Emmons Pond Bog
Emmons Pond Bog
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
13 reviews
Excellent
10
Very good
2
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Rick M
Oneonta, NY714 contributions
Nov 2014 • Family
This is a unique opportunity to visit and hike around a sphagnum peat bog...not many of these around, so come on up and check it out! Great hiking in any season...during the summer, there are boardwalks to take you out onto the bog...pretty cool!
Written 20 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris J
Oneonta, NY43 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
Had a chance to take a relaxing hike on the Emmons pond big trails this afternoon. It is as bit wet and muddy right now due to frost coming out of the ground and surface run off. The trails aren't aggressive and make for an easy stroll.
You experience a variety of landscapes including grassland, forest, waterfront, and mixed scrubland.
Very scenic and picturesque areas where you can observe the pond, waterfalls, and see the remains of trees chewed up by Beaver. Very nice location for a hike and glad we got to check this gem out.
You experience a variety of landscapes including grassland, forest, waterfront, and mixed scrubland.
Very scenic and picturesque areas where you can observe the pond, waterfalls, and see the remains of trees chewed up by Beaver. Very nice location for a hike and glad we got to check this gem out.
Written 21 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
speechie13
New York City, NY30 contributions
Sept 2016 • Friends
This hike does not look like much from the road, but once you get past the beginning of the trail, it is truly wonderful. A small waterfall, the big, and plenty of trail space. A very nice, easy hike with some good scenery!
Written 3 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hcyoung987
Goodyear Lake6 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
With apologies to those who live in the area, this place is truly in the middle of nowhere, marked by one, albeit, nice sign, and has a grassy "parking" lot the size of a standing garage. Ours was the only car on a warm, Sunday early afternoon.
We meandered around this @ 1.75 mile loop roughly around the pond through meadows and woods, up and downhill. I would not recommend for anyone needing a stroller or a walker. Lots of evidence of beavers, which had dammed up the stream leading out the NW end of the pond. Definitely recommend taking binoculars (which I unfortunately forgot to take). Saw and/or heard downy woodpeckers, red-winged blackbirds, Canada geese, and some unidentified ducks.
One more thing: Thanks very much to the NY Nature Conservancy for providing this glimpse of primitive, but beautiful place!
We meandered around this @ 1.75 mile loop roughly around the pond through meadows and woods, up and downhill. I would not recommend for anyone needing a stroller or a walker. Lots of evidence of beavers, which had dammed up the stream leading out the NW end of the pond. Definitely recommend taking binoculars (which I unfortunately forgot to take). Saw and/or heard downy woodpeckers, red-winged blackbirds, Canada geese, and some unidentified ducks.
One more thing: Thanks very much to the NY Nature Conservancy for providing this glimpse of primitive, but beautiful place!
Written 26 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julie D
220 contributions
Mar 2016 • Friends
Bogs are fascinating places! There are so many different, fascinating sights on the up close and personal hike around this particular bog. Today's hike was a warm, late winter hike. The trail was exceptionally wet and muddy. We were grateful that we had on waterproof hiking boots with good traction. The water from the bog sparkled in the afternoon sun, which made the shapes from the dead trees almost dance to life (in a very pleasing way, not a spooky way).
There was a great deal of beaver activity all the way around the bog. It looks like there is a VERY healthy beaver population. At one point, I was taking a photograph of a pair of Canada Geese and noticed that a large tree behind me had been chewed through nearly 3/4 of the way. I quickly and gently stepped away from the "timber" zone. If you step off trail at all, be doubly careful not to trip. There are sharp, beaver chewed saplings that look like spears sticking out of the ground all around. It is very interesting to observe the beaver dams. Today some looked completed and other looked as if they were under construction.
The hike itself would be quite easy on a day that the ground was dry. With a muddy, slippery trail, the going was a bit slower and required more work. There are three places where the trail crosses a stream. They're all easy crossings, and not too hard to get across with dry feet if the stepping stones are above water.
Take your time and enjoy this beautiful, odd little piece of heaven. Set aside about 2 hours so that you can observe the big things and the little things.
