Short Hike #6: Butterfly Season at the Albany Pine Bush

A Karner blue found along the Green Trail near Kings Road
(All images mine)

I've been meaning to do a post on the Albany Pine Bush since I started this blog. Not only is it one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the Capital District, it's one of the most unique places in the state and the world. Pine barrens are generally located near an ocean, but the Pine Bush is over 100 miles inland. At one point, the Pine Bush covered an area of  over 40 square miles, but development has reduced its size significantly. Since the 1988 creation of the state nature preserve, overseen by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, several parcels of the pine barrens have been preserved. Prescribed fires, taking the place of natural fires, allow the pine barren ecosystem to evolve naturally while invasive species are continually removed.

Charred branches act as evidence of prescribed fires

The Albany Pine Bush played a major role in the history of the Capital District. Historically, the Pine Bush was a difficult region to travel through. Indeed Schenectady is a Dutch transliteration of a Mohawk word meaning "beyond the pine plains". The King's Highway, originally a footpath, was improved during the French and Indian War, but even until the 19th Century, the region was considered a "frontier land" and was dangerous to traverse without an armed escort. The early 1800s brought the construction of the Great Western Turnpike (today's US 20) and Albany-Schenectady Turnpike (today's NY 5), while 1831 brought the opening of the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad through the barrens, the fourth railroad in the United States. While the land was not suitable for farming, the Pine Bush was opened for development and logged.

Development continued, reaching a peak in the 1950s and 60s when the current SUNY Albany and state office campuses were built in the western part of the Pine Bush, along with the Central Avenue and Western Avenue commercial strips. Beginning in the late 1960s, citizen activist groups fought further development, resulting in the creation of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission in 1988. Vehemently opposed by the City of Albany, undeveloped Pine Bush lands were placed under state control and declared "forever wild".

Today, the Pine Bush exists as a nature preserve. The trail system is constantly evolving, with an ongoing effort to move trails to the edges of preserve land, remove redundant loops, and connect adjacent parcels with trails. New through trails allow one to hike across preserve lands north and south of the Thruway. One of these new trails, the green trail connecting the main Discovery Center trailhead to Trailhead 9 on Kings Road, is not yet on the online map.

Former red trail that was replaced by the new Green Trail

A major attraction of the Pine Bush is the variety of wildlife. Pine barren areas have stands of pitch pine, while the blue lupine is a common flower in grassland areas. Many species of plants rely on frequent forest fires to maintain their habitat, hence the necessity of prescribed fires. The Karner blue, an endangered species of small butterfly, makes the Pine Bush its home and has become a logo for the preserve. Once found across the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and adjacent parts of Canada, the butterfly is only found today in a few small regions. Blue lupine is the sole food source of the Karner blue and the Pine Bush Preserve Commission has made an effort to preserve and expand the flower's habitat to expand the butterfly's current range. The Karner Blue appears twice a year: once in mid May - mid June and again in July and early August.

Part of the beauty of the Pine Bush is that none of the hikes have any distinct destination; you can make a visit as long or short as you desire. For today's visit, I parked at the Discovery Center and planned to take the blue loop around the east side of NY Route 155 and the full loop around the west side. I would soon find out that the red and blue loops around the west had been closed and replaced by the green through trail. Most of the Pine Bush trailheads are little more than gravel parking areas, but the Discovery Center trailhead has a paved lot and flush toilets.

I hadn't been to the Pine Bush since last July and I noticed a few changes right at the trailhead. Trailhead kiosks have been redesigned, with paper trail maps and the DEC trail register removed.

Trailhead area

Trailhead 

From here, I went east (clockwise) along the blue loop trail. The first portion of this trail is generally used as a StoryWalk. The current title is Hey, Little Ant by Phillip M. Hoose, Hannah Hoose, and Debbie Tilley.

Today's trail reading

Trails throughout the Pine Bush are generally relatively flat, but there are some sand dunes that must be crossed. Trail markers are similar to typical DEC markers, but show the Pine Bush Preserve logo. Blazes are almost always posted on stakes.

Beginning of the Blue Trail. The Yellow Trail and green-blazed Discovery Trail also use this segment.

Interpretive signage near the Discovery Center provides information on the Pine Bush. Most of this signage is located along the short, ADA accessible Discovery Trail.

Above the sign

Soon, the Blue Trail sets off on its own and the trail becomes sandy. In this portion of the preserve, trails are generally well-worn and easy to follow even if there weren't blazes.

We're in pine barrens, did you expect anything other than sand? 

Remember: the ants have families, too

One of the most striking aspects of the Pine Bush is how the flora differs from elsewhere in the Northeast.

Typical trail marker

At the end of the StoryWalk, there is an overlook at the top of a sand dune.

What goes up must go down.

Sandy steps descending a dune

Past this first dune, I started seeing one of the preserve's well-known flowers: wild lupine, or blue lupine.

A patch of blue lupine

A blue lupine flower

There was a ton of it along the Blue Trail. With all of the blue lupine, I was hoping I'd see a Karner Blue over here. While I did see one, it sadly flew away as I approached.

