June 29, 2024 – Pine Plains, NY

Difficulty: Easy

Length: Approximately 3 miles

Max elevation: 487 ft. – total elevation gain approximately 41 ft.

Route type: Circuit

Maps: Thompson Pond/Stissing Mt Trail Map – Thompson Pond Trail Map

Trailhead parking: 261 Lake Rd, Pine Plains, NY 12567

Portable toilet on site – No entrance or parking fees

Pull-off parking on shoulder for about 10 cars

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Overview:

Thompson Pond in Pine Plains, NY is a 75-acre, 15,000-year-old glacial kettle pond at the foot of 1,403-foot Stissing Mountain. It is the source of Wappinger Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River that drains much of Dutchess County.

The pond and mountain are part of a 530-acre nature preserve managed by The Nature Conservancy.

Thompson Pond Preserve has several hiking trails, including the Yellow Trail that loops around the pond and a trail that climbs to the Stissing Mountain Fire Tower.

A new wheelchair-accessible trail made of fine crushed stone is approximately one half mile and concludes at a viewing point overlooking Thompson Pond.

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History:

Thompson Pond and two other nearby bodies of water, Stissing Lake, and Twin Island Lake, were all originally connected, but separated over time.

Beginning in 1958, the Nature Conservancy has acquired 530 acres of Stissing Mountain and Thompson Pond, forming Thompson Pond Preserve. The first 180 acres of this acquisition, encompassing Thompson Pond, was purchased from the Briarcliff Farm holdings of George W. Brown for $20,000 and was one of the Nature Conservancy’s first projects.

The pond is supposedly named for Amos Thompson (1702-1795) who settled in the area around 1746. Amos Thompson along with his two brothers, Enos and Samuel, owned 2,800 acres around Thompson Pond.

Thompson Pond was designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1973. It is considered an excellent example of a calcareous (or limy) wetland that abounds with a variety of wildlife.

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Trails Overview:

There are nearly 5 miles of hiking trails around the pond, including one that goes to the top of Stissing Mountain. There is a firetower at the summit that is open to the public.

There is a main trail that circles the pond, with a newly constructed bog bridge that makes it possible for visitors to complete the full loop. The Yellow Trail around Thompson Pond, at times, travels close to the water’s edge; visitors might get their feet wet. Please wear appropriate footwear.

This is the only version of the trail map that shows the new trail (Green) that climbs to the fire tower, which opened in September 2023. Older maps shows the shorter trail as marked Blue (now White). This updated map corresponds with the current trail colors.

On the day of my visit, the Yellow Trail was very overgrown in spots, but it may be in better shape after volunteer trail maintainers pay it a visit.

The trail is well marked and relatively easy to follow.

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Hike Overview:

This is a place that I have wanted to visit for a while. I’ve seen images posted on social media and it looked like a scenic spot. I was looking forward to seeing and photographing some wildlife while hiking around the pond. Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t turn out the way you plan them. I saw a few small birds, but nothing to write home about. The trail although very tranquil, was extremely overgrown in the southeastern section of the preserve. I know that Thompson Pond Preserve is maintained by volunteers and it’s possible that I could have visited in between trail maintenance sessions, but still, it made for an uncomfortable walk nonetheless. By the time I exited the trail at its terminus on Lake Road, my pants were soaked from the knees down from brushing up against the wet foliage. With that being said, I would visit again either after the trails have been cleared or when the cooler weather sheds some of the dense foliage.

This was a counterclockwise loop from the main entrance strictly on the Yellow Trail.

This hike has minimal elevation gain.

There is pull-off parking on the shoulder just outside the entrance to the preserve.

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The Hike:

As you enter Thompson Pond Preserve, there are two handicap parking spaces and one van accessible space in the small parking lot. A new wheelchair-accessible trail was recently installed at Thompson Pond Preserve. The fine crushed stone trail is approximately a half mile and concludes at a viewing point overlooking Thompson Pond.

Proceed ahead on the gravel path heading south.

A short distance in, you should start to see yellow markers on trees.

In less than 1/2 a mile, the trail reaches a kiosk with a map. Here the White Trail begins on the right, but you should bear left to remain on the Yellow Trail.

After passing the kiosk, the trail begins to run along the contour of the pond. The trail never strays too far from Thompson Pond, and depending on the time of year that you visit, will determine how clear the view of the pond is through the trees.

As the trail nears the southern end of the pond, there is a commemorative stone bench with limited views over the pond. On the far left is Stiissing Mountain, with Little Stissing Mountain visible straight ahead (center).

As the trail nears the southern end of the pond, it becomes a narrow footpath.

The southern end of Thompson Pond follows the first of a series of wooden boardwalks and bog bridges that carry the trail over wet areas.

When the trail turns along the east side of the pond and begins heading north, it runs on another boardwalk that was recently repaired. The trail becomes increasingly overgrown in this area.

Bear scat?

The Yellow Trail soon passes a wooden platform with views over the pond and the surrounding landscape.

To the west, Stissing Mountain with its fire tower at the summit.

As the trail passes by the northeastern edge of the preserve, it travels over more bog bridges and boardwalks. This section borders a cattle farm.

The trail in this area was so overgrown, that from the knees down, my pants got soaked from walking through the high grass.

The trail then crosses a wooden bridge where Thompson Pond flows into Wappinger Creek. Wappinger Creek is 42 miles long and runs from Thompson Pond to the Hudson River at New Hamburg.

The overgrown trail continues in a northerly direction, now hugging the pond, and soon some partial views of the pond and Stissing Mountain begin to appear.

Farm field that borders the preserve.

The Yellow Trail ends at Lake Road. Here you will turn left and carefully walk along Lake Road for about 350 yards, back to the parking area, where the hike began.

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Review:

This is a nice area, but the trails being so overgrown, did not make for an enjoyable experience. Perhaps I visited Thompson Pond in between trail maintenance. I wouldn’t want to dissuade others from visiting and would suggest reaching out to The Nature Conservancy to check if the trail was recently maintained.

Pros:

Beautiful area, not much foot traffic.

Cons:

Overgrown trails.

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Take a hike!

Sources:

• The Nature Conservancy

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