Onteora Scout Reservation: |
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| This is part of a
Trail Guide from 1986. I could only find the pages for the Green, Blue and
Red Trails. This is the only reference I have found to a Green Trail, and
I have to question who picked that color for a trail. Imagine trying to
spot a green trail marker in the middle of all the trees!
Like the other Trail Guides, this one is helpful in tracking changes in the camp. For example, it gives the history of the Joseph Shields Memorial Campfire Ring, shows that the C.O.P.E. course was in use in 1986 and that the Covey Hiking Shelter was gone by then. It also notes that Tom Quick's Pond was no longer on camp property. If anyone has any other pages from this Trail Guide please let me know.
GREEN TRAIL Points of Interests: Dan Beard Program Shelter; Teddy Roosevelt
Program Shelter; Joseph Shields Memorial Campfire Ring; Interfaith Chapel;
Indian Lore Teepee; Swimming Waterfront; Long Island Trading Post; Fort
Flanagan; Challenge Course; Marshall Lesser Leanto Site; Council House
Storage Facility; Bobcat Shelter. Start: Start the trail in the field at the old Covey hiking shelter at the stump. Walk south along the road until you come to the Ute loop. Turn right (west) and follow along the road until soon before the Dan Beard Program Shelter where you turn right on the field sports road. The trail will soon turn left and go through the woods for about a half a mile behind the Ute loop campsites. If you are quiet you should be able to hear wildlife in this remote area of camp. Teddy Roosevelt Program Shelter: The trail turns back east to reconnect with the Ute loop near a stream. Cross the stream and follow the loop around to the Navajo loop. Turn right there and walk around past the Teddy Roosevelt Program Shelter about 300 feet to the turn-off for the Joseph Shields Memorial Campfire Ring. This ring was used from 1979, when it was build by the Order of the Arrow, and used until 1983. The trail goes on down "Cardiac Hill". Lake Road: The trail comes out on the lake road near where the former "F-Dock" used to be when there were three waterfronts on the reservation. Go left (north) along the lake road, past the Indian lore area. This area has been used for the fishing shelter, conservation shelter and is now the Indian lore area. The trail now passes the interfaith chapel and swimming waterfront. The Arthur K. Woodcheke Shelter there was built in 1984 and is now the largest shelter in camp. You will next pass the Kenneth Heim Memorial Campfire Ring built in 1984 by Buckskin Lodge #412, Order of the Arrow and dedicated in 1986. Across from the campfire ring is the Long Island Trading Post dedicated in 1963. Fort Flanagan: Further down on the right side of the road is a stockade fence that houses the camp water wells. This area Is known as Fort Flanagan. This well feeds the 65,000 gallon water tank at the top of the powerline trail, which provides water for the entire camp. Continue along what was the lake road past the challenge course. The challenge course was build in 1982 and led to Onteora becoming the pilot camp for the Northeast Region of the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA's Project C.O.P.E. Course. The trail continues north. Council House Storage Facility: The trail cuts
off the road just before Marshall Lesser Leanto Site and goes up a steep
incline. It comes out at the old Council House Showerhouse. Walk out on the
old road to the Council House Storage Facility. This former dining hall was
built in 1960 and used until 1976. It was used at the craft lodge in the
westernmost part of the building in the stoop area door. It lists the
elevation at 2186 feet above sea level. Head north from the Council House to
the Bobcat Shelter which was used in the 70's for the junior leader training
camp, and thus was sometimes called the J.L.T.C. Shelter. Old Hunter Road: Walk along Old Hunter Road for a short distance until the 7/9/86 BLUE TRAIL BEGINS: Covey Hiking Post Points of Interest: Council House, Old Hunter Road, side hike to caves, Tom Quick’s Pond, Beaverkill Road, Lew Beach, covered bridge, Beaverkill State Campsite, The Blue Trail can be taken to either Beaverkill or Lew Beach - by turning right at Beaverkill Road for Lew Beach or left there for Beaverkill. Because this trail goes off camp property, a 21 year old is required to accompany any Onteora hikers. START: The trail starts at the hiking post in the Covey Field (North of Dan Beard) on the Lynx Loop. Follow the trail around the Lynx Loop to Old Hunter Road. Turn left on Old Hunter Road and follow the trail up Rattle Hill. RATTLE HILL: At the top of Rattle Hill (elevation 2400 feet) is the intersection of the Orange trail to the caves and the White Trail. TOM QUICK’S POND: Continue straight ahead on Old Hunter’s Road for about 1 mile from the top of Rattle Hill. You will see Torn Quick's Pond on your left. This was constructed by Tom Quick, the man who logged most of the country around here and has been a great assistance in blazing many of our original trails. You are still now off camp property. We have hiking rights to this land so remain on the trail. Be careful of the dam because it is broken.
BEAVERKILL ROAD: Further down Old Hunter Road it comes out on a paved road which runs left to Beaverkill and right to Lew Beach. BEAVERKILL: Go left at Beaverkill Road for about a hundred yards before turning right into the woods. You will shortly come out into a large meadow which contains a large pipe about six feet high. This is an artesian well and its water is good for drinking. Finally, Beaverkill Road forks at a sign indicating Beaverkill State Park, with Beaverkill Road going to the left and the state park to the right. Continue down road for about a quarter mile over the covered bridge to the campsite.
LEW BEACH: If you go about a half mile right from the Beaverkill-Old Hunter Road turnoff, you come upon the town of Lew Beach. RED TRAIL Points of Interest: Dan Beard Program Shelter; Teddy Roosevelt Program Shelter; Joseph Shields Memorial Campfire Ring; Orchard Lake Dam; Blauvelt Health Lodge; Devils Gorge; Marshall Lesser Leanto Site; Council House Storage Facility; haunted forest. This entire trail is within the boarders of the
reservation and is designed as a beginners hike. If the hiker takes the
old red trail turn off, the hike is five (5) miles long and thus completes
requirement number six (6) of the Hiking Skill Award. The trail follows
along many different topographical features including logging roads;
wooded areas; over streams and climbs a ravine. It is a loop and this
trail guide starts and ends at the "Hiking Stump". Start: The trail starts at the "Hiking
Stump" in the old Covey Hiking Field Long House: The trail comes out at the Long House Dining Hall, which was built during a snow storm in the late fall of 1958. This food service building now serves the entire camp. To the North you will see the James E. West Shelter (Ecology) and the 65,000 gallon water tank which supplies the entire camp with water. Turn right at the Long House and enter the woods on the dirt road known as the T.R. Loop. Shortly after you pass the Teddy Roosevelt Program Shelter, named after the Nassau County Council's FIRST Scout commissioner and the nation's 26th President, the trail turns right (east). You now enter the Joseph Shields Memorial Campfire Ring which was used from 1977 to 1983. Orchard Lake Dam: The trail continues down
"Cardiac Hill" to the Lake Road where it turns right and goes on
to the dam. DO NOT CROSS OVER THE DAM!!! This old stone dam and its
machinery controls the level of water in the lake and is regulated by the
ranger to insure adequate water for swimming and boating as well as
draining of the top water from time to time to keep the lake clean. This
becomes quite difficult in late summer, due to little rain, and must be
carefully controlled. Other Side of Orchard Lake: The trail turns
easterly (sharply left below the dam crosses the stream). The trail
then swings north and follows along the east side of the lake. This is an
excellent wildlife area. If one walks quietly and slowly, he may see some
deer, beaver, chipmunks, or maybe a raccoon. The trail continues around
the parade field to the Blauvelt Health Center. Blauvelt Health Center: The Blauvelt Health Center was built in 1962 and can treat up to 13 people at a time. Follow the trail behind the health center and around the camp staff camping area behind it. The trail will soon bend sharply right (east) and continue for approximately a 1/4 of a mile before it turns back to the North and goes into and back out of Devils Gorge. The Short-Cut: The short-cut heads west
through Niles Fairbairn Campsite to Marshall Lesser Campsite. The Old Red Trail: The old red trail turns
right at "base camp road". The trail next turns sharply left just
before an old dilapidated wooden bridge. (Do not cross the bridge or you
will be off the trail). From here the trail continues through a long arch,
first north, then west through a haunted forest. When the wind blows, you
can hear many unnatural sounds in the mysterious part of Onteora. In the
last stretch of the road the trail goes downhill until it comes out onto a
large field which was designed to contain a third Onteora dining hall. This
section of camp was used for patrol cooking in the early 70's. The road
continues along the south side of the field and becomes a well worn dirt
road as it leaves the field in the southwest corner. Trail Rejoin: Both the short-cut and the old red trail meet around Marshall Lesser Leanto Site on a well graded dirt road. The dirt road swings south and follows along the west side of the stream; this area has been repeatedly flooded by beavers since 1969. You will pass the former sight of the Catholic chapel on the left and the trail will turn off to the right uphill and through the woods. (If you continue along this road, you will pass the main road and be on the lake road. Council House Storage Facility: Follow the
trail up the hill until you come to the Council House Showers. Turn right
and follow the old road to the Council House. This is the newer of the
Onteora dining halls. It was opened in 1960 and in 1976 became the
craft lodge. Today it is used for storage. Back To The Stump: As
the Council House looms up in front
of you, turn left and then sharply left again so that you are now
on the road to the Otter Program Shelter. Before you get to the main road,
the trail turns right then right again around the Adoette Campsite. The
trail now continues through the woods until you come upon the Covey field.
This is where you began. Click here to return to the main hiking trails page or here for the main Onteora page. |