Watch Out for Leeches in the Great Swamp of Patterson

The Great Swamp is one of the prominent natural features of our area. We live all around it, but most of us rarely venture into it to explore this 'other' world. For most of us, the idea of slopping through the muck and undergrowth for a couple hours, swatting mosquitoes and flies, while hoping we don't get lost is not exactly the picture of fun. But a swamp provides significant ecologic benefits, and the Great Swamp has a unique beauty that has to been seen to be truly appreciated.

The Patterson Environmental Park provides an opportunity to explore a portion of the Great Swamp without spending those hours in the muck. A short walk down a packed gravel road takes you from downtown Patterson to a boat launch on the edge of the swamp. It's a nice, easy, level walk that doesn't take long at all.

To get there, take 311 into Patterson. Turn south onto Front Street near the railroad crossing, and head south a few blocks. You will see the Patterson Recreation Center on your right. We parked in the parking lot for the rec center and walked across the street.

Just past the recreation center you will see the park's dirt access road that heads east over the train tracks. The train track you will be crossing over are live. Be very careful because there is no traffic control device.

As you start down the road, on your right is a small overgrown field with a few full-sized evergreen trees. They look a little bit unusual standing at strange angles, until you realize they have been pulled up by the root ball and are just sitting there dead or dying.

The road heads straight for a few hundred feet and then curves to the right. After the curve, there is an out-of-place rock formation. Large, square rocks are piled like blocks - most likely castaways from the old quarry. In the past, this property has been both a quarry and a garbage dump. There is a small loop trail that leads behind these rocks for a better look. If you are brave - which I am not - there were lots of nooks and crannies to explore.

A little past the rock pile you will arrive at the boating access point. There was a surprisingly good current considering how flat the area seemed. Exploring the water's edge, we ran into a leech looking for a meal. Luckily, we weren't it. And there were lots of crayfish in the water - some of a pretty good size.

The walk back took us a little longer because the kids realized we were sharing the road with lots of snails. Apparently there is some rule in the universe that says every child has to stop and examine every snail - I think some even got names before we could move on.

As I mentioned earlier, this is a nice, easy walk over level ground, and it is popular spot for dog owners, canoeists and kayakers. Aside from the main gravel road and the small loop trail around the rock pile, there were a few other side trails, but with all the rain lately they were too muddy to explore - even for a swamp! None of the trails are marked.

It took our group of seven, ranging in ages from 4 months to 64 years, about 40 minutes round trip. Compared to our past hikes through the woods, the gravel road was nice because it had something to offer all three generations of my family - the kids burn off some energy running up and down, the parents can keep the kids within sight, and the grandparents didn't have to be professional hikers since this was a walk, not a hike. Since this is a swamp, dress accordingly and bring the bug spray.

After exploring the Patterson Environmental Park, we visited a local museum with a surprisingly impressive, eclectic mix of items - including a real shrunken head, local historic artifacts, a well-organized rocks/minerals collection, and many other interesting pieces. But that is for a future article.

The 23 acre Patterson Environmental Park is owned by the Town of Patterson. You can get more info at www.pattersonny.org.

Steven Mattson has been a resident of Brewster for 10 years. He is currently writing a family-oriented book about the sights and adventures in and around Putnam County. He can be reached at dutchess92@comcast.net.