John Burroughs – Woodchuck Lodge

June 13, 2018June 13, 2018

Wild Saturdays: Observational Hiking with Paul Misko on July 7th

Paul Misko, founder of THE CATSKILL 4000 CLUB presents a multi-media presentation on how hiking in the Catskills has changed over the years. He uses humorous and disturbing anecdotes from John Burroughs’ adventures, and from a few other historic folks, and then will add some of his own experiences. He will touch on the clothes and equipment used, the food eaten, the coming of the marked trails, and what has stayed the same. He will end his talk with a brief segment on how to properly equip a day pack.

This event takes place at Woodchuck Lodge, 1633 Burroughs Memorial Road, Roxbury, NY 12474 at 1pm on July 7th, 2018. All are welcome.

Free, guided tours of Woodchuck Lodge are offered the first weekend of the month, May to October, Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 3pm.

April 29, 2018

The Opening of The Trout-Lily Trail May 5th, 2018

Immediately following our Wild Saturday presentation on May 5th at 1pm, the opening of the Trout-Lily trail will take place.

The Trout-Lily trail marks a significant development in the maintenance of Woodchuck Lodge, as this new trail is actually part of a partially restored footpath that was developed by Dr. John Lutz, great grand nephew of John Burroughs and founder of Woodchuck Lodge, Inc, winding up into the hill behind the woodshed. We cleared blow-down, brushed back the undergrowth, improved the footing and constructed an inviting stone staircase at the base that reflects the era of creativity, simplicity and permanence reminiscent of John Burroughs, the naturalist, returning the path to its glory days. Continue reading “The Opening of The Trout-Lily Trail May 5th, 2018”

April 29, 2018April 29, 2018

Wild Saturdays Lecture Series Begins on May 5th at Woodchuck Lodge

© J.N. Urbanski Usage prohibited without consent

John Burroughs Woodchuck Lodge’s Wild Saturday Series begins on May 5th, 2018 at 1pm at Woodchuck Lodge, with “Alien Invaders in Burroughs Backyard”, a talk by John Thompson, Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership Coordinator.

John will update us on how Catskill forests have changed since John Burroughs tramped through these woods. Forests are now threatened by the introduction of species that would be unfamiliar to Burroughs. There will be discussion of invasive species and what we can do to help protect the Catskill Mountains for the future. This is a chance for all to learn how to identify the top pests that are killing our trees. It’s estimated that the Emerald Ash Borer will have destroyed all the ash trees in the Catskills in a couple of years. Hemlock Wooly Adelgid is hard at work on our beloved hemlock.

This event takes place at Woodchuck Lodge, 1633 Burroughs Memorial Road, Roxbury, NY 12474 at 1pm on May 5th, 2018. All are welcome.

Free, guided tours of Woodchuck Lodge are offered the first weekend of the month, May to October, Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 3pm.

Immediately following John’s lecture, the opening of our new Trout-Lily trail will take place. The Trout-Lily trail is modest and gentle, suitable for young and old alike, running through a small forested area, into the meadow and opening up into spectacular views of Delaware County, the kind of views that Burroughs himself enjoyed one hundred years ago, when the area was rolling meadow and farmland.

April 17, 2018

The Bluebird by John Burroughs

The Bluebird

A wistful note from out the sky,
“Pure, pure, pure,” in plaintive tone,
As if the wand’rer were alone,
And hardly knew to sing or cry.

But now a flash of eager wing,
Flitting, twinkling by the wall,
And pleading sweet and am’rous call,–
Ah, now I know his heart doth sing!

O bluebird, welcome back again,
Thy azure coat and ruddy vest
Are hues that April loveth best,–
Warm skies above the furrowed plain.

The farm boy hears thy tender voice,
And visions come of crystal days,
With sugar-camps in maple ways,
And scenes that make his heart rejoice.

The lucid smoke drifts on the breeze,
The steaming pans are mantling white,
And thy blue wing’s a joyous sight,
Among the brown and leafless trees.

Now loosened currents glance and run,
And buckets shine on sturdy boles,
The forest folk peep from their holes,
And work is play from sun to sun.

The Downy beats his sounding limb,
The nuthatch pipes his nasal call,
And robin perched on treetop tall
Heavenward lifts his evening hymn.

Now go and bring thy homesick bride,
Persuade her here is just the place
To build a home and found a race
In Downy’s cell, my lodge beside.

March 15, 2018March 30, 2018

The 5th Annual Burroughs Catskills Community Day Lecture in Arkville

Our guest speaker at the 5th Annual Burroughs Catskills Community Day Lecture will be Leslie T. Sharpe, a naturalist and author of “The Quarry Fox and Other Wild Critters of the Catskills”.

She will speak on “John Burroughs and H.D. Thoreau: The Roots of American Nature Writing” on April 14th at 1pm at The Catskills Center in Arkville. A birthday celebration for John Burroughs will be included.

