Submitted by guest blogger Molly Manson.
We live at the northernmost tip of the county. The American-Canadian border is just 6 miles from where we connect to the railroad bed near the Constable town garage. This is where we chose to start our snowmobile adventure for the day. The railroad track heads north but doesn't go much further because it connects to the old wooden trestle bridge that goes over the gorge. The bridge is no longer passable and has been blocked for many years, so south from Constable we go.
There are other bridges along the railroad track, and if you stop and take the time to look, you'll be amazed by the stonework that was done before modern machinery came along. The workmanship and labor put into these bridges is beautiful, and it's worth the time to stop and get a few pictures.
We head south and make our way to Malone, where we usually stop to buy gas. From there we head across Route 11 near the Suburban Propane fuel depot and keep heading south for about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how fast we want to travel. This part of the railroad track crosses a couple of small roads, but the most fun is when you are actually driving through the poles to the powerlines that run beside and sometimes over the tracks.
We reach the hamlet of Owls Head and their restaurant Belly's Mountain View Inn. By now we are cold and always stop in for a warm drink or a bowl of chili, and Belly's staff (and yes, the restaurant's namesake) is ready to welcome snowmobilers as they come through the door.
A little further south on the railroad you will come to the F8 trail, which will lead you to Meacham Lake Campground. The trail from the railroad bed to Meacham Lake is full of turns, twists, and hills. It is so much fun and really helps with keeping you warm. There are lots of places to stop and take pictures, and it is always reassuring that you are getting closer to Meacham Lake when you see Debar Mountain over the treetops.
In the summer this place is filled with campers, kids, bicycles, and kayaks, but in the winter it is quiet and feels very isolated from the noisy summer world. Hubby and I like to summer camp on Lot #94 and as much as we love it in the summer, it is just as beautiful in the winter. The view is breathtaking across the snow-covered lake.
For the most part the lake is frozen over, but it never completely freezes solid, even during the coldest winters. It has always made me nervous to go out on it and the hubby understands, so we usually stay in the campground and explore. I love to stop at just about every footpath in the snow to try and see what has been walking around the campground trail. Most wildlife trails are from the deer and foxes that don't sleep the winter away. I am still trying to find a moose trail, and with their growing numbers that might come true some day.
After any good snowmobiling adventure, we like to head back into town to grab dinner and go shopping!
Another reason I Love NY!
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