Hewitt Eddy on the Boreas

Note: My long-running blog, A Little Wild (spastatepark.blogspot.com), evolved significantly over the years and was in need of a face lift. This revamped version is focused solely on Adirondack outings that are, as the title says, are off the beaten path. 

Hewitt Eddy, named after a mid-19th century guide who lived in the area. An eddy is a place where a river flows into a flat water pool below a rapids, or where water enters a basin and comes back out in opposition to the main flow. Hewitt Eddy falls into the former category. It is a large pool in the Boreas River.

The trail to Hewitt Eddy is short; just 1.2 miles from the trailhead* to the the namesake eddy. And while Hewitt Eddy is a nice destination, the trail itself is the reason to take this short walk. The trail follows the river closely all the way and there are numerous places where it's easy to get into the water for wading or swimming. And this section of river passes through rapidly maturing forests that are especially attractive. This trail is ideal for a lazy outing on a hot summer afternoon.

Later afternoon light along the Boreas.

Just past the eddy the trail leaves the river and loops back to a second trailhead on Rte. 28N. You can make a loop of it by following the trail around to the 2nd trailhead and then walking three quarters of a mile along the highway back to your car. The total distance is just under 3 miles.

Just a short distance from the highway; the Boreas is wild and pristine.

One of a series of cascades just above Hewitt Eddy.

Mid summer, and low water, on the Boreas

The Boreas is pristine and attractive but, like the Adirondacks as a whole, it can be dramatically altered by the careless introduction of invasive species. The Didymo algae coats rocks with a mucus-like slime and is known as "rock snot". 

*Directions: The trail heads south from Rte 28N where the highway crosses the Boreas River, ten miles east of Newcomb. Ample parking is found across road from the trailhead.