The Saratoga Trail

Introduction

The Saratoga Trail is a little known, but once highly traveled inland water route used by Native Americans and early Colonial Settlers which courses through the post-glacial route of the Mohawk and Ballston Rivers ending in the Hudson River. It is a path more northern than the Mohawk River's present day route to the Hudson. The route was a shortcut through the wilderness from the Mohawk River near Schenectady, to the more northern reaches of the Hudson River. Utilizing various creeks and lakes left behind by the historic changes in the course of the Mohawk River, the route cut out a large number of waterfall laden miles along the Mohawk River for those travelers heading north from areas west of Schenectady.

The trail consisted of heading east on the Mohawk River until reaching Alplaus Creek. On Alplaus Creek the traveler headed north to High Mills and then carried from the Alplaus to long lake (Ballston Lake), taking it to the end where they would then portage to the Mourning Kill. A short paddle down the Mourning Kill took them to Kayaderosseras Creek, which would take them to Saratoga Lake. After paddling the length of Saratoga Lake they would continue on leaving the lake via Fish Creek until entering the Hudson River. From the Hudson they could continue to points further north such as the Adirondack Mountains, Canada, and Lake Champlain.

The Saratoga Trail was not only a favored path for northward pursuits but it was also the traditional path to beloved hunting and fishing grounds of the Mohawk Indians near the area of Ballston Lake. In addition, it was the path to war for the Mohawk when waging it against more northern tribes. For example the banks of the Mourning Kill were the backdrop for a great battle between the Mohawk and Algonquin, hence the name Mourning Kill. In addition it is the path the Mohawk ventured along during the French and Indian War reaching Montreal, burning it to the ground. The Saratoga Trail also led to healing. In 1767 Sir William Johnson was taken by the Mohawk along the trail to what was known as the healing waters, the "Iron Spring" in Ballston Spa. Sir William Johnson is said to be the first non-native to see the healing spring.

Trip Log

Saratoga Trail, May 20, 2006

7:00 We drop off one pick-up car at Blue Barns Road, and a second at Ballston Lake Outlet. With a third car Christine Smith drops us off with the canoe at the docks at Aqueduct on the Mohawk River. We depart at 8:20, in AJ's 16 ½ foot Swift canoe, and paddle upstream for 20 minutes to the mouth of the Alplaus Kill.

8:50 The lower Alplaus Kill is lined with houses, with many motorboats and canoes. The stream is high with recent rains, but the current is not swift, and paddling is easy. Ostrich ferns line the banks. We collect and preserve an emerging mayfly. About one mile from the mouth a logjam blocks the stream, and we carry the canoe around this.

9:30 We pull the canoe through the swift shallows downstream of Glenridge Road, and greet an angler on shore. So far he has caught and released only smallmouth bass, which are not yet in season. The water is very cold as we wade in our watershoes. Bob collects a fresh clamshell, which we identify as Lasmigona costata. This would have served as an easy snack for Mohawks following this route.

10:00 We pass the mouth of the Indian Kill and the second railroad bridge, and beach the canoe on a sand bar for a short break. AJ records the latitude/longitude as 42 52.252/73 54.089. Bob filters some stream water into water bottles and we taste it. AJ notes that it tastes musty. 11:00 We traverse 2 miles of stream with little signs of human habitation. Streambanks are lined with ferns and trees, flowering honeysuckle and garlic mustard. We paddle the canoe where the stream is deep enough, and pull it through shallow riffles. One of us walks ahead along the shoreline pulling the canoe with a ten-foot strap, while the other walks alongside, using his paddle to keep the canoe just out from shore. Killdeer and mallard ducks fly up ahead of us. At Rustic Bridge Road several houses line the stream, and we recognize this spot as a water quality sampling site we visited the previous year during our biological assessment of the creek.

11:20 As the stream nears Blue Barns Road, hemlock trees line the banks, with shale cliffs on the east shore. Two great blue herons fly sharply upwards, and a pair of rose-breasted grossbeaks call from the hemlocks. Rounding the bend, we see the flourescent orange flagging that we had left a month earlier on our reconnaissance, marking the tributary stream to follow off the Alplaus Kill. After a short distance up the tributary, we climb up the east bank over large piles of mulch dumped by the Town. When we get on the dirt access road we strap on the two-wheeled canoe carrier with four straps. Once it is securely strapped to the canoe bottom, we easily walk the canoe along the railroad tracks to our first car at Blue Barns Road.

