Papscanee Island Nature Preserve
This morning we went to the Papscanee Island Nature Preserve in Rensselaer. We started at the north entrance of the preserve, giving us a driving tour of the Port of Rensselaer’s oil yard. We didn’t think we were in the right place, until we noticed a trail head at the end of a dead end road.
Right away were greeted by a giant puddle. We almost turned back, but we shimmied behind the kiosk and stayed dry.
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-1@1000.jpg)
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-2@1000.jpg)
This is one of my favorite trails to date. The preserve has four trails, all relatively short. We started on the white trail, which meandered through a beautiful marsh, an open field, and then met up with the other trails into the woods.
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-3@1000.jpg)
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-4@1000.jpg)
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-5@1000.jpg)
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-6@1000.jpg)
The preserve sits between a railroad and the Hudson River. There’s an old rail line that cuts through the marsh; it’s really quite beautiful. We were fortunate enough to catch an Amtrak passing by not once, but twice!
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-7@1000.jpg)
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-8@1000.jpg)
Unfortunately, the trails are a little difficult to navigate as trail markers are few and far between. We accidentally ended up on a trail that the map specifically forbids people to go. Sorry, government.
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-9@1000.jpg)
We saw lots of birds, in particular a giant red-headed wood pecker.
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-10@1000.jpg)
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-11@1000.jpg)
![Papscanee Island Nature Preserve](https://yo.katydecorah.com/2014-05-17-papscanee-island-nature-preserve-12@1000.jpg)