Our Richard Buegler 10-mile Winter Greenbelt Hike was everything a winter walk should be. There was a layer of fine, powdery snow that carpeted the woods and provided a real sense of the season. The weather was warm enough, especially in the afternoon, to make many of us regret the numerous layers we had become accustomed to wearing in the frigid cold of the past few weeks.
Eight hikers met Don and me at the entrance to the trailhead at Deere Park. The blue trail at Deere Park is one of the steepest trails in the Greenbelt because it climbs to the top of Todt Hill. I love this park so much because of the rich woods and the dramatic ravines and hills. Water is in its element here, and when it rains, you are treated to an unforgettable sight of cascades and roaring streams. The evidence of the power of water is everywhere—in steep stream banks and in the violently eroded roots of tall trees, clinging to washed-out trails. I am also certain that the trails up the steep slopes contain the most bridge crossings in the distance covered. I had my trusty walking poles, giving me the necessary confidence to navigate the snow and ice.
We reached the top of Todt Hill Road and Ocean Terrace, the highest point on the Atlantic Seaboard south of Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island in Main's Acadia National Park. The actual summit at 401 ft. is in the woods and not at this intersection. However, we made sure to point out that the park signage at the trail entrance indicates that we are walking on land designated for the Richmond Parkway—yes, that Richmond Parkway. The sign said "Richmond Parkway" and nothing else. It’s our understanding that the Richmond Parkway and the Willowbrook Parkway are, de facto, Department of Transportation delineated portions of the blue trail and not parkland at all. Yet, this distinction was left off the official park signage. Today, the only portion of the Richmond Parkway that was built is now the Korean War Veterans Parkway.
By the way, longtime Protectors members and veterans of our 10-mile Greenbelt walks remember that we used to start at the stone bridge at Clove Lakes Park and hike over the defunct parkway overpasses above the Staten Island Expressway to reach Deere Park. A website called Bridge and Tunnel Club fortuitously preserved pictures of that experience, and you can revisit that walk by visiting the site. The overpasses were finally removed in 2010.
Our woods walk continued across Todt Hill through St. Francis Woodlands, with a stop to take in the forever view at the overlook at the Richmond County Country Club Golf Course. Most of the land in this portion of the Greenbelt was secured by the NYS Department of Conservation through a variety of outright purchases and conservation easements.
We continued on to High Rock Park from there, where we lunched (nice to have a thermos of hot, sweet tea), and then headed to Blood Root Valley and the JCC, and back through Todt Hill Woods to reconnect with the blue trail and Deere Park. The trail we used to descend to the parking lot at Staten Island Boulevard was steeply pitched and, in the snow, challenging. But it was all in keeping with the history of this site, which was home to a 30-foot ski lift in the 1930s and continues to be used by cross-country skiers.
Of course, in the winter, one expects the woods to be quiet. It is surprising, then, that in the middle of winter, we can still hear birds. Chickadees call softly, juncos twitter, and goldfinches flock together. We have our northern mockingbird, which continues to jump, display, swoop, and scold on our neighborhood streets. The blue jay is also a colorful scolder. Then there is the northern cardinal. I hear the familiar territorial calls of the males even in frigid cold. I read that the males prefer to stay and protect their territories to be ready to breed in late winter. The birds tough it out, foraging for fruit, seeds and weak insects, rather than spend the winter in warmer climes only to have to stake out new breeding territory again in the spring. Of course, they will visit feeders. We watched a hawk sail by, followed by the immediate, angry call of a crow.
I used the Merlin app on my phone to identify a red-bellied woodpecker's contact call. Merlin is extraordinary, as it can pick out individual bird songs from a spring woodland chorus. Sometimes, though, my hearing range is wider than the microphone on my phone, and Merlin can’t pick out any song when I can clearly hear it. But overall, it’s a great tool for birdwatchers. These apps are great because they allow us to have a better, immersive experience in the woods, especially during the peak bird migration periods.
The pleasure of leading a Greenbelt walk is that, in the space of a few hours, strangers become friendly companions. We find a camaraderie based on our love of nature and natural areas.
Our full hike was 7.75 miles by my GPS. We came across a few hikers, most of them with dogs, who apparently love the snow. Who knows when we will again get as satisfying a snowy, winter walk? But the Greenbelt will always be there.
2025 marks the 50th Anniversary of Protectors of Pine Oak Woods! Join us in the vital mission to preserve and protect Staten Island’s open spaces and natural areas. Together, we can safeguard these precious environments for future generations, protect wildlife habitats, and ensure that our community has access to the beauty and benefits of nature. Your support is crucial to making a lasting impact.
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