11:45 We enjoy a tailgate lunch at the car. Our fare is pemmican which we have made with venison jerky, dried dates, honey, and lard. It is very filling, and an appropriate traveling food for a Mohawk route. We tie the canoe to the car-top for transport to by-pass the next leg of the journey. We had intended to portage this distance by foot, 1.1 miles along the access road of the Canadian Pacific Railway, but could not obtain permission, despite repeated attempts. The CPR patrols the area closely, and frequently arrests trespassers. This is unfortunate, as this route links the Alplaus Kill directly with Ballston Lake, and is likely the path used by the Mohawks. It will remain for future endeavors to find an alternate route that will complete this missing link.

12:15 We park at the entrance to the bike path in Ballston Lake. The wheeled canoe carrier is still attached to the canoe, and we easily walk the canoe down the macadam path. A sign notes that this path was the route of the Schenectady- Saratoga Trolley Line. Wild columbines and wild yellow radish are flowering along the path. After less than half a mile, we leave the path at a point marked by a sign stating "Hemlock" trolley stop for Forest Park, which was opened in 1904 by the Schenectady Railroad Company. "Cottage or camp life, restful recreation, good boating and fishing, Sunday concerts, picnic grounds, dance pavillion, merry-go-round and a good room at the Inn." Having gained prior permission from cottage owners, we carry the canoe to Westside Road, and walk the canoe south for a few hundred yards to the metal "cattle gate", which we enter having gained permission from David Little. This path takes us down to a small dock on Ballston Lake.

12:30 We are on Ballston Lake, at the very southern end. It is a cool spring day with intermittent rain, and we are the only boaters on this end of the lake. The southern lake is straight and narrow, about half as wide as the Mohawk River where our journey began. Happy not to have to be paddling against a current, we enjoy a relaxing ride up the lake. A variety of houses, some very large, line the shore. Near the midpoint, the lake widens, and fewer houses are seen on the shore. Proceeding north, the lake narrows again, and wetland areas are on both shores. We spot kingfishers, and a pair of cormorants perched on a tree limb. We paddle to the western shore and collect some of the abundant royal ferns, and photograph the bright green algae on the water surface. Numerous air bubbles inhabit the slimy algal film, giving the appearance of a bubbling broth. The algae results from nutrient enrichment in the lake. We filter some water and taste it, comparing to that of the Alplaus Kill.

1:45 We approach the northern lake outlet and greet a family kayaking. This is one of the few public access points on the lake. A colorful mural sign posted in the water near the outlet states "Welcome to Ballston Lake". We paddle up a short watery spur along Outlet Road, and beach the canoe at an unofficial but widely-used launch site pull-off. Bob walks up the road to retrieve the second vehicle from the public parking lot, and we load the canoe on top. We briefly look at the marshy lake outlet, which will be the start of our next leg of our journey, reserved for a later date. For now we stop for hot coffee and fresh apple cider donuts at Lakeside Farms, and discuss the journey so far.

Saratoga Trail, Part 2, May 19, 2007

7:00 We meet at AJ's house and depart in two vehicles. At the outlet of Ballston Lake we drop off AJ and the kayak, and proceed to Mennon Road in Victory Mills to drop off the pick-up vehicle. It is a long 45-minute drive, and we voice concerns about the many stream miles to be traveled.

8:40 We make our departure down Ballston Creek, with Ralph Coppola in a single kayak, and AJ Smith and Bob Bode in a 16-foot Old Towne canoe. Rain is predicted, but has not started yet. The creek consists of a waterway through a wooded wetland. Old beaver dams threaten to block the route, but we are able to paddle over these. There is evidence that the branches have been trimmed back recently to clear the route. About one mile down the creek we come to a great blue heron rookery, with eight nests spotted, many of them active. At this point the creek turns east, but our route turns west. We leave the creek and head toward a stand of pine trees. We get out of our boats and wade through the knee-deep water and brush for about 100 yards to the stand of pines.