There was a great deal of beaver activity all the way around the bog. It looks like there is a VERY healthy beaver population. At one point, I was taking a photograph of a pair of Canada Geese and noticed that a large tree behind me had been chewed through nearly 3/4 of the way. I quickly and gently stepped away from the "timber" zone. If you step off trail at all, be doubly careful not to trip. There are sharp, beaver chewed saplings that look like spears sticking out of the ground all around. It is very interesting to observe the beaver dams. Today some looked completed and other looked as if they were under construction.
The hike itself would be quite easy on a day that the ground was dry. With a muddy, slippery trail, the going was a bit slower and required more work. There are three places where the trail crosses a stream. They're all easy crossings, and not too hard to get across with dry feet if the stepping stones are above water.
Take your time and enjoy this beautiful, odd little piece of heaven. Set aside about 2 hours so that you can observe the big things and the little things.
Written 12 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gary K
Oneonta, NY84 contributions
Oct 2015 • Couples
This is a very nice trail around a big peat bog/pond - not only a great hike, but an unusual environment. Plan to spend an hour or two, and if you're adventurous, follow the outlet stream down the waterfall and then look back at it. We've hiked it in all seasons.
Written 8 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark R
Westmoreland, NY5 contributions
Jun 2019
Great views and experiences of wildlife. We chose to drive from home so we had no need for local lodging this time.
Written 3 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Geoffrey S
West Oneonta38 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
When I was in the 6th grade in Oneonta Bugbee School, our class made a field trip to the Emmons Pond Bog. We all were a bit skeptical of visiting a bog (especially the girls!), but we were definitely surprised!
Our teacher was a font of information on this particular bog (he has visited many times) and sure lit a fire in many of us to learn more about the bog.
We all collected many items (Yes, a few frogs!) and brought them back to school.
For the next few weeks, we learned about the importance of the "smelly" bog!
Our visit surprised many of us who had no interest in a "BOG"
We came back with many stories from our two teachers and many plants.
We all had to write a story about our visit to the bog. Surprisingly enough, many normally disinterested students wrote very detailed and interesting reports.
I still remember the visit and the "SMELL!
PS: We visited the bog in 1967, but could not get this in on the given time line!
Geoff Smith
Our teacher was a font of information on this particular bog (he has visited many times) and sure lit a fire in many of us to learn more about the bog.
We all collected many items (Yes, a few frogs!) and brought them back to school.
For the next few weeks, we learned about the importance of the "smelly" bog!
Our visit surprised many of us who had no interest in a "BOG"
We came back with many stories from our two teachers and many plants.
We all had to write a story about our visit to the bog. Surprisingly enough, many normally disinterested students wrote very detailed and interesting reports.
I still remember the visit and the "SMELL!
PS: We visited the bog in 1967, but could not get this in on the given time line!
Geoff Smith
Written 12 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
morsko
49 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
I've visited this place many times over the past two and a half decades, and it's always a relaxing trip. My wife and I took a side trip there on our honeymoon, and she loved it. The grade is mostly flat. There is a beaver dam there now, with plenty of evidence of recent beaver activity. When I first came here, it was more bog than pond, but it is now clearly more pond. Little sense of loss there, but the abundance of animal life and plant species remains beautiful. Everything changes, so it's just something new to adapt to.
Things to be aware of: The path is well worn so water tends to accumulate after rains. After rains is still a great time to go because the waterfall is spectacular. There is no paved parking lot, so just pull off onto the grass when you see the sign. If you're coming from the Town of Franklin side, there are dirt roads, so go slow because some of the pot holes look more like small impact craters.
Things to be aware of: The path is well worn so water tends to accumulate after rains. After rains is still a great time to go because the waterfall is spectacular. There is no paved parking lot, so just pull off onto the grass when you see the sign. If you're coming from the Town of Franklin side, there are dirt roads, so go slow because some of the pot holes look more like small impact craters.
Written 17 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cjones49
Oneonta, NY17 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
Great place close by to enjoy with quite a diverse walking area and very unique. Have been there in different seasons and so much to see each time.
Written 28 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I apologize, I didn't see this question until now. This trail is NOT wheelchair accessible. It is a fairly rugged trail. There used to be a boardwalk, but from what I understand, a beaver dam caused the bog to flood and the boardwalk is no longer there.
Written 12 September 2016
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