows along the way and it was pretty easy going as I recall. I carried my canoe with me and didn’t run into any difficulty if that tells you anything. I can’t say what it’s like along the shoreline of Cage since I put the boat in once I got to the lake. There are a couple spots of moving water along Alder Bed that might make it annoying paddling back upstream, but I didn’t try it since I hiked out a different way so I really don’t know.