Turnwood, Ulster County

Alder Lake, at an elevation of 2,211 feet, is nestled snuggly, bowl-like, between Mill Brook Ridge to the east, Cradle Rock Ridge to the south, and several unnamed hills to the north. It is located in Ulster County’s Balsam Lake Mountain Wild Forest. In a limited edition, out-of-print book about the lake and the surrounding, one author described the scene at the lake: "Alder Lake . . . is the manifestation of something better than the common things of every-day life - it is a sanctum for the spiritual renaissance of mind and the rejuvenation of the body." (1) These reflective sentiments were written in 1953 yet, based on my many trips to the lake, continue to ring with truth over a half-century later. It is a relatively simple location, yet one that perfectly represents the beauty of the area surrounding the head of the Beaverkill Valley.

References:
(1) Gerow, Joshua R. Alder Lake: A Symposium of Nostalgic and Natural Observation. Liberty, NY: Fuelane Press, 1953.