Cold but bright days still make for great social distancing adventures. Earlier this week I did some hiking around Horseshoe Pond in Gale (Piercefield) NY.

This pond and several others have a nice network of trails and waterways open for public use at certain times thanks to a conservation easement between the Boy Scouts of America and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The Massawepie Easement is closed for public recreation from June 15th to August 31st each year.

There is a wealth of history here (look for something more in-depth on Massawepie’s history in the summer). One section of the hike follows the Carriage Road for a bit. The carriage road served as the route for visitors taking the train to Childwold Station, and then by stagecoach or carriage, to the Childwold Park House.

Though not a part of this particular hike, access to the Grass River Railroad is gained here. Massawepie Lake is one of the southern headwaters of the Grasse River’s South Branch. The Massawepie mire is also located here and is well worth visiting. If you are a paddling enthusiast, there are some great ponds & lakes to explore.

With 3,048-acres of easement along with adjacent state lands and other easements, you should have no problem keeping a good social distance from others.