ADIRONDACK ECOSYSTEMS: WHAT YOU’LL SEE WHILE RAILBIKING IN NORTH CREEK
North Creek, NY
North Creek is a hamlet within the town of Johnsburg, located in the Central Adirondack region. The area is remote enough to be completely immersed in nature, but with all the benefits of modern civilization. The town is bordered by the Siamese Ponds Wilderness area on one side and Wild Forest on the other. North Creek is a year-round destination due to the accessibility it provides to these wild areas. Visitors have the opportunity to go whitewater rafting down the Hudson Gorge, ski or snowboard on Gore Mountain Ski Area, explore the many mountain peaks on miles of hiking trails, or take an adventure down historic railroad tracks on a railbiking tour with Revolution Rail.
Ever since the railroad tracks were first laid down in North Creek, one of its main uses was to get people access to wilderness areas. This trend continued for years as visitors took the train up to North Creek and then boarded stagecoaches from there to get to their great camps. Later, the snow train became a favorite way for skiers to enjoy the snow at Gore Mountain before returning home on the après train. Fast forward to today and we are still using the tracks to provide access to wilderness areas, but this time we are on railbikes. Our trips are a much more immersive, natural experience due to the slowed down and quieter method of travel compared to train engines. The bikes provide a low-impact and leisurely way to explore an area that is otherwise inaccessible by road or trail.
The Flora of North Creek
The Adirondacks are their own distinct ecosystem, located in a transition zone between the eastern deciduous and boreal forest biomes. This overlap of habitats allows the Adirondacks to support an incredibly diverse population of flora and fauna. North Creek and its immediate surrounding area is mostly considered a successional hardwood forest. This means that there was some event that cleared the previously existing forest (ex/ logging, fire, farming) and a new forest has grown in its place. After the widespread logging in the late 19th century, the previously abundant white pine and spruce were almost completely wiped out. With an abundance of light now available, a fast-growing pioneer species colonized the area to begin the primary step in forest succession. Examples of these pioneer species are Quaking Aspens, Chokecherry, Pin Cherry, and Paper Birch trees. As these species grew taller and fuller, the shaded understory was no longer suitable for their shade-intolerant seedlings to thrive, so new shade-tolerant species were now able to compete. This now starts the secondary succession step where the slower-growing, shade tolerant species become the mature community of trees in that forest. This progression of forest succession has led to the now climax community of hardwood trees that dominate the area consisting of Sugar Maple, American Beech, Red Spruce, and Eastern Hemlock, to name a few.
Heading north into North River and the Hudson Gorge wilderness area, you will encounter a shift in forest habitat as you travel into a lowland conifer forest along the Hudson and Boreas Rivers. This habitat varies from the hardwood forests of North Creek in a few ways, one of which being the predominant tree species. Balsam fir is the dominant species that can grow in pure stands or mixed with Red Spruce or Black Spruce. Due to the shade and nutrient-poor soil, there is minimal understory growth, with only a few shrubs such as Hobblebush and the seedlings of the primary trees. The forest floor is covered by a deep mat of spruce and fir needles with mosses and ferns dominating the ground cover.
With the shifting of the seasons, there is always something new to see in the forest. In the spring and summer, you can find wildflowers and trees in full bloom. Common wildflowers you might see around North Creek include Bunchberry, Common Wood Sorrel, Trout Lilly, and Spotted Touch-Me-Nots among many more. The bright and flowery ground cover in the warmer months transitions to colorful overhead displays in the fall as the foliage adjusts to the colder temperatures. You can observe the spectacle of red/orange maples to bright yellow birches and aspen trees on any of our scenic railbiking tours. When winter rolls around, the landscape is whitewashed with snow and speckled with the dark green spruce and fir trees that hold onto their needles all year round. North Creek is truly a fantastic place to witness the changing of the seasons displayed by the local flora.
