Silver Lake Wilderness

The Department of Environmental Conservation has developed a Unit Management Plan/ Environmental Impact Statement (UMP/EIS) for the Silver Lake Wilderness Area (SLWA). The UMP/EIS includes the following sections:

a description of the unit and overview of the its history;
an inventory of the unit's natural and cultural resources, man-made facilities, the public use of the unit and its capacity to withstand public use;
an overview of the unit's past management, as well as the principles, goals, objectives, policies, Constitutional provisions and other legal guidance that influence the management of the unit;
possible management alternatives and the Department's preferred alternative for each issue;
a schedule and estimated budget for implementation of the preferred management alternatives.

To request a copy of the UMP/EIS, please contact us at:

NYSDEC
PO Box 1316
701 South Main Street
Northville, NY 12134

Phone: (518) 863-4545
Fax: (518) 863-2546
e-mail: r5ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Please specify whether you would like an electronic copy on CD in PDF format or a printed copy on paper.

Summary

The Silver Lake Wilderness Area (SLWA) is comprised of the Forest Preserve lands in three distinct, but interrelated units: (1) the Silver Lake Wilderness (SLW), (2) the Sacandaga Primitive Area (SPA), and (3) the Cathead Mountain Primitive Area (CMPA). The Sacandaga Intensive Use Area, also known as the Sacandaga Campground, is not included in the SLWA.

The Silver Lake Wilderness is a 106,770 acre management unit located in the Towns of Lake Pleasant, Benson, Hope, Wells and Arietta in Hamilton County. It is the fourth largest and southern most wilderness area in the Adirondacks. The unit is roughly bounded on the north by Route 8 and private lands near Piseco Lake, Oxbow Lake, Hamilton Lake, Sand Lake and Lake Pleasant; on the east by Route 30; on the south generally by the Hamilton County line; and on the west by Route 10, the West Branch of the Sacandaga and the Piseco Outlet. Surrounding nearby state lands include the Jessup River Wild Forest to the north; Wilcox Lake Wild Forest to the east; Shaker Mountain Wild Forest to the south; and the Ferris Lake Wild Forest to the west.

Both the Sacandaga and Cathead Mountain Primitive Areas are relatively small sections of State land which provide access to private lands that are totally enclosed by the wilderness area. The Sacandaga Primitive Area is 4.2 acres in the Town of Wells and consists only of the Whitehouse Road and its right-of-way in lots 362 and 382 of the Benson Tract. The Cathead Mountain Primitive Area consists of Great Lot 121 (206 acres) in the Town of Benson which contains two rights-of-way to an inholding of private land as well as the remnants of a telephone line for the state owned fire tower on Cathead Mountain. A unit management plan (UMP) for the SLWA has never previously been written.

Key proposals within the adopted Unit Management Plan include those related to several issues:

West River Road (also known as Whitehouse Road) - The West River Road is a dirt and gravel road that follows the West Branch of the Sacandaga River as it penetrates deep into the heart of the Silver Lake Wilderness. The entire length of road is a public right-of-way and is currently being maintained by the Town of Wells. It provides motor vehicle access to several private parcels. The last 0.7 miles of road to Whitehouse are on Forest Preserve lands classified as wilderness and do not provide access to any private land. The Town has also designated the entire length of road open to snowmobiles and ATV's. This designation has contributed to ATV and other motor vehicle use impacts in the Whitehouse area.

Northville-Placid Trail relocation - The Northville-Placid Trail (NPT) is a 133 mile footpath that begins at Northville and traverses the heart of the Adirondacks to end at Lake Placid. The trail was established by the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) in 1922 and was later turned over to DEC for marking and maintenance. The official starting point of the trail is at a large DEC signpost along NY 30, where a bridge spans the Sacandaga River as it enters the Sacandaga Reservoir. The trail heads north from this point following NY 30 and the Benson Road for 10.3 miles to Upper Benson where it then enters the SLWA. Today, most hiking along the NPT is initiated at Upper Benson. Hikers skip the section of trail from Northville to Upper Benson to avoid carrying a heavy pack along what is now a busy paved highway. This makes the trip not only more enjoyable but safer as well.