9:40 We are on dry ground, and attached our wheeled boat carriers for a half-mile portage. Passing through a lumber supply yard we join up with an old railroad bed, eventually leading under Route 67 and to the Mourning Kill.

10:10 Letting our boats down a steep embankment downstream of a bridge culvert, we enter the Mourning Kill. Bob filters some stream water for a drink. There is much algae on the bedrock stream bottom. The immediate bank downstream is a high bank of shale, shading the stream. Light rain is falling, and the temperature is in the 50s. The stream is initially shallow, and we get out to pull the boats several times. Stream width varies from 20 feet down to a narrow 5 feet. The stream meanders through natural-appearing territory, with downed trees blocking the route in many spots. After about a mile, an old bridge and log jam make us get out to walk, and we come across a half dozen fenced cows, looking very surprised to see us. We begin seeing stream banks composed of clay, peppered with inch-diameter holes, which we surmise may house crayfish. We also find many shells of freshwater clams, which we identify as Elliptio complanatus. Streambanks are lined with lush stands of cinnamon fern. Many trees have been downed by beaver, and we find a decaying beaver in a beaverdam. Towards noon we finally reach the East High Street bridge. As we pass under the culverted bridge, we note the water surface covered with duckweed.

12:00 We continue down the Mourning Kill, hoping to reach the Malta Avenue bridge in short order. However, halfway down this reach the stream breaks up into several different braids, much as a stream forming a delta near its mouth. AJ scouts ahead to determine which course will take us to the Kayaderosseras, and we follow, wading and towing our boats. Eventually AJ determines that the braids come together again, and our journey continues. This is another stream alteration caused by beavers. One year ago this area was flooded impoundment in back of a large beaver dam. As we near the Malta Avenue bridge we see the remnants of the dam. The resulting draw-down of the impoundment has left the stream in a muddy delta-like condition.

1:00 Just north of the Malta Avenue Bridge in Ballston Spa the Mourning Kill joins the larger Kayaderosseras Creek. At a sand bar on the right we pull over for a quick lunch. We realize we have spent three hours on the Mourning Kill, and have many more miles to cover. The rainfall is increasing.

1:15 We start down the Kayaderosseras, and make good time. This is a popular canoeing stream, and there are few of the obstacles we encountered on the Mourning Kill. We cover 3.8 miles quickly, again through natural landscapes, until we pass under Route 9 and then the Northway.

3:15 Approximately one mile downstream of the Northway overpass, we encounter a sizeable logjam, covering perhaps 50 yards of stream. We follow a portage path around it that others have used. As we pause briefly before continuing, a mallard duck hen flushes from her nest, 5 feet away from us. We examine the nest, which contains 10 white eggs, the size of small chicken eggs. Continuing toward Saratoga Lake, the creek is joined on the left by the outlet of Lake Lonely. The stream is very sluggish at this point, and we consult the map before being sure which course to follow.

3:30 We finally enter Saratoga Lake, at the northwest corner. It is initially very shallow here, but soon deepens, and we see a few other boaters out braving the cold rainy day. We traverse the top of the lake to take the shortest route to the outlet. The shores are lined with houses, condos, and resorts.

4:00 As we pass under the Route 9P bridge, we enter Fish Creek. The creek is very wide and lake-like here. We meet a few hardy anglers and a group of kayakers. After two miles we pass under Staffords Bridge, and another 2.5 miles Bryants Bridge, as the stream narrows. Rain is falling hard, and we are getting tired. Our thoughts now are only of finishing the course.

6:00 After another 1.8 miles we encounter a problem. The stream splits, the left channel blocked by a dam with warnings of extreme undercurrent. The right channel is blocked by cables and is apparently impassable. We huddle to decide our course of action, deciding to cut short the day's journey and find a way to get to our pick-up vehicle. We attach the wheeled carriers to the boats and begin an arduous portage. Eventually AJ gets a ride to the vehicle, and we load the boats. The remaining 4.3 miles will be completed at a later date, hopefully in better weather.