Here and About- High Falls Gorge, NY

Adirondack Park-

The Adirondack Park 
is a part of New York's Forest Preserve 
in in Upstate New York. 
The park's boundary corresponds 
to the Adirondack Mountains. 

Unlike most preserves, about 52 percent of the land

 is privately owned inholdings heavily regulated

 by the Adirondack Park Agency. 

This area contains 102 towns and villages, 

as well as numerous farms, businesses, 

and an active timber harvesting industry. 

The year-round population is 132,000, 

with 200,000 seasonal residents. 

The inclusion of human communities 

makes the park one of the great experiments 

in conservation in the industrialized world.

The park's 6.1 million acres include more than 

10,000 lakes, 30,000 miles of rivers and streams, 

and a wide variety of habitats including 

wetlands and old-growth forests.

The West branch of the Ausable River 

is one of New York State's

 most famous trout streams. 

The Ausable River journeys north

 to its exodus to the St. Lawrence Seaway.

 Canada Yew is the low growing evergreen shrub here. 

The shrub is a favorite browse food of deer and moose.

 The tan foam at the base of the falls is a natural

 by-product of decaying vegetation.

Rain collects these natural foaming agents from

 the organic residue of leaves, branches

 and trees on the forest floor.

These agents are barred to the river

 and react with the river water. 

The extreme agitation of the river rushing 

over the rocks of the falls 

forms the foam in the pools below.

A trail to hike.

Amazing fresh green colors.

 The sound of rushing water.

A cool day at the end of July.
Family and friends.

Just can't beat that for an

 outing in the Adirondacks.