The NPT is the only marked hiking trail in the SLW. Public use of the trail in this area is estimated to be approximately 2500 people/year comprising both day use and overnight camping activity. A relocation of the section of trail from Northville to Upper Benson would involve both the Shaker Mountain Wild Forest (SMWF) and SLW. The trail would pass through a portion of the SMWF and enter the SLW from a small pull-off along the Benson Road in the vicinity of Woods Lake.

Godfrey Road Extension (part of old Godfrey Road) - The Godfrey Road Extension runs from the town road turnaround at the end of Godfrey Road approximately 0.8 miles to the wilderness boundary. It is a public right-of-way (ROW), technically within the Shaker Mountain Wild Forest (SMWF) but is being addressed in this UMP since it provides public access to the SLWA.

In 1968, the Department acquired this easement by appropriation for the purpose of providing public access to the Northville-Placid Trail (NPT) and other local hiking destinations. The total distance of this route is approximately 1.2 miles (0.8 miles of ROW on private land and 0.4 miles on state land in wilderness). Limited public motor vehicle use has also been occurring along this route for some time, probably since its acquisition. The Godfrey Road trailhead is the only developed access point in the southern portion of the unit.

Whitehouse chimneys - Whitehouse is an area along the West Branch of the Sacandaga that was once the site of a lumber camp, private hunting lodge, and boys' camp. Today, all that remains are some old building foundations, a few cellar holes, and two stone chimneys. The large clearing along the river, where people currently camp, was the site of a private hunting camp with a main "white house" lodge. Scattered in the woods surrounding this area are a few stone foundations and a stone chimney from Larry Fountain's residence which was also later known as the "Blair House."

Further along the West Branch of the Sacandaga, where the Northville-Placid Trail crosses, is a steel suspension bridge which was built in 1962. Directly in front of this bridge on the north shore sits a second stone chimney which is the remains of a boys' camp recreation hall.

Steel suspension bridges - There are two suspension bridges along the Northville-Placid Trail in the SLWA, one across the West Branch of the Sacandaga River and one across Hamilton Lake Stream Outlet.

Spy Lake access - Spy Lake is a 376-acre lake which is primarily divided between private ownership and the Silver Lake Wilderness. There is interest in gaining public access to the lake mainly for the purpose of fishing.

Cathead Mountain access - This issue involves public access to the Cathead Mountain Trail and focuses on the nature and extent of private access over Great Lot 120 of the Benson Tract. The Cathead Mountain Trail is a very popular hiking trail that leads to a state owned fire tower lying within a private in holding. The trail begins on private property, crosses State land, then re-enters private property where the fire tower is located. Other associated structures that are State owned and located on the parcel of private property at the fire tower site include: a radio building, wind generating tower, observer's cabin, storage shed, helipad, and privy. The previously recognized motor vehicle road and telephone line to the fire tower are no longer used.

Historically, the private land owners used motor vehicles over Lot 120 to access their property, as authorized by TRPs issued by the Department. Normally, private use of motor vehicles would not be allowed over Lot 120 because of its Forest Preserve and Wilderness classification, but an exception exists for the use of a private right-of-way which pre-dated State acquisition. A few years ago DEC determined that the owners of this property had no such legal right-of-way across Lot 120, and consequently denied the owner's request for a new TRP. The owners responded in September of 2000 by withdrawing their permission for the public to use the Cathead Mountain Trail and filing a lawsuit against the State, alleging that they had a right-of-way and that DEC had therefore improperly denied the TRP. On June 16, 2005 the Appellate Division, Third Department, unanimously affirmed a lower court ruling that the Thomas Gang has no legal right of access to its property across Forest Preserve lands. Consequently, public access to the Cathead Mountain Trail continues to be denied.