The remainder of the standalone blue trail has some gentle ascents and descents over sand dunes, with large grassland sections containing blue lupine.

As we near the southern junction with the Yellow Trail, there is quite a bit of road noise. This parcel's southern border is the Thruway.

Reaching the southern junction, I turned right onto the combined Blue/Yellow Trail

Looking west along the combined Blue/Yellow trail 

After a short distance, I turned left onto the green trail. This trail crosses under NY Route 155 to reach the less-visited parcel on the west side of NY 155.

For a very short distance, only a fence and 10 feet separates you from traffic along the Thruway.

Right along the Thruway to pass under NY Route 155

Immediately after the bridge, the trail bends back into the woods.

Back into the woods

This is where my hike took a different direction than intended. See, I planned to hang a right here and proceed counterclockwise around the loop on this side. Except the loop no longer exists.

Guess I can't go that way...

So, I continued following the new Green Trail to see where it led.

The remaining portions of the loop had also been blocked off.

Can't go that way, either

That's the only trail to follow

Far fewer people in this area and, as such, I had more wildlife, even if the Thruway was nearby.

Or that way...

I saw a second Karner blue in this area, but like the first one, it flew away before I could even get a good look at it.

Guess I have to continue along the new trail

After a while, I found myself at Old State Road. The Green Trail crosses the road here and continues along the north side of Kings Road.

Over here, I finally found what I was looking for.

Is that a... ? 

It is!

After more than half an hour of searching, I had found a Karner blue that was willing to pose for a picture. These beautiful creatures have a wingspan of less than 2 inches.

I didn't know if I'd find another one today (I didn't), so I figured I'd grab some more pictures while this beauty was posing for me.

After a couple minutes, my pretty little Karner blue flew away, so I decided to continue on. After a short distance, I reached a newly-built trailhead and parking area. This was the new Trailhead 12.

The new trail continues over a mile to the existing Kings Road trail system. Since I didn't want to hike an extra 2-3 miles, I turned around here to begin the mile or so trek back to my car.

Retracing the green trail, I crossed Old State Road and continued back to the Blue/Yellow Trails.

Much of the Pine Bush in this area experienced prescribed fires within the past 15 months. This was quite apparent looking along the trail.

Note the charred branches

Soon enough, I reached the Blue/Yellow Trails

Looking right (east)

I turned left here to return to my car.

Looking left (northwest)

The area around the Discovery Center had a prescribed burn in Spring 2017. I was here in April 2017, shortly after the prescribed fire.

Pine Bush in April 2017, after prescribed fire

14 months later, the area is green again, though burn marks are visible on trees.

Back at my car, what I intended to be a short visit of under an hour had turned into an hour and a half. That's the thing about the Pine Bush. You can spend half an hour here or an entire day. No matter which you choose, it's a great experience that is always changing.

Getting Here

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve has several disjointed sections throughout the western portion of Albany, southern Colonie, and northern Guilderland. The most popular trailhead by far is Trailhead #1 at the Discovery Center, which is where I started for this hike.

Resources

Albany Pine Bush Preserve: Official website. Strongly recommend checking trail conditions and for closures before a visit, as trailheads are sometimes closed for burns or removal of invasive species.

Short Hike #5: Allegheny Portage Railroad

Looking up Inclined Plane #6 from Skew Arch Bridge
(All photos mine unless indicated otherwise)

I just finished a short vacation and I wanted to do a post of something a little different I did last week. So, for today's post, I'm highlighting the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site in Blair and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania. The Allegheny Portage Railroad was not a railroad in the traditional sense, though. Composed of 10 inclined railways and a series of mule-drawn rail lines, the 36-mile line was built from 1831-1834 using manual labor, the final link in the Pennsylvania Canal system connecting the Delaware River in Philadelphia to the Ohio River in Pittsburgh.

Old Portage Railroad by George W. Storm (1839)
(Public domain)

The Allegheny Mountains are part of a nearly-unbroken barrier ridge stretching from southern Tennessee to just southwest of Albany, New York. The Cumberland Mountains are the southern extension of this, while the Catskill Escarpment and Helderberg Escarpment are the northern portion. While not particularly high in most areas, this ridge, combined with the Shawangunk/Kittatinny/Blue Mountain ridge and Blue Ridge Mountains to the east, formed a significant barrier to westward travel in the first third of the 19th Century due to the lack of remotely-flat routes between Albany and Alabama. No real roads crossed the mountain range in this area, with rugged wagon trails being the only way across.

After the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal in New York and with the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Maryland, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania believed that freight and passenger traffic would begin to bypass Pennsylvania entirely. Thus, funding was provided to create a canal across the Commonwealth. The Allegheny Mountains presented a massive challenge. From Altoona in the east, the vertical ascent to the ridgeline was 1,399 feet, and all cargo then needed to descend 1,172 feet to Johnstown in the west. Steam-driven inclined planes, 5 on each side of the ridge, powered the vertical ascent, while boats were pulled between the inclines on mule-driven railroads. Included in these mule-drawn rail lines was the 900-foot Staple Bend Tunnel near Johnstown, the first railroad tunnel in the United States. Once operational, the canals and Portage Railroad reduced a 23-day trip across Pennsylvania to 4 days.

