Pepperbox Wilderness Area
Encyclopedia
The Pepperbox Wilderness Area, an Adirondack Park unit of the New York Forest Preserve
, lies entirely within the town of Webb
in Herkimer County
. Stillwater Reservoir and the Beaver River Primitive Area form the southern boundary, while the north bank of the West Branch of the Oswegatchie River
generally forms the northern boundary. The western boundary is the county line, and the eastern boundary is the Raven Lake Road and the Five Ponds Wilderness Area
.
It contains 46 bodies of water on 270 acres (1.1 km2) and 2 miles (3.2 km) of foot trails.
The terrain is generally flat with a few small, rolling hills. Swampland predominates with spruce, fir and red maple. Alder swamps, marsh and beaver flows are also common. The drier sites are vegetated with pole-size northern hardwoods. The entire area appears to have been heavily burned over and logged in the past and is not particularly scenic by usual standards. It is, however, ideally suited for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Several ponds are found in the area. They are generally of low productivity and some may even be sterile. The area is classed as wilderness because of its remoteness and also due to the extensive wetland ecosystems involved. The flora and fauna associated with moist ecosystems, such as found in the Pepperbox, seem to exhibit more species diversity than any others in the Adirondacks. Birdlife and small mammal
s are especially abundant.
There is very little human use of the area at present, except for light hunting. Access is moderately difficult because of the distance from public roads and the lack of a trail system.
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
, lies entirely within the town of Webb
Webb, New York
Webb is a the northernmost town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The town is named after William Seward Webb, President of the Raquette Lake Transportation Company, the Fulton Chain Railway Company, Fulton Navigation Company, and the Mohawk and Malone Railway; his railroads were...
in Herkimer County
Herkimer County, New York
Herkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
. Stillwater Reservoir and the Beaver River Primitive Area form the southern boundary, while the north bank of the West Branch of the Oswegatchie River
Oswegatchie River
The Oswegatchie River is a river in northern New York that flows north from the Adirondack Mountains to the Saint Lawrence River at the city of Ogdensburg. The river mouth was the site of a Jesuit mission, Fort de La Présentation, founded in 1749. Also a fur trading post, the village had 3,000...
generally forms the northern boundary. The western boundary is the county line, and the eastern boundary is the Raven Lake Road and the Five Ponds Wilderness Area
Five Ponds Wilderness Area
The Five Ponds Wilderness Area, an Adirondack Park unit of New York's Forest Preserve, is located in the towns of Fine and Clifton in St. Lawrence County, the town of Webb in Herkimer County and the town of Long Lake in Hamilton County...
.
It contains 46 bodies of water on 270 acres (1.1 km2) and 2 miles (3.2 km) of foot trails.
The terrain is generally flat with a few small, rolling hills. Swampland predominates with spruce, fir and red maple. Alder swamps, marsh and beaver flows are also common. The drier sites are vegetated with pole-size northern hardwoods. The entire area appears to have been heavily burned over and logged in the past and is not particularly scenic by usual standards. It is, however, ideally suited for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Several ponds are found in the area. They are generally of low productivity and some may even be sterile. The area is classed as wilderness because of its remoteness and also due to the extensive wetland ecosystems involved. The flora and fauna associated with moist ecosystems, such as found in the Pepperbox, seem to exhibit more species diversity than any others in the Adirondacks. Birdlife and small mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s are especially abundant.
There is