Andy Arthur.
Camping at Duck Pond.
Duck Pond at Burnt-Rossman is a different place to camp at, especially on a beautiful summer day.
June 25, 2010.
Related Fodder: Back at Burnt Rossman, Burnt Rossman June 2010, Camping at Betty Brook, Camping at Betty Brook, Aug 26.
Related Maps: Schoharie County.
Related Photos: Burnt-Rossman State Forest.
On the maps of Burnt Rossman, and in the plan for this area, there is a primative campsite. While unmarked there, there are two developed campsites along the pond with stone-built campfire places, and some places where horses have been staked down in the past.
Campsite at Duck Pond. It doesn't look like anyone has camped up here in a couple of weeks, although you could see the stakes where people had horses tied down, and some of the remaining horse manure.
Burnt-Rossman State Forest on June 26, 2010. (N 42° 30' 36.54" W 74° 29' 1.18")
Kodak Z7590 Zoom Digital Camera, Exposure: 1/160 sec, Aperature: f/2.8, ISO 80, Focal Length: 38mm.
Other Campsite at Duck Pond. I actually camped up here during Labor Day Weekend 2006, when a bad thunderstorm came through over the lake.
Burnt-Rossman State Forest on June 26, 2010. (N 42° 30' 37.73" W 74° 28' 58.33")
Kodak Z7590 Zoom Digital Camera, Exposure: 1/400 sec, Aperature: f/2.8, ISO 80, Focal Length: 38mm.
Duck pond which is mostly a swamp, is quite pretty in the evening. The bugs really weren't that bad.
Duck Pond at Night. Duck Pond is rapidly reverting to a swamp, with the dam not properly functioning and a general lack of water.
Burnt-Rossman State Forest on June 25, 2010.
Kodak Z7590 Zoom Digital Camera, Exposure: 1/80 sec, Aperature: f/2.8, ISO 80, EV -4/3, Focal Length: 38mm.
Cleaning up after dinner in the evening.
Camping at Duck Pond.
Burnt-Rossman State Forest on June 25, 2010.
Kodak Z7590 Zoom Digital Camera, Exposure: 1/60 sec, Aperature: f/2.8, ISO 140, Focal Length: 38mm.
The wildflowers where in full bloom in late June when I was camping out there.
Wildflowers.
Burnt-Rossman State Forest on June 26, 2010. (N 42° 30' 36.54" W 74° 29' 1.18")
Kodak Z7590 Zoom Digital Camera, Exposure: 1/500 sec, Aperature: f/3.7, ISO 80, Focal Length: 380mm.
Wildflowers.
Burnt-Rossman State Forest on June 26, 2010. (N 42° 30' 36.54" W 74° 29' 1.18")
Kodak Z7590 Zoom Digital Camera, Exposure: 1/500 sec, Aperature: f/3.7, ISO 80, Focal Length: 380mm.
Near the campsite is a monument commemerating Charles Hopkins, the first Forest Ranger who maintained these 13,000 acres of state land.
Charles Hopkins Memorial.
Burnt-Rossman State Forest on June 26, 2010. (N 42° 30' 36.54" W 74° 29' 1.18")
Kodak Z7590 Zoom Digital Camera, Exposure: 1/60 sec, Aperature: f/2.8, ISO 80, EV -3/3, Focal Length: 38mm.
In the morning, I drove south toward Blenhium on the rather rough part of the Duck Pond Truck Trail, which becomes much rougher after Duck Pond.
Rough Lower Section of Burnt Hill Road. It's passable by a pickup truck, although it would be rough on the undercarriage of a car. Eventually this comes out pass private land, some of which is being logged, then you start to decend into the Schoharie Valley.
Burnt-Rossman State Forest on June 26, 2010.
Kodak Z7590 Zoom Digital Camera, Exposure: 1/60 sec, Aperature: f/2.9, ISO 80, EV -3/3, Focal Length: 43mm.
While I camped out there all night, I only saw one car in the morning driving by.
Here is a map of Duck Pond at Burnt Rossman.
“The policy of the state shall be to conserve and protect its natural resources and scenic beauty and encourage the development and improvement of its agricultural lands for the production of food and other agricultural products.”
— Article 14, Section 4 NY State Constitution