Singer Castle Blog & More

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Mud Lake Walking Trail - Redwood, NY

Hiking the Mud Lake Walking Trail Redwood, New York

We had previously made a brief mention of this trail in our Sissy Danforth Rivergate Trail blog. Since then, TILT has parted ways with the Indian River ATV club and now only manages the portion of the trail that is in Clayton.

Today, Redwood has renamed a short but lovely portion of the trail and made it exclusively to be used as a walking trail. The Mud Lake Walking Trail can be accessed, and has parking behind the Felders MiniMarket in Redwood. The walking portion goes along Mud Lake and is a favorite picnic and swimming spot for the locals. But for a longer hike, the trail then picks up the Indian River ATV trail (formerly the railroad) which will take you as far as you want to go, all the way to Clayton. But there is a beautiful area about a mile past the walking trail, with a view of rock ledges and a wetland. A good place to turn around is when the trail hits Route 37.

It is a well maintained trail with a lovely variety of terrains from lakeview to forest to wetland.

Saturday, June 13, 2026

The Edward & Marlene Schmeer Preserve

It’s been a while since we’ve added any trails to our hiking blog. We recently visited the brand new Edward & Marlene Schmeer Preserve in Cape Vincent and had to include it on our list. While the current trail is only about 800 feet long, it is the first of what the Thousand Islands Land Trust (TILT) plans to include on this beautiful property. For now, it is a clean gravel trail through a newly restored grassland, jam packed with birds, butterflies and other wildlife, that takes you to a beautiful also brand-new observation deck with a view of Lake Ontario, the Preserve’s restored grasslands, a Lake Ontario barrier wetland, Wilson Bay, and the historic Tibbetts Point Lighthouse.

Acquired by TILT in 2023, the Schmeer Preserve was once a soybean field. Today, the Edward & Marlene Schmeer Signature Preserve in Cape Vincent is one of the newest conservation achievements in the Thousand Islands. The preserve is located at 787 Schmeer Rd in Cape Vincent and is now open daily from dawn to dusk! There is also a parking area at the entrance of the preserve. TILT describes it this way:

“Once intensively farmed with row crops, this land is now coming back to life. Native grasses and wildflowers have been planted to restore the ecosystem, and selective hedgerow removal has connected fragmented fields into continuous open meadows habitat. The project is part of a 360 acre conservation complex. The Schmeer portion is a 215-acre preserve featuring restored grasslands that support a diversity of species, providing food and shelter for grassland birds and other wildlife.”

But they also made it into a destination for those of us who love to hike and explore the great outdoors. It now includes a short scenic trail (with more trails planned in the future), and the observation tower overlooking Lake Ontario and the restored grasslands. The preserve provides an outstanding birding destination, with species such as the Bobolink, Short-eared Owl, Eastern Meadowlark, Snowy Owl, Osprey, and other rare grassland birds and native pollinators calling the area home. Located at the intersection of the Atlantic Flyway, the site is also a designated wintering raptor congregation area and an ecological hotspot.

Come now for a short hike with amazing views and come back as this new preserve continues to be developed.

- Bob & Patty Mondore

Be sure to see in this blog...

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

Saturday, June 24, 2023

Red Lake Preserve (IRLC)

Indian River Lake Conservancy (IRLC) has done it again, and just in time for the summer and fall hiking season. They just had their grand opening on a brand-new preserve and hiking trail. And we felt it was our civic duty to go and be among the first to check it out. We are so glad we did! We discovered a beautiful mile-long trail through a wide variety of terrains that led us to the stunning rock ledges and all-natural shoreline of Red Lake!

The Red Lake Preserve is located at 41315 Honey Hill Road in Theresa NY. The one-mile walking trail leads to a scenic waterfront area on Red Lake that, at least on our visit, was bursting with wildlife. IRLC has plans to add kiosks (perhaps even by the time you read this) but the trail is already marked with blue trail markers.

Let your GPS get you to the preserve in Theresa. When you arrive at the trailhead you will see a small parking area (room for about two cars) and a beautiful brand new sign with the name of the preserve. You will immediately see the trail head down and into the thick woods. But even though it is only a mile long it takes you through an amazing variety of terrains, deep woods and a winding path (beware of one small area of poison ivy on the trail) following aside impossibly high rock ledges on one side, and a drop off on the other, then through open meadows, and finally to the shores of Red Lake. We were greeted by a blue heron and an eagle that quickly departed on our arrival.

The shore area itself ranges from tall rock ledges to a stony and shallow inlet. The area is very remote. We never saw another person on the trail or on the lake. It was serenely beautiful and we enthusiastically recommend the trip!

For more info: https://indianriverlakes.org/red-lake-preserve/