Address:
Catskill Center
43355 State Highway 28
Arkville, NY 12406

All are welcome.

October 26, 2017

John Burroughs Needs Our Help!

His woodshed is falling down.

The cost to rebuild Mr. Burroughs’ woodshed is $2000. John Burroughs’ Woodchuck Lodge thanks the O’Connor Foundation for a $1000 grant. Please help us match it.

Find the Woodchuck Lodge donation page here or contribute by mail to Woodchuck Lodge, Box 492, Roxbury, NY 12474

Help Mr. Burroughs rebuild. It’s the neighborly thing to do.

October 10, 2017October 10, 2017

Bill Birns on WIOX Radio, Roxbury, October 23rd

Our fearless leader, Bill Birns, President of the Board of Trustees of John Burroughs’ Woodchuck Lodge will be interviewed on WIOX Radio on October 23rd at 9am on Mind Your Business, the talk show hosted by Glen Pedersen and Carol O’Beirne. WIOX Radio streams live on your smart phone, tablet or laptop, allowing you to listen to it anywhere. Bill will be talking about Woodchuck Lodge, our upcoming trail-opening event on October 29th and our woodshed.

Woodchuck Lodge needs a new woodshed as the old one is dilapidated. We have a matching grant from the O’Connor Foundation, meaning if we are able to raise $1000, the O’Connor Foundation will match it, giving us $2000 for a new woodshed.

We humbly and gratefully accept donations on this website on our DONATIONS page.

September 20, 2017September 21, 2017

Wild Saturdays: Alien Invaders in Burroughs’ Backyard on Oct 7th

The final Wild Saturday at Woodchuck Lodge, on Saturday October 7th at 1pm, is “Alien Invaders in Burroughs Backyard”.

John Thompson, Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership Coordinator, updates us on how Catskill forests have changed since John Burroughs tramped through these woods. Forests are now threatened by the introduction of species that would be unfamiliar to Burroughs. There will be discussion of invasive species and what we can do to help protect the Catskill Mountains for the future. This is a chance for all to learn how to identify the top pests that are killing our trees.

Not everybody knows not to move firewood, for example, which is very important because this is the way invasive pests travel from ports of entry into the interior of the US. It’s illegal in New York State to move firewood more than 50 miles from its source. Its also illegal to bring untreated firewood into New York state. Always buy firewood in the village or town where you intend to camp.

Woodchuck Lodge’s Wild Saturdays have been hugely popular with locals and visitors alike. Our last Wild Saturday (Face to Face with Raptors) on September 2nd with received 45 visitors.

Free, guided tours of Woodchuck Lodge are offered the first weekend of the month on Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 3pm, so if you can’t make our Wild Saturday presentation, you still have the rest of the weekend to take a tour with one of our docents on October 7th and October 8th, which will be the final guided tour of the year.

All events take place at 1pm at 1633 Burroughs Memorial Road, Roxbury, NY 12474. Children are welcome.

September 1, 2017

Wild Saturdays: Face-to-Face with Raptors on Sept 2nd

The next Wild Saturday at Woodchuck Lodge, on September 2nd at 1pm, is entitled Face-to-Face with Raptors. Annie Mardiney, federally licensed wildlife “rehabilitator”, shares her deep passion by bringing hawks, owls, and falcons to Woodchuck Lodge. Come meet them face to face!

Free, guided tours of Woodchuck Lodge are offered the first weekend of the month on Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 3pm, so if you can’t make our Wild Saturday, you still have the rest of the weekend to take a tour with one of our docents on September 2nd or September 3rd.

The final guided tour of the year will take place on the first weekend in October.

Visitors can also now take advantage of our new trail. Woodchuck Lodge received a grant this year to develop the mile-long trail around the Woodchuck Lodge grounds and our Trustee Patti Rudge has been overseeing its construction. The trail provides a unique view of the property, snaking up and behind the Lodge and through a forest and out into our meadow that has stunning views.

All events take place at 1pm at 1633 Burroughs Memorial Road, Roxbury, NY 12474. Children are welcome.

July 23, 2017July 23, 2017

Wild Saturdays: Observational Hiking on August 5th

Woodchuck Lodge’s Wild Saturdays have been hugely popular with locals and visitors alike. Our last Wild Saturday on July 1st entitled Wildlife Near Home with Mairead Mulhern received 35 visitors, even on a day on which rain was forecast!

Paul Misko, founder of THE CATSKILL 4000 CLUB gives talks and writes articles on Catskill history, John Burroughs, and hiking. His talk on August 5th beginning at 1pm is called “Observational Hiking”, something John Burroughs encouraged whenever outdoors. There’s plenty to discover in the forests of the Catskills in terms of wildlife, natural history and the environment. Paul provides a multi-media presentation of his hiking discoveries enhanced by his relevant anecdotes. All events take place at 1633 Burroughs Memorial Road, Roxbury, NY 12474. Children are welcome.