Some might see a road that’s been closed since Tropical Storm Irene a symbol of that storm’s devastation. But preservationists see a scenic walkway through an historic area.
The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy recently started an initiative to protect more land around the Wolf Hollow geological fault after securing two easements protecting around 140 acres. This year, the group has reached out to landowners interested in protecting their property and started a fundraising effort to assist with associated costs, such as completing surveys and endowments. It hopes to soon secure another easement to protect more than 100 acres within six months.
Jeff Leon, steward of Strawberry Fields Farm and Nature preserve in Amsterdam, said the area is targeted by the state’s open space plan for protection. But the area largely remains a secret to the general public, he said, despite its historic designation.
Wolf Hollow Gorge was formed around 450 million years ago, he said, by a vertical displacement of more than 1,000 feet in the earth’s surface rocks.
“It is not only an impressive place to be physically … but on the other hand Wolf Hollow was formed by faulting activity and it is a very significant fault,” Leon said. “This isn’t just an earthquake, this is probably thousands of years of earthquakes that created something like that.”
It is also believed to be the site of the last great clash between the Mohawks and the Algonkian Nation. In 1669, the Mohawks ambushed their Algonkian invaders and are believed to have chased the invading tribe into the hollow below, Leon said.
Wolf Hollow Road, a roughly 1.1-mile roadway winding through the geological fault, was closed due to “stabilization” issues after Irene. Town officials estimated repair costs to be in the millions, but the town wouldn’t be financing any repairs since it is a county road.
The county has done stabilization work and rebuilt parts of road before, but current repairs are unlikely. The road was washed out around six years ago, too. Since the road runs directly alongside a small creek the water has torn apart the roadway during heavy rains. The county requested funding from FEMA to repair the road, but it was denied.
Now, Leon is suggesting the roadway, which likely won’t be repaired for vehicle traffic, could be turned into a nature walk.
“That road through Wolf Hollow has also been designated as a potential route of the Long Path,” he said. “My hope and the conservancy’s hope is that it can remain gated … and most importantly that we find a little bit of space, either at the top or bottom, so there could be parking for around half a dozen cars, because it is a beautiful scenic walk.”
He said connecting people to the area’s history through smartphones, perhaps by posting QR codes to link people to additional information on their phone while they walk.
“In order to have people realize how important nature is to us … you have to get them out there and have something interesting for them to engage them in,” Leon said.
James Schaefer, a research professor of anthropology at Union College, also has family ties to Wolf Hollow.
Schaefer’s father, Vincent, befriended several local farmers and people with historic interests. He has several historical documents about the area through his father’s collections.
Leon said he has just started to work on a book about the area to document its history. He lives about three miles west of Wolf Hollow and bedrock across his property is from the fault that created the gorge.
“I feel very connected to this place,” Leon said. “It is sort of emblematic of the Mohawk Valley in a lot of ways.”
Anyone interested in information or donating to the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy’s efforts to protect the area can visit its website at mohawkhudson.org.