Wassaic Multiple Use Area (south)
Route 22, Dover Plains, Dutchess County
(845)831-3109
488 acres

Directions:

For the southern parking area. US 287 east to US 684 north to its end at Route 22 north; Pass through Pawling, Paterson, and Dover Plains and the southern entrance is at the green mile marker value of 11:84; turn right (east) and follow the dirt/rock path to its end and park.

Trails:

Only stopped at the southern section of the multiple use area. This area looks like a one time field that is turning back to forest. It is just loaded with all kinds of invasives and those in terrible numbers. There is way too much Japanese barberry, but also there is a lot of multiflora rose and winged euonymus.

The trail I took heads largely south and soon parallels the Ten Mile River as it flows south.

It had rained the night before, 10/14/01, and the trail had many water/mud filled ruts which made for slippery walking at times.

Facilities:

Camping, cross-country skiing, fishing, hunting, hiking and horseback riding.

PLANT LIST:
Dr. Patrick L. Cooney

Trees:
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)
Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)
Ostrya virginiana (American hop hornbeam)
Picea abies (Norway spruce)
Platanus occidentalis (sycamore)
Pyrus spp. (crab apples)
Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)
Salix sp. (willow)
Tilia americana (American basswood)

Shrubs:
Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry)
Cornus amomum (swamp dogwood)
Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive)
Euonymus alatus (winged euonymus)
Ligustrum sp. (privet)
Lonicera morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle)
Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose)
Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Vines:
Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet)
Clematis virginiana (virgin's bower)
Echinocystis lobata (wild cucumber)
Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle)
Polygonum scandens (climbing bindweed)
Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)

Herbs:
Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)
Arctium sp. (burdock)
Artemesia vulgaris (common mugwort)
Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)
Aster cordifolius (heart-leaved aster) 10/15/01
Aster puniceus (purple aster) 10/15/01
Aster spp. (asters) 10/15/01
Cichorium intybus (chicory)
Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)
Conyza canadensis (horseweed)
Daucus carota (Queen Anne's lace)
Geum canadense (white avens)
Laportea canadensis (wood nettle)
Lysimachia nummularia (moneywort)
Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife)
Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)
Myosotis sp. (forget-me-not)
Pastinaca sativa (wild parsnip) lots
Rumex sp. (dock)
Sanicula sp. (sanicle)
Solanum carolinense (horse nettle)
Solidago spp. (goldenrods)
Typha latifolia (broad-leaved cattail)
Verbena urticifolia (white vervain)

Rushes:
Juncus tenuis (path rush)

Sedges:
Carex sp. (same sedge as at Goosepond Mountain)

Grasses:
Dactylis glomerata (orchard grass)
Phalaris arundinacea (canary reed grass)
Poa compressa (Canada bluegrass)