Fauna Along the Tracks
If trying to spot the difference between a sugar maple and a red maple doesn’t strike your fancy, then perhaps keeping your eyes peeled for local wildlife might be more your speed. The wide variety of habitats in the Adirondacks hosts an incredibly diverse population of animals, making it a hot spot for wildlife enthusiasts. There are over 200 species of birds, 53 species of mammals, 35 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 74 species of butterflies. The charismatic megafauna that everyone seems to associate with the Adirondacks is a black bear and moose. While these two animals do live in the area, they are experts at staying hidden deep in the forests, so unfortunately we rarely get a chance to see them in person. What we do encounter more frequently are white-tailed deer, gray squirrels, red foxes, chipmunks, as well as a variety of birds, butterflies, and amphibians.
To have the best wildlife experience, it is important to acknowledge some basic etiquette and tips for observation. Knowing the best time and place to look for certain wildlife can set you up for success. For example, if you are excited about seeing a red fox on a railbiking trip, knowing that they are primarily nocturnal creatures will make your best chances of seeing one around dawn or dusk when they still might be active. This might lead you to choose our early morning trip or our full moon ride. The exception to this is during the summer months when they are rearing pups and the females require additional food scavenging during the day to keep up with the ravenous appetites of the babies. Foxes typically prefer a mixed landscape of forest edges, farmland, and open fields to provide enough protective cover from predators, while still having prey readily available. Those habitats are where you should pay extra close attention to in the hopes of spotting a red fox. Once you have identified the best time & location for viewing wildlife, it is important to remain patient and quiet during the search. Many animals are skittish around people and loud noises, so we want to avoid startling them. We have the benefit of our railbikes being very quiet as they move along the tracks through the forest, giving us an advantage over hiking or biking on a trail with loud sticks and leaves to crunch on. Keeping a safe distance away from wildlife is also important to respect their space and avoid stressing out the animal. If you do some research, plan accordingly, and respect the wildlife, you will be set up for success in all of your wildlife viewing endeavors.
Aquatic Life in North Creek
Now that you’ve got an idea of what you could be seeing on a railbiking trip on dry land, let’s take a look at what’s under the surface of some of the freshwater ecosystems in the area. There are more than 3,000 lakes, 8,000 ponds, 1,500 miles of rivers, and 30,000 miles of streams across the Adirondacks. That makes for an elaborate network of unique habitats. Mountain streams form the headwaters of larger rivers and their flow is seasonally variable based on snow pack and precipitation. These streams have cold temperatures, high oxygen levels, and dynamic geomorphology that creates an excellent environment for certain fish species, such as trout and salmon, as well as a variety of macroinvertebrates. The abundance of specific macroinvertebrates is an indicator of the stream’s health. Mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies are among the most sensitive to pollution and temperature swings, so their presence in the streams around North Creek are indicators of a healthy freshwater ecosystem.
As multiple streams converge, new river ecosystems are formed. River beds, or the water channel itself, is generally wider and slower flowing than the mountain streams that fed it. The reduced tree canopy coverage allows more light to penetrate to the bottom of the river. This in turn promotes an increase in primary productivity, which contributes more energy to the food chain. The biodiversity also increases with more fish species inhabiting the warmer water. You could find sunfish, largemouth bass, white perch, and common carp living in a riverbed habitat in larger rivers.
These aquatic ecosystems form the lifeblood of the region for ecological, recreational, and municipal purposes. The Hudson River flows through North Creek and is a prominent feature on our railbiking trips. It provides drinking water to residents, water for snowmaking at Gore Mountain, and excellent recreational opportunities for tubing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and fishing. The upper Hudson is some of the cleanest water on the planet due to the vast amount of wilderness in its watershed. The pristine forests serve as excellent water filters for runoff coming from mountain peaks and from the hundreds of feeder streams. Conservation of the river and the wilderness that surrounds it are key to maintaining a healthy river and happy community.
