An intermediate 18.5-mile route through Essex and Whallonsburg, NY
This route includes Split Rock Mountain, WebbRoyce Swamp, and Coon Mountain. Watch for bald eagles, peregrine falcons, osprey, herons, porcupines and endangered timber rattlesnakes. The Split Rock tract and Webb Royce Swamp are owned by New York State, and represent the longest undeveloped tract (4.3 miles) on Lake Champlain.
Iron ore was mined from Split Rock in 1870, and a granite company also operated here. Extracted resources in the 1900s were primarily logs and maple sap. Maple candy was packed into birch bark baskets and shipped by rail all over the nation. The Split Rock trail head provides access to several old woods roads, conducive to hiking and cross country skiing.
| Mile/Km | |
|---|---|
| 0.0 | Essex Ferry Dock. |
| 0.0 | S on County 9/Main St. |
| 0.3 | R on School Rd. |
| 0.5 | Unpaved for 1.1 miles. |
| 1.7 | L on County 66/Middle Rd. |
| 2.9 | R on Christian Rd. |
| 3.6 | Unpaved for 0.5 mile. |
| 5.0 | R on County 55/Whallons Bay Rd. |
| 5.3 | L on Rt. 22. |
| 7.5 | L on Merriam Forge Rd. (unpaved). |
| 7.8 | Cross Boquet River. |
| 9.0 | L on Halds Rd.–there is a steel bridge on the right. |
| 9.9 | Coon Mountain Trail Head. |
| 10.7 | L on County 9/Lakeshore Rd. |
| 12.5 | Split Rock Trail Head. |
| 15.9 | Straight at Whallons Bay Rd. |
| 18.5 | Essex Ferry Dock. |