Cedar River, Pashley Falls and Elm Island

By Rich Macha

Despite being close to the hamlet of Indian Lake, the designated ski trails along and near the Cedar River seem to go unnoticed by many. A trip on the Pashley Falls loop and Elm Island trails quickly whisks the skier away from civilization and into the wilds of the Adirondacks.

Perhaps some of the route’s relative anonymity is due to the fact that the trails in this area are not correctly represented on most maps. The most recent National Geographic Trails Illustrated Northville/Raquette Lake map does show these trails, however, older editions, like my 2004 version, do not show them at all. The USGS Blue Mountain Lake and Dutton Mountain maps are dated and show trails that are no longer in existence and a newer portion of the Pashley Falls Loop is not shown. The normally informative NYSDEC website barely recognizes the yellow loop trail, and totally ignores the blue Elm Island Trail – perhaps they should pick up a copy of Bill Ingersoll’s Discover the Central Adirondacks guidebook.

To get to the trailhead, from NY Routes 29/30 drive north on Pelon Road past the library and town hall, then bear right at a fork. Continue to the end of Pelon Road where there is a large parking area next to an old capped landfill. The ski trip starts out inauspiciously at a landfill and on a snowmobile trail, but stick with me here, the setting will soon improve greatly.

Pashley Falls Loop – Pass through an open gate, then take a left and ski on the snowmobile trail for a quarter of a mile. When the snowmobile trail bends sharply to the left, bear right going downhill to a spot near the Cedar River, where you should see your first yellow cross country ski marker. After a short ski through the woods, the trail comes out next to the river and generally stays close to it for the next mile. The skiing is fairly easy but does have some very short ups and downs. The sights and sounds of civilization have disappeared.

Pashley Falls, referred to as “Pasley Falls” in some references, is reached at the 1.4-mile mark – there is a good lookout above the river as it passes through a small gorge – it is not so much a waterfall as it is a long set of rapids but it is, nevertheless, quite scenic. The ski trail used to continue alongside the river but that section was abandoned due to heavy blowdown.  

The trail then turns to the southeast and passes through growing balsam firs on rolling terrain for half-a-mile until it reaches a four-way junction. A right turn is the continuation of the yellow-marked loop trail, which climbs a long hill then rewards your effort with a nice downhill run, then a right turn on the snowmobile trail quickly brings you back to the start. That’s 1.3 miles from the four-way junction, making for a loop of 3.2 miles. Going straight at the four-way, the route soon reaches Adirondack Lake and a left turn puts you on the Elm Island Trail.

Elm Island Trail – The Elm Island trail travels over undulating terrain for 2.6 miles to a spot where the Cedar River makes a sharp 90-degree left turn to the northwest. Maps and a satellite view show two islands below the bend; I assume one of them is Elm Island. I do not recommend trying to cross over to them on river ice.

The trail starts out climbing moderately through a forest of balsam firs, but when the trail tops out, hardwoods begin to dominate. The trail was once a snowmobile trail but now is marked with blue cross country ski markers, although an occasional red marker can be seen, left over from its snowmobile days.

At about 1.5 miles, there is a fairly steep drop to a crossing of a small stream. To the east is McGinn Mountain (unnamed on maps); there used to be a ski trail that encircled the mountain and the route is still shown on the USGS Dutton Mountain map. I’ve skied to the summit area three times where there are great views to the south and east as well to the High Peaks. However, this must be considered a bushwhack and good map/compass and GPS skills, as well as advanced skiing ability, are required.

Just past the stream crossing, there is an old unofficial Elm Island sign. I believe that the sign marks a camping spot on the nearby river, but it is hard to confirm its existence when covered with snow – the actual Elm Island is still another mile away.  The trail goes up over a shoulder of McGinn Mountain and makes several fairly steep, but not long, drops that will challenge the intermediate skier. The river can sometimes be seen through the trees down to the west.  

The last drop is brushy but soon arrives at the bend in the river where a stream enters. This scenic area shows much beaver activity, where you can see a couple of beaver dams and a beaver pond. In 2012, we tried to ski across the pond to the east but my ski soon broke through the ice and we gave up. In the process, however, we found an impressive set of beaver teeth, and, judging from the red blood still evident, they were likely from a beaver that had recently succumbed to a predator.

Looking upstream from the bend, the river passes through a small and narrow gorge. Downstream, the river widens out and flattens as it passes around the islands. It would be tough to find a more peaceful and remote-feeling spot in New York.

Returning in your own ski tracks is always pleasant, and at the four-way junction, we usually go straight ahead on the shorter yellow trail to complete an 8.4-mile trip. On our most recent trip, in late January, all of the little stream crossings were iced over and most of the trails were clear of blowdown, except for some trees down close to Elm Island that were relatively easy to step over.

A lover of wild places, Rich Macha has led many trips for the Adirondack Mountain Club, and has spent 20 years in the paddlesport/snowsport business. More of Rich’s adventures can be found at northeastwild.blogspot.com.