Write-up: Dianna Morris
Leader: Dianna Morris
Co-Leader: Madonna Fellows

Popple Pond State Forest located in Boonville and Forestport was the original destination for this day’s outing – until I pre-hiked it, spoke with a DEC ranger who also happened to be out in the woods that day, and was informed that he would highly recommend we not hike the forest that close to hunting season as many new, young hunters use the forest to get used to their guns! I took his advice.
A group of about 30 Tramps met up in Mapledale and took off for the Trenton Greenbelt trails. Fortunately, Don Fellows and Mark Decker were more familiar with these trails than I was or we might still be wandering around! The logging that was done since I was last on these trails several years ago which resulted in what looked like trails going hither and yon would surely have succeeded in getting me lost.

It was a gorgeous, sunny, but cool day to be out hiking. Of course, one Tramp who was not willing to concede to the cooler temps showed up in shorts and might have had goosebumps as a result on his legs. It as much cooler in the woods than out in the sunny parking lot!
Don started us off by suggesting we reverse the normal hike on the trails, so we went down the steep hill we normally walk up at the end of the hike. There was much talk about the coming cross-country ski season and how nice it is to ski on the trails…until we came around a bend to find a tree across the trail at chest height and all were happy to not be wearing skis at that point! We meandered onward, eventually coming back to the road – and then were very thankful to allow Mark Decker to take over to lead us back along the trail and then back into the woods. Mark really knows those trails! We finished off the hike by then ascending the steep part of the trail we had started off on. It was such a beautiful day and the parking lot was so bright and sunny that many lingered a bit to enjoy talking, eating local- grown kiwis contributed by Lorrie Wasielewski and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies contributed by the hike leader.