Fabulous Ferncliff Forest

Todays' adventure took me about fifteen minutes south of Bard to Rhinebeck's Ferncliff Forest.  This is a place I've been meaning to check out for ages, tantalized both by the name itself and the sign I see whenever driving someone to or from the Rhinecliff train station.  It's mostly just some trails through the Hudson Valley's "second-best old growth forest," according to the sign at the trailhead.

There is also at least one cute little pond.

The forest's real attraction is its observation tower, which you can climb up.  The tower is already on the top of a hill, and while it didn't say anywhere how high it rises, I would guess at least fifty feet, possibly higher. At any rate, there's a stellar view from the top!  You can see the Berkshires to the east and the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River to the west.

view to the south-west

view to the north-west

It was also really neat to be looking almost straight down at the tops of trees; they look so different from right above.

There wasn't enough time to explore all the trails at Ferncliff, but it's definitely a place I'd be happy to revisit.