2019-20 Southern Adirondacks Guide to the First Wilderness Heritage Corridor

72
T H E A D I R O N D A C K S
18 cabins nestled on quiet Minerva Lake
Unwind, Reconnect, Return to a Simpler Time
(518) 251-2694 www.morningsidecamps.com
Scratch-made
pies, cakes
and tarts
using fresh
ingredients.
Cinnamon Rolls • Donuts • Breads
Ask about our famous
Orange Torte & Turtle Cheesecake
Minerva Paddle By Lisa Salamon
The Adirondacks are a paddler’s paradise boasting more than
3,000 lakes and ponds, and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams.
With that many paddling choices, it’s often mind-boggling to
choose one without a little local knowledge. Locals know Minerva
Stream is an underused paddling gem with
easy access, wildlife and great scenery along
the way. Minerva Stream is located within the
91,854-acre Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild
Forest with some parts bordering private land.
To paddle to Minerva Stream, it is best to
use the well-marked canoe access adjacent to
the Minerva Transfer Station on O’Neill Road
in Irishtown/Olmstedville and leave one car at
that location and a second at where Morse Memorial Highway
crosses the stream or at Minerva Dam parking lot in Olmstedville
which about a mile further south.
As you travel downstream from the Transfer Station, you will
enter a large marsh area studded with cedar trees where paddlers
usually see great blue herons and deer plus an occasional bald
eagle. Further down the stream--which basically parallels Federal
Flats Road--the stream is bordered with a mix of larger pines and
cedar trees. Note Federal Flats Road is named after the flat area
where Civil War soldiers drilled and prepared before leaving the
ADKs for points south.
Meandering through the forested area and then through more
open wetlands, depending on the time of year you may see swamp
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Enjoy Breakfast and Lunch at theSandwich Shop with
homemade cole slaw, salads, deli sandwiches & more!
Our Menu is on our Facebook page @
Lil’ Nony’s Bakery and Sandwich Shop.
— Call for take-out! —
We Cater
every type
of event
1385 Count Rt. 29, Olmstedville, NY
Call (518) 251-2289 for seasonal hours
milkweed, cardinal flower and a wide range of wetland native
plants and the pollinators that feed on them. Minerva Stream’s
abundant beaver population will force you to walk on a beaver
dam to ease a boat across or get out and carry the boat across
small dams in shallower areas.
Minerva Stream is home to Brook and
Brown Trout and many locals fish from the
Morse Memorial Bridge. If you have left
your car at this take-out your paddle will end
at the dirt takeout path to the left. Otherwise,
paddle under the bridge a few hundred yards
to where Minerva Stream makes a sweeping
left-hand turn in a marshy area and continue
your paddle downstream to the dam.
The stream widens and almost appears to be a canal as you
approach Minerva Dam. Look for warning signs that will direct
you to the grassy take out near the gazebo on the left side of the
dam area. Several grist and lumber mills once occupied this area,
but an ice flow damaged the previous wooden dam and mill businesses.
Today’s concrete dam was built in 1934 as a replacement.
Minerva Stream can be paddled in as little as two hours; however,
most paddlers allow a half day to explore and photograph as
they paddle. As with any ADK paddling experience, you will enjoy
it so much more if you have the proper gear, which includes:
Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) for each member of your group;
drybags to keep camera, phone, and food from getting wet; and
water shoes since you may have to get out and push your boat
over beaver dams.
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