Thacher State Park

[wellshorton]

Thanks for pointing out the blending errors. I'll need to correct it. Also how do I link to a photograph and not the page?
Wells

[L_G_D]

Thanks for pointing out the blending errors. I'll need to correct it. Also how do I link to a photograph and not the page?
Wells

Wow, sorry this is so late in reply, I lost track of this thread. If you don't already know at this point, your original post pointed to the smugmug page at http://wells-horton.smugmug.com/Other/2 ... WNR7/Large which is not the actual picture displayed there. The actual picture file is http://wells-horton.smugmug.com/Other/2 ... y-19-L.jpg which you can find by clicking on the "Share" button at the top of the page and clicking "get a link" using one of the direct link options labeled small, medium, large, etc. You can then use that link by hitting the copy button along side it and pasting that into your forum post with the IMG tags.

[wellshorton]

Thanks!

[slupvatx]

you mention that the falls @Thacher State Park tend to dry up in the summer. Do you know if the falls are flowing now (Sept. 2011) following Hurricane Irene? If not flowing now, can you recommend other falls within say an hour's drive of Albany?

[Eddiebauer]

Most rivers and streams around the Albany area are flowing well now. They are actually a little muddy also. One falls not to miss near Albany is the Cohoes Falls in "Cohoes." Its about a 20min ride from Albany at the end of Rt787.

[L_G_D]

I was thinking of going to Thacher last weekend but didn't make it. With the latest batch of rain, I'm sure they are flowing now, and may still have quite a bit of flow this weekend. According to the state parks page, http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/128/details.aspx the park is open, but the paint mine trail is closed, which is too bad, there are a lot of nice waterfalls on that trail. Must have washed out, it was prone to that under normal rain, it might not even be there now, but there are other ways to get to those waterfalls.

Other places around Albany are Partridge Run, a bit of a drive, but nice, and Plotter Kill which may or may not be open.

[idlehands]

How tough is the hiking in here? I've been entertaining myself weekends lately with my three year old while the wife is working and I don't want to drive all the way there to have it be too tricky for us. So far we've been to split rock, kaaterskill and stoney kill.. thanks

[L_G_D]

How tough is the hiking in here? I've been entertaining myself weekends lately with my three year old while the wife is working and I don't want to drive all the way there to have it be too tricky for us. So far we've been to split rock, kaaterskill and stoney kill.. thanks

It's a pretty easy hike, depending on where you go in the park. If you want to see the main falls (but they might be a bit dry now) park in the Indian Ladder lot which is right next to the trail that runs along the bottom of the cliff. There are several flights of stairs to get to the bottom, then small grades up and down as you move along past the falls. Then the same amount of stairs back up. You can then walk back along the cliff top to the parking lot for a round trip of just under a mile. But if you continue along the cliff top from the top of the stairs a few hundred yards, there is a nice clear area to look off to the surrounding countryside and if the falls are running, you can see both of them, though with the leaves on the trees, that is less easy to do. There's also the large parking area at the main cliff edge look off that is very nice as well. The paint mine parking area leads to a trail along the stream that has many nice waterfalls on it and is usually running at least a little, and the hop field parking area leads to a bridge where you can see another fall that also usually has at least some water.

In all areas of the park, though, keep a good eye or hand on the offspring, as there are many places a three year old can get into trouble.