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 Note: The free trail maps on this website have been simplified to provide an overview with approximate locations of trails and special features. Read Full Disclaimer.  |
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From Albany take Rt. 85 west for about 15 miles to Thacher Park Road (Rt. 157). Park at the “Paint Mine” Lot for access to the MTB trails. General Description: John Boyd Thacher State Park, located 16 miles west of Albany in upstate New York is situated along the Helderberg Escarpment, one of the richest fossil-bearing formations in the world. From the top of the escarpment there are spectacular views of the Hudson-Mohawk Valleys, Adirondacks and Green Mountains of Vermont. The Park features six miles of vertical limestone cliffs, waterfalls, caves, fantastic views, an old Indian trade route and a Revolutionary-times paint mine (see Historical Note below). The park is also an important bird conservation area and is a prime location for hawk viewing during the fall migration when many species of raptors including eagles, coopers hawk and the northern goshawk can be seen here. Park facilities include an Olympic-sized pool (currently undergoing extensive rehabilitation), volleyball courts, playgrounds, ball fields, and many picnic areas with shelters. 15 miles of trails for mountain biking, hiking, snow shoeing and cross-country skiing weave throughout the park along cliff edges and rock-strewn slopes, through beautiful upland forest of mainly northern hardwoods and open fields. Take the time to explore what we think are some of the most beautiful trails you'll find near Albany, NY.
The Indian Ladder Trail, a famous old Indian trade route, descends 60 feet down a limestone vertical limestone cliff face via a metal ladder and travels along the base of the escarpment, passing under Minelot Falls (waterfalls best in early Spring). The views of the Valley below are just breathtaking. We highly recommend taking the time to enjoy this unique hike before or after your mountain bike ride. It takes about 45 minutes or more depending on how long you linger to admire the rock formations and views. The trail can be accessed from the Indian Ladder and La Grange Bush picnic areas. The Indian Ladder Trail is open from May 1 to November 15, weather permitting.
The Long Path, a long distance hiking trail runs from George Washington Bridge in New York City for a distance of 347 miles to where it ends at John Boyd Thacher Park at the northern end of the Indian Ladder Trail.
John Boyd Thacher Multi-Use Trails Access to the multi-use mountain bike trails at John Boyd Thacher State Park is from the Paint Mine parking lot across the park road, away from the escarpment. Trails in the Hop Field area and on the cliff side of park are for hiking and skiing only. Begin your ride from the "Paint Mine" lot and head up the Long Path, a gravel fire road, to access the trail network. A brown park sign marks the trailhead. The multi-use trails branch off from the fire road on the left at various intervals. When we were here in the summer of 2007, we found the trail signs confusing. We took a couple of wrong turns, but it is hard to get lost as the trails travel within a relatively compact area. The Long Path section is the easiest to ride, although it is a long, steady uphill trek toward Beaver Dam Road with several short but steep climbs. The other trails in the network wind through beautiful forest and are mostly a combination of dirt singletrack and doubletrack, with lots of rocks, roots, tricky loose rock sections, some log steps, short technical steep climbs and descents. The Red Trail, closest to the parking lot, is 1.25 miles and the Blue Trail is 2.5 miles. There are white blazed connector trails for additional miles of riding. For a challenging mountain bike ride over varied terrain, a six mile "Paint Mine Trail Loop" around the area is possible using a combination of connecting trails. To reach the Blue Trail, take the Long Path which follows along Mine Lot Creek and continue past the Red Trail loop intersection. Don’t turn left at the first wood sign with a yellow arrow pointing to the Blue Trail. Stay on the Long Path and keep pedaling toward Beaver Dam Road (see our Thacher Paint Mine Trail Photos above). You will eventually reach an intersection with two blue blazes on a tree. You can start the loop here by going straight or turning to the left. Be sure to check the map at the kiosk for trails that are closed to mountain bikes! Snowshoeing and cross country skiing are popular winter activities on the John Boyd Thacher Trail Network. The perfect place to unwind after your ride is the nice picnic area with restroom facilities easily accessible right from the Paint Mine Lot.
Nearby: Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center is located by the shore of Thompson’s Lake next to Thompson Lake State Park Campground. The Nature Center features a geologic model of the Helderberg Escarpment, a honey bee observation hive, a butterfly garden, bird viewing area, fossil exhibits and hands-on collections. Camping: Thompson’s Lake State Park, located just 4 miles away from John Boyd Thacher State Park with a sandy beach, is a popular, family-friendly recreation area and campground. The campsites encompass 125 acres of waterfront, mixed hard wood and conifer forest, limestone outcroppngs and open fields blooming with wildflowers. The lake is actually an ancient sink hole formed over one milion years ago in limestone. Visitors can take part in day or evening environmental education and crafts programs, explore trails leading through fields and woods and to the lakeshore. Beavers, great blue herons, raccoons, white-tailed deer, bats, owls and the spotted salamander are just some of the wildlife that can be seen here.
Historic Note: The park is named for a former Albany Mayor, John Boyd Thacher. The land was donated to the sate in 1912 by Mr. Thacher’s widow. This was farmland during the 17th and 18th centuries. Two of the picnic areas bear the names of two major crops, hops and pears. Local ore was used to make paint during the Revolutionary War period, thus the name “Paint Mine Trail”. A pass over the Helderberg mountains was used by the Mohawks traveling from the Albany trading post to their homes in the Scoharie River Valley. A section of this route is now the “ Indian Ladder Trail”. Loyalists, during the Revolution, are believed to have hidden in caves along the escarpment.
For more information: JOHN BOYD THACHER STATE PARK Phone: (518) 872-1237
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