Wolf Pond (Vanderwhacker Mtn Wild Forest) - New Trail

Several new trails are planned for the the 20,000+ acre Boreas Ponds Tract and surrounding Forest Preserve lands. At least one of those new trails has been completed. The Wolf Pond trail runs from a parking area on the Blue Ridge Road (directions) to Wolf Pond; a one way distance of just over two and half miles.

Mount Algonquin and Mount Colden dominate the distant view across the pond. You'll need to cross the outlet stream to get the best view.  That's easy when the water is low and an informal high water bridge (logs over the stream) is found a short distance downstream from the outlet.  

There are no signs at the road, and no trail register, but the trail has been cleared and it is well marked with red disks. This trail, and Wolf Pond itself, lie entirely in the Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest, but the newly blessed Boreas Ponds management plan includes this trail as part of a larger loop trail to be built in the future.

And Wolf Pond is a more than worthy destination in its' own right. The pond is picturesque --with great views of the high peaks-- and the trail passes through appealing stands of spruce, fir and cedar with significant numbers of towering White Pine mixed in. My guess is that the largest spruce and Balsam Fir were probably cut in the years before the state acquired this tract. But, for whatever reason, the loggers did not cut the Pine or Cedar. Maybe because the really big Pine had been taken out before that. There are many White Pine in the 36-40 inch range (diameter at 4 feet above the ground), but few, if any, are bigger than that. If some early cutting left pine that were less than 24 inches, and that logging took place 100 years ago or more, it could produce the distribution of trees we see today. Regardless of how we got to this point, the forest this trail passes through is composed almost entirely of mature or rapidly maturing conifers. This is a really attractive walk.

In addition to the trail, a brand new lean-to is situated near the pond. Making the walk on a Monday in late August it's not too surprising that the pond was deserted. But once the trail signs go up, and more people know about it, this trail and lean-to will almost certainly gain in popularity. The only negative is that for most of the way you are less than half a mile from the Blue Ridge Road (which the trail parallels). And the pond itself is barely a mile from the road as the crow flies. The result is that you can occasionally hear truck traffic on the road.

The brand spanking new Wolf Pond lean-to. Well built and situated in a nice spot about 100 yards back from the pond.

Looking across Wolf Pond towards Boreas Mountain. From near the lean-to.

A closer view of Algonquin and Colden with Avalanche Pass in between.

At least one pair of loons is in residence on the pond.

Directions:

The trail starts at the large parking area where the Blue Ridge Road crosses the Boreas River. The trail heads into the woods from the northeast corner of the clearing where a small sign points the way.