Monday, August 5, 2019

Hiking Kanik Nature Trail


#1000islands #ThousandIslands



We had heard there was an easy but lovely nature trail in Calcium, NY, so we finally made the half-hour trip from camp to check it out.  The James R. Kanik trail is a little over two miles long (one way) and is a well kept trail made of small gravel stones. 



It includes several wooden bridges overlooking wetland areas, benches along the way, picnic tables, and fitness equipment with instructions signs.  



There is a gazebo at about the half-way point that overlooks a lovely pond (the highlight of the trail for us). 



There is plenty of wildlife to see and hear along the way.  



The trail is open for year-round public use, free of charge.  It was renamed to Kanik Nature Trail in 2010 for James R. Kanik, first chairman and CEO of the Development Authority of the North Country (DANC) which manages this trail. The trail is built in the Army Sewer Line right-of-way. It parallels U.S. Route 11 near the hamlet of Calcium and has two well-marked access points, including one right on Rt 11, and parking lots at either end.

Directions: If you are heading out of Watertown go out Route 11 until you find the Patterson Road on the right. The entrance to the trail will be just past this. Or you may continue out Route 11 until you reach Calcium and then take a right into Calcium on the Sanford Corners Road. Another parking lot is a little ways up that road on the right near the fire station.

For more about the trail (and a trail map) you can visit the DANC website at https://www.danc.org/calcium-trail

Be sure to see...
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Introduction

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Abbé Picquet Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Carnegie Bay Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Cerow Recreation Park Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Chaumont Barrens Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Chippewa Bay Preserve Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Coyote Flats State Forest

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Downybrook Nature Reserve 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Foster Blake Woods Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...French Creek WMA 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Grand Lake Reserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Grass Point State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Jacques Cartier State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Kanik Nature Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Keewaydin State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Lonesome Bay State Forest

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Macsherry Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Maple City Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Morgan Island

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Morristown Red Barn Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Otter Creek

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Pulpit Rock State Forest

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Red Lake Indian River Trail 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Redwood Hill Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Rock Ridge Trail 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Sissy Danforth Rivergate Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Wellesley Island State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Zenda Farms Preserve