A Different Kind of Hike to the Blue Ledges of the Hudson Gorge

Today, me, wife and dog, decided to take a mellow hike to the Blue Ledges of the Hudson from Northwoods Club Road outside of Minerva. It's an easy, family friendly 5-mile round-trip hike to the banks of the Hudson River at the start of the tougher rapids of the Gorge. We did it years ago, but wanted a warm up for some more fall hikes. Along the way we met a couple of cavers from Kingston, NY who were returning to their car because they were late (2PM) on their turnaround time to explore a nearby cave, which they didn't find, into which a small stream running alongside the trail flowed. The stream flows from the Huntley Pond outlet. They told us a herd path left the marked trail around where it turned sharply south, but they did not see it. We were intrigued, especially my wife, who had done a bit of caving when she was just out of college. So, we did find the mark to the herd path, cairn and ribbon on tree: No good photos of the cave, unfortunately, but it was an an easy herd path to follow, which took you within close distance of the Blue Ledge Rapids - very audible even at summer levels past the bubble. The small brook dove into the cave opening and reappeared from nowhere further down slope. We arrived at the riverbank around one half mile above the Blue Ledges. We could boulder-hop the low riverbank only for intermittent stretches between strenuous scrambles away from the riverbank over steep rockfalls. it took us nearly 90 minutes to cover a half mile. If you look at the topo map of the east bank between Virgin Falls and Blue Ledges, you'll understand why it's slow going. Along the way, a high-water river casualty. We got to the Ledges at 5PM with the rocks in the shadows. On the way back to the car, Huntly Pond looks pretty nice.

Awesome report. Love the Blue Ledges and just hiked there again a few weeks ago.  Since it's cool to arrive at the Ledges midday to get the sun, the cave could help you make a full day of it.

Pooch is adorable. Nice shot of the cliffs too. One thing about midday - cliffs are very tough to shoot.

Mike, you might be interested in finding and exploring Burrough’s Cave.  It’s reached via bushwhack from the bridge over the Boreas on the Northwoods Club Road.  I’m not going to post specific directions here, but feel free to pm me if you want some additional information.  The cave is not considered technical although you might get your feet wet.  The cave is named for the naturalist John Burroughs, who visited the cave nearly 150 years ago.  Here’s what he said about it:
“One afternoon we visited a cave, some two miles down the stream, which had recently been discovered. We squeezed and wriggled through a big crack or cleft in the side of the mountain, for about one hundred feet, when we emerged into a large dome-shaped passage, the abode, during certain seasons of the year, of innumerable bats, and at all times of primeval darkness.”

The DEC does not consider the cave to be a significant hibernaculum, however the public is asked to not visit the cave between September 15 and May 15 in order to avoid disturbing hibernating bats.  So, wait until next spring if you want to visit.

Here’s a recent photograph (not mine) from inside the cave to give you an idea of what it's like:

Jeff, nice suggestion.  When you cross the Boreas, do you go upstream or downstream?  I've kayaked the section between 28N and Northwoods Club Road.  You tend to stay focused the river features obviously in a boat.
There's information on web to guide you to this cave.

Upstream, to the outlet from Hotwater Pond.
Wow, kayaking the Boreas is pretty serious stuff from what I know.

Adk Jeff wrote

Wow, kayaking the Boreas is pretty serious stuff from what I know.

Thanks, Jeff. Yep, the Boreas is a classic north country river for whitewater. Except once, always did the Hudson when the Boreas was running so I only have one Boreas trip on my river CV.