Model of segmented canal boats used on the Portage Railroad at visitor center

During a 20 year period between the mid-1830s and mid-1850s, the Portage Railroad was a driving force behind the country's westward expansion, carrying people west and crops east. But as the portage railroad rendered wagon travel across the mountains obsolete, the Portage Railroad and canals were put out of business by the Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1850s, shortening travel time from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh from 5 days to 13 hours (all historic information from Wikipedia and the Historic Site's resources).

I honestly didn't plan to take a hike when passing through this area, nor did I plan to spend more than half an hour at the site. But, between the visitor center and the 1.25 mile hike I took down to a historic bridge on the property, I was here for nearly 90 minutes. Time well spent, in my opinion. If I had another few hours, I would have driven a few miles west to visit the Staple Bend Tunnel, which can be reached with a 4-mile round-trip hike. But since I didn't, that will have to wait for another day.

A visit to the Allegheny Portage Railroad begins at the visitor center, located next to the parking lot. The visitor center contains several displays explaining the railroad's history, as well as a 20-minute introductory film, which I recommend watching to learn the historical background of the Portage Railroad. The historic site is free to visit.

Operating model of Inclined Plane #6

Once you're done and have a map, a boardwalk leads from the visitor center to the site of Inclined Plane #6, the uppermost plane on the east side of the summit. When the Portage Railroad was abandoned, all rails and equipment were scrapped; most of what exists today is reconstructed.

At the south end of the boardwalk, there is an overlook with interpretive signage. This was the upper end of Incline #6. A short section of the incline and the engine house have been reconstructed.

Interpretive signage for engine house

The Portage Railroad is a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark 

The reconstructed engine house

Walking west past the engine house, there is a short reconstructed section of the summit mule-drawn segment

Looking east toward the engine house

Looking west along the former line

At this location is a historic tavern, the Samuel Lemon House, which served travelers on the Portage Railroad. The first floor of the Lemon House has been restored and is open to the public during park hours.

Interior of the Lemon House.

At this point, I haven't really done any hiking. That was about to change. Returning east past the engine house, we reach the upper end of the "6 to 10 trail", which follows the eastern part of the railroad. Roughly 0.4 mile and 200 feet downhill is a historic road bridge that formerly crossed the railroad. Known today as the "Skew Arch Bridge", this was the only bridge built to cross the Allegheny Portage Railroad.

This trail is generally marked with National Parks Service logos on posts and trees. Generally gravel, there are some sections of mowed grass. The trail runs alongside the old Incline #6, but the incline's path is apparent.

Incline #6 from the trail

After a short downhill hike, we reach an overlook and interpretive plaque for the skew arch bridge.

The Skew Arch Bridge, located in the median of Old US Route 22

But you can certainly get closer. A mowed grass path leading left from the above sign connects to a gravel road. The 6 to 10 Trail crosses this road and proceeds through the woods, but the easiest way to get to the bridge is by turning right on the road and walking right across the westbound lanes of Old 22 to the bridge in the median.

Looking along road from trail. Old US 22 is in the background.

Looking up Incline #6 from gravel road

The median has a couple of parking spaces for people who prefer to drive here, as well as a large monument to the Allegheny Portage Railroad, erected at the railroad's centennial in 1934. Each side of the stone monument contains a plaque.

The image here is identical to the historical drawing at the beginning of this post

To the east of the monument is the Skew Arch Bridge, which carried what later became the William Penn Highway and US Route 22 across the Portage Railroad. When this section of 22 was widened (date unknown, but pre-1958), the old bridge was preserved in the median. In the 1980s, this was bypassed again about a mile to the north and, as such, there isn't much traffic through here.

Looking east at bridge

Pennsylvania historic signage

Historic plaque on bridge

Looking under bridge 

Abutment detail

Looking northeast across brdige

Looking east from bridge

Looking west along Incline #6. Engine house is in the distance.

While the bridge was cool, I had other things to do, so back to my car I went. I thought I saw a trail marker across Old 22 near the bridge and I was correct. With short steep sections leading down to Old 22 on either side, it's much easier to cross at the gravel road.

Looking back toward bridge from where trail "officially" crosses Old 22

Looking along 6 to 10 Trail from Old 22

Retracing my steps along the 6 to 10 trail and boardwalk to my car, it was a relatively easy climb that was made much harder by the weather. Temperatures near 90 degrees and high humidity does not make for easy hiking.

Looking up the trail next to the incline

Near the top of the trail

Relieved to in my air-conditioned car, I drove on, continuing my travels. But I'll definitely be back to this area, preferably on a cooler day. Way more to see around here and I just didn't have the time to do it justice.

Getting Here

The Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site is located at the Gallitzin interchange on US Route 22, between Altoona and Ebensburg. GPS devices may try to have you enter via Old 22; while the access road shows on maps, it is closed to vehicles and the only access to the parking lot is from Old 22 or Gallitzin.

Resources

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site: Official website
Wikipedia: Allegheny Portage Railroad: Historic background