Hike Description: This is a fabulous trail because it is an easy hike and coming south from Walker Road, it passes by an amazing series of beaver ponds, goes through diverse woodlands before getting to a small stream crossing, and then enters a white pine forest before getting to an open meadow leading to the end of Ferris Road. If you want a pleasant hike or ski through fields and forest, maybe hike with a friend and talk as you follow an easy trail, or have family for a visit, this is a great trail. To be redundant, it is a very easy hike and a great ski or snowshoe.

Trailhead Locations:

North Trailheads on Walker Road:  This trail has two trailheads about 100 yards apart on Walker Road in Essex. The trailhead sign is at the meadow entrance on Walker Road while the woods trailhead, marked with the CATS trail markers, is east of that (we first had the meadow trailhead but made the woods trailhead because it can be difficult in summer to repeatedly cut the grasses and keep the meadow trail open).

Directions: From Rt. 22 in Whallonsburg, go west on Walker Road about 1.4 miles west to the trailhead. Alternatively, to access the trailhead from the west, the trailhead is about 1 mile east of the junction with Sayre Rd.

South Trailhead: The South trailhead starts at the end of Ferris Rd between Wadhams and Whallonsburg.

Directions:  From Route 22, drive down Ferris Road and where it turns into a driveway, park on the side of the road. The trailhead is on the right. This right-of-way is on private land, so please stay on the trail.

•  Best Feature of Trail: The easy walk/ski and the beaver ponds.

• Trail Length: 1 mile each way.

• Trail Type: There and back

• Trail Difficulty: Mild Hike

• Trail Condition: Muddy in places

• Parking: Roadside Parking

• Animal Signs:  You pass by major beaver activity. Lots of birds and deer sign.

• Location:  Westport and Essex, NY (close to hamlets of Whallonsburg and Wadhams)

• Last Updated: September 16, 2011