Raging river

C’mon mother nature, you’re drunk!! In the past two weeks we have had some pretty nasty winter storms. Highways closed down and travel bans put in place. But now, well, now it’s 45 degrees and cloudy. All the snow we had is almost gone. My snowshoes hang in the basement just begging to be used, but not today. Between the weather and the holidays I hadn’t made it out much and the itch was getting to me. I needed to get outside and not with a shovel in my hand. I’ve had enough pushing the snow blower around for a few days. I needed to get back in the woods. The place I feel most at peace and alive. Unfortunately the trails at the nature center are closed down until things freeze up a bit so I needed somewhere else to explore. I decided to look over my New York outdoors atlas for a little guidance. Page after page I looked over the maps. Finally it hit me, A short hike that's easy to navigate with a breathtaking destination. Welcome to Lampson Falls.

Thick fog was rising off of the snow around the house as I pulled out of the driveway. Most of our snow was gone. I wasn’t sure what I would need on this adventure so I brought it all. Snowshoes, snow pants, micro spikes, and my winter coat. The forecast called for rain but I didn’t mind, I sure as heck wasn’t going to melt. I picked up my hiking partner for this trip and we headed out on the 50 minute drive. I knew a lot of people had been here before but somehow this place had never made it on my radar. We pulled off the side of the road into the parking area and assessed our surroundings. A light mist was in the air with a heavy cloud cover. The trail looked to only have about 2” of snow and slush on it. We decided to go with light coats and hiking shoes.

Around the bright yellow gate we went and headed down the trail. The trail was a mix of snow and slush, not perfect winter hiking conditions but not terrible. Through the trees it looked more like an early spring thaw than a late December hike. In the low areas snow melt was turning into puddles.

The melting snow revealed bright green mosses on the sides of dead trees. The contrast of green and white really made the colors pop.

It was just warm enough you could smell the scent of pine and hear water running. No this wasn’t the falls just yet but a small stream that was frozen just a week ago. We stopped at the sign-in box and took a quick break.

The mist in the air had turned into a light sprinkle. Around the bend of the flat trail we came across a large tree that had fallen. Its large roots were exposed to the elements and starting to decay. Slowly this decay will add nutrients to the earth and the rich soil will become home to a whole new batch of microorganisms.

A life cycle that can only be truly appreciated by those who wander the forest floor. New York Wild Forest signs began to pop up along the trail, a reminder that this land is here for us to explore and enjoy. If we don’t use it we could lose it.

A little ways farther down the trail the sound of raging water could be heard. We had to be getting close, I thought to myself. I found the remains of a small snowman, a real survivor since it had been 50 degrees the last two days.

Finally in the distance I could see the river. We had made it to the Falls. Tea stained colored water crashed down the rocks in front of us.

With all of the melting snow the falls looked angry. You could feel the thunderous water as it shook the ground under our feet. We worked our way down to the bottom of the falls to get the full view. The sandy beach that was covered in snow just a few days ago was now starting to show itself again.

A small glimpse into this area's year round use. We walked across the small log bridge and positioned ourselves in front of the falls. The view was spectacular. The tall pines made the perfect backdrop to the snowy falls.

We took our time admiring the scene before us. After I took a bunch of pictures we decided to work our way up to the top of the falls to see the view. The river above the falls was still covered in a lot of ice. It looked quite peaceful compared to what we had just witnessed only a few hundred yards away.

With a steady drizzle starting to fall we decided to call it a day and head back to the truck. On our way home we discussed how neat it would be to come back each season just to see how the falls change as the weather changes. It was a great way to end my first year of documenting Northern NY Adventures.

About this Location:

Lampson Falls is located in the Grasse River Wild Forest in Clare NY. It sits approximately 15 miles south of Canton. This easy trail takes you approximately a half mile back into the woods. Most of this hike is quite flat and would be perfect for any age or fitness level.

Once you make it to the falls you have several smaller trails you can follow that allow you different views of the falls. In the warmer months there is a small beach area that is popular for swimming. I decided to do this adventure this time of year for several reasons. One, the weather has been pretty rough so far this winter and most of the trails in our area have been hit by trees down and poor snowshoeing conditions. The second reason was because of all the snow melt. With the warmer temperatures I knew the river would be raging. I find beauty in the rushing angry water.

It’s truly amazing what Mother Nature can do. If you are looking for an easy hike not too far from home then consider the Lampson Falls trail. You won’t be disappointed. This is a Northern NY Adventure that you will want to go back to again and again.

Aaron Hardy

Northern NY Adventures

“Make Life an Adventure”