Today the area is open to the public and nuclear lake is considered one of the most beautiful. They eventually moved the trail to pass behind nuclear lake and off the main road brockway said. Then one of only a handful of private companies licensed to handle plutonium the company ran a small scale research and development lab.
The lake s name came from nuclear development associates later united nuclear corporation which bought this wilderness north of the town of pawling new york in 1958. Cross the road from the dover oak and hike into the woods on the at. Moderate 1 300 total elevation gain this hike is entirely on the appalachian trail at white blazes and is out and back on the same trail.
3 5 individual difficulty. 7 miles roundtrip 7 5 with optional part below time. Dover oak nuclear lake.
Crazy to think this was once a guarded road for a nuclear lab. The original access road leading to the site which appears to still be maintained. Starting the trail we soon came across the first remnant from the former lab.
Finally we arrived at the nuclear lake loop trail which circles around the lake to rejoin the at on the other side. The trails around the lake. In 1972 a chemical explosion blew out two windows in the experimental nuclear research lab that used to sit on the shore of the lake blasting an unspecified amount of bomb grade plutonium across the lake and surrounding woods.
Many thru hikers say that nuclear lake is the most beautiful lake along the entire trail. Any radioactivity was removed leaving behind what at least one through hiker on the appalachian trail which you ll be following most of the way deemed the prettiest lake along the entire 2 200 mile span. Don t be alarmed by the name the result of an accident that occurred at a nearby long gone nuclear research facility.
The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips.
Nuclear lake trail. When the yellow nuclear lake trail returns back to the appalachian trail there are numerous large trees that have recently fallen. When navigating around them it could be easy to lose the trail so keep a good eye for the white markers. Stephen andrew december 28 2018 at 6 47 pm. Nuclear lake loop via appalachian trail is a 4 3 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near poughquag new york that features a lake and is rated as moderate.
The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from march until october. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail continues to descend towards nuclear lake named for the nuclear fuel research facility that operated here until 1972. After the property was acquired by the national park service as part of the a t.
Corridor the buildings were razed and the area was extensively tested and found suitable for recreational use by the public. Nuclear lake to cat s rock is a 7 6 mile out and back trail located near pawling new york that features a lake and is rated as moderate.
Nuclear lake to cat s rock is a 7 6 mile out and back trail located near pawling new york that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Corridor the buildings were razed and the area was extensively tested and found suitable for recreational use by the public. After the property was acquired by the national park service as part of the a t.
The trail continues to descend towards nuclear lake named for the nuclear fuel research facility that operated here until 1972. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from march until october.
Nuclear lake loop via appalachian trail is a 4 3 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near poughquag new york that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Stephen andrew december 28 2018 at 6 47 pm. When navigating around them it could be easy to lose the trail so keep a good eye for the white markers.
When the yellow nuclear lake trail returns back to the appalachian trail there are numerous large trees that have recently fallen.
