A Privately Owned and Managed Forest inside the Adirondack Park
Forest Assets
Wildlife (deer, otters, ducks, woodpeckers, and more)
Ferns, wildflowers (trillium, foxgloves, etc.), shrubs, and other plants
Trees (sugar maple, black cherry, yellow birch plus evergreens)
Wetlands, streams, and ponds
Soils and geologic features (erratics, eskers, and other glacial landforms)
Views from within and from outside the Forest
Recreational Opportunities
Hike trail leading to top of Catamount Mountain
Enjoy the birds, wildlife, and peacefulness of the woods
Walk, snowshoe, and cross-country ski on marked trails
Snowmobile on marked access trail
Access the Carry Falls Reservoir for kayaking and canoeing via marked trails
Rules -- Postings
Trails open to public during daylight
No motorized vehicles except snowmobiles
No public hunting
No camping
Forest in Winter
Foxgloves and Ferns
Posting at Trail Entrance
One of Trail Markers
Use of Trails
Marked Forest trails are available for use by Lodge guests as well as the general public during daylight hours. Click on the trail map image to the left to enlarge for viewing.
Trail maps are available in the Lodge for guests and in the map box at the trailhead just south of the Lodge entrance off State Highway 56 for others.
The public should park vehicles off the highway at the trailhead south of the Lodge entrance except during the winter when parking may be difficult.
All users are asked to respect the postings on the property and respect use of established trails by all who wish to experience and enjoy Catamount. Catamount Lodge & Forest, as a small business partner of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, also asks all visitors to follow Leave No Trace principles and practices (www.lnt.org).
Trail Map
Commitment to Sustainable Forest Management
The 379-acre Catamount property is primarily composed of mixed hardwoods. It is managed for environmental, social, and economic benefits. Management activities reflect the values of the owners as well as science, best management practices, Adirondack Park Agency regulations, and guidance by a professional forester.
More specifically, through our forest management goals and activities we -- Ruth & Joe McWilliams, as the owners and members of Catamount Lodge & Forest LLC -- seek to advance the following seven Stewardship Principles outlined in "A Stewardship Handbook for Family Forest Ownerships" developed by the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service:
Contribute to the conservation and biological diversity of the forest and landscape in which the property resides;
Maintain and improve productive capacity;
Maintain the health and vigor of the forest and its landscape/watershed;
Protect soil and water resources;
Consider carbon cycles;
Consider socio-economic benefits; and
Comply with laws and rules, and implement applicable guidelines.
Catamount also is part of the Northern Forest -- the largest intact forest remaining in the eastern United States stretching across parts of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine -- where people and places are working toward healthy communities, economies, ecosystems, and region. More information about the Northern Forest is available from the Northern Forest Center at www.northernforest.org.
We are members of the New York Forest Owners Association (NYFOA) and provide educational opportunities for members, local teachers and students, and others through the Lodge and Forest. More information about NYFOA is available online (www.nyfoa.org).
We also interact with other organizations interested in sustainable forest management. More information about various like-minded organizations in the United States is available on the websites of the National Network of Forest Practitioners (www.nnfp.org) and the Roundtable on Sustainable Forests (www.sustainableforests.net).
