29. Rudd Pond Area, Taconic State Park

Distance:	Dayhike or overnight
Difficulty :	Easy for children
Distance :	2.4 miles, loop
Hiking time :	2 hours
High point/elevation gain :	1050 feet, 340 feet
Hikable :	May-October
Map :	NY-NJ Trail Conference Map 14

Rudd Pond is proof that all ponds were not created equal. This clear, shallow pond, easily accessed from NY-62, is a delightful combination of natural features and man-made conveniences. The expanse of manicured lawn, dotted with picnic tables and shaded by grand trees, ushers visitors toward the beach, where they can sunbathe, swim, or rent boats for fishing or exploring. Nearby, the Rudd Pond Campground provides tent sites and platforms, a recreation hall, a playground, and shower and bathhouses for families interested in staying overnight.

A gentle path leads along the eastern shore of Rudd Pond to the smaller and more rugged Iron Mine Pond, then winds along the brook that feeds the ponds, looping back through pleasant woodlands to return to the swimming beach and campground.

Wear long pants; the trail is overgrown in places.

From New York City, take the Taconic State Parkway north about 90 miles to US 44. Follow US 44 east for 15 miles to Amenia and continue on combined US 44 and NY-22 for another 7 miles to Millerton. In Millerton, follow US 44 as it splits right from NY-22, then turn left (north) onto NY-62. In 1 mile, you pass a sign for "RUDD POND, TACONIC STATE PARK." Two and two-tenths miles from US 44, turn right into Taconic State Park, Rudd Pond. Drive past the caretaker's booth (pay a moderate admission fee in season) and, 0.4 mile from the entrance, turn left (before the camping area) into a parking area for hikers and park visitors.

Follow the paved park road southeastward along the shore, cutting through the campground. As the road ends in a turnaround, follow an unblazed, though well-worn, foot trail into mixed woods, still heading southward. Soon the level trail skirts the marshy outlet to the pond, giving kids a great opportunity to poke around for frogs and newts, dragonflies and water striders. Look for a water boatman, with its characteristic set of legs that act like oars propelling it through the water.

Just over 0.5 mile into the hike, the trail struggles through an overgrown meadow. A sign nailed to a tree on the left warns that you are approaching "deep water." Indeed, you quickly arrive at the bank of Iron Mine Pond, its wild shores contrasting with the tended lawns of its larger neighbor. And the contrast is more than just a surface one: this 5-acre pond is almost 80 feet deep, whereas Rudd Pond covers 64 acres and reaches a maximum depth of only 10 feet. As the name suggests, Iron Mine Pond was probably an open-pit iron mine that flooded when the miners hit groundwater or an underground spring—that's why it's so small but so deep. From Colonial times until it became uneconomical in the 1870s, iron mining and smelting was an important industry in the Catskills and Hudson Valley. The remains of many old mines and foundries can be found throughout these areas (see Pine Swamp Mine, Hike 3).

At the pond's edge, the trail divides. A right turn brings you in 100 yards to a small beach and the pond outlet. (Advise the kids to save the swimming for Rudd Pond.) Return to the junction and wind eastward along the shore. Let the kids lead the group to the boisterous waterfall at Iron Mine Pond's eastern tip. Here, an unnamed brook that originates in the Connecticut hills hurls itself down a rocky embankment to end in a final rush at the pond's edge. Rest here; the kids can tip stones on edge to see what creatures might be hiding underneath.

Cross the mouth of the stream as it joins the pond and follow a steep foot trail along the right side of the 15-foot falls. At the crest, the trail opens onto a gravel road. Turn left and immediately cross over the brook on a bridge, pass through a metal gate, and follow the road as it sweeps right to track along the brook's western bank.

Initially heading northward, the trail climbs gradually over the next mile on a gravel road. The cascading stream provides soothing background noise and pleasant company. Which makes a better boat: an acorn or a twig? The banks of the brook steepen; 0.1 mile from the gate, you pass a crumbling dam. In another 0.1 mile, as the brook splits, stay on the gravel road following the left branch of what is now a stream. Shortly, at a fork, the gravel road bears right to cross the stream but you continue straight, following a woods road with frequent grassy patches. As the stream narrows to a trickling ribbon, the grade levels amidst patches of ferns and skunk cabbage. What other wetland vegetation can you identify?

The trail wanders across a small clearing, 1.4 miles from the start, rimmed with stands of tall white birches. As the footpath leaves the clearing it bends right (northeast), hops over the stream in two steps, then bends back to head northward. As the path narrows and underbrush crowds from both sides, the hike leader must watch more carefully for state park markers and for signs of previous hikers.

As the trail gently crests and passes through a wet area, look for an indistinct side trail that splits left. A state park sign marks a tree at the intersection. If you miss the side trail, you will drop down a slight slope to a small stream; retrace your steps approximately 100 feet. Follow the side trail westward and cross a raucous stream. (Here we startled a ruffed grouse from the underbrush.) Beyond the stream, the trail curls left (southwest) and begins a modest descent. Can you find any garter snakes?

The trail becomes more difficult to follow as it winds northwestward toward NY-62. Who will be the first to spot Rudd Pond through the trees on the left? Though your distant views are limited by the thick woods, you can catch glimpses into the lovely Harlem Valley.

Point out to the kids the moss underfoot. What can they determine about the conditions under which moss grows? Does this plant prefer sun or shade? Damp or dry conditions? Is all moss the same? Still sweeping right, the trail avoids a steep descent and cuts into the ridge to drop gently to the valley floor. As the trail bottoms out, it becomes less distinct: watch for a faint path on the left that leads to Rudd Pond's picnic and beach area. You may need to bushwhack for 100 yards or so in a westerly direction (guided by your compass and the sound of vehicles on NY-62). Once you reach the manicured park grounds, turn left (south) on the paved park road. Pass Rudd Pond on the right and soon arrive at your car.

Note: Dogs must be leashed. The park is closed from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m.