Geology and Landscapes
Let’s zoom out and look at the Adirondacks from a big picture perspective now. The landscape we see today is the result of millions of years of geological processes constantly changing the earth. The shaping of the mountains and valleys we pass through on our railbiking trips were formed by a two-step process: 1) the uprising of the land to form mountains and 2) the sculpting of the land during the Pleistocene Epoch (Ice Age). About 20 million - 5 million years ago, for reasons still obscure to geologists, a dome about 150 miles across began to rise, later to become the Adirondack mountains. This dome shaped range is unlike most other mountain ranges, like the long and linear Rockies or Appalachians. As erosion slowly carved valleys into this dome, billions of years old rock were uncovered. Some of the oldest rocks in NY can be found in the Adirondacks dating back to 1.3 billion years old. The phrase “new mountains from old rocks” is often used to describe the Adirondack mountains. This means that the rocks you see along the railroad tracks and on cliffs along the mountain sides could be millions if not billions of years old.
The second transformative step in the making of the Adirondacks is from glacial activity during the last ice age period. The ice age during the Pleistocene Epoch began about 1.6 million years ago and was a series of glacial advances and retreats. The Wisconsin Ice Age was the last glacial maximum from 80,000 - 21,000 years ago. As the glaciers advanced, they sculpted the landscape by scraping away soil, wearing down bedrock, carving river valleys, depositing rock debris, and rounding out the mountain peaks. The rocks plucked from the ground became embedded in the ice like sand in sandpaper. As the ice continued to move across the landscape, it scraped and smoothed out valleys. As the ice grew larger, it crept over hills and mountains, continuously breaking and lifting rocks off the summits. These rocks eventually get left behind as the ice melted away and are known as glacial erratics. Evidence of glacial activity can be seen in the form of kettle ponds, glacial erratics, cirques, moraines, and valleys. Kettle ponds are formed when large chunks of ice break off the retreating glacier and become covered in debris. When the ice eventually melts, the depression left in the ground gets filled in with water and forms small, circular ponds that are scattered throughout the Adirondacks. Cirques are the remnants of alpine glaciers that carved away a bowl shape in the side of a mountain. A moraine is a pile or ridge of sediment that was pushed to the front of the glacier as it retreated. One of the most prominent glacial remnants is the Hudson River Valley that was formed when an ice dam burst and created a massive flood of glacial meltwater that carved out the modern Hudson River. Most of these glacial deposits can be seen during our railbiking tours, so put on your geologist hat and try your hand at identifying some of these features.
Conservation Efforts
We are able to explore and enjoy the Adirondacks because of conservation efforts that have kept the wilderness healthy and pristine. There are multiple environmental organizations that work to keep the forests “Forever wild”, lakes clear of pollutants, and the towns safe & healthy. Pollution of the waterways has been one of the top issues environmentalists face mostly due to inadequate wastewater treatment plans, failing septic systems & sewer lines, and the excess application of road salt. Stricter policies have been put in place to mitigate the impact from wastewater treatment and septic runoff and there have been multiple alternatives to road salt being researched for top effectiveness. Another issue is continued development pressure and overuse of certain wilderness areas that has led to habitat fragmentation and degradation throughout the Adirondacks. This is one issue that Revolution Rail has actively been working on since partnering with the Open Space Institute. This organization is responsible for protecting land used for recreation and essential plant and animal habitats. By joining us on a railbiking tour out of North Creek, you have the option to donate to the Open Space Institute to help support this incredible organization.
Conclusion
There is no shortage of unique and exciting things to see on our railbiking trips. Whether you are excited about spotting all of the wildlife, enjoying the scenery of the Hudson River, or looking for some cool rocks, a trip out of North Creek can accomplish all of those goals. By traveling through a variety of different ecosystems, the changing scenery always provides something new to look at and take pictures of. A common Leave No Trace principle of “Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints” is a practice we wholeheartedly stand by. We always encourage exploring responsibly so we can continue to experience the natural beauty of the Adirondacks for years to come. If you haven’t already, come join us on a railbiking tour this season to witness all North Creek wilderness has to offer. If you have visited us before, I encourage you to try out one of our other locations to see what other exciting ecosystems and unique features that tour offers. Visit our website to learn more about who we are, what we offer, and how to come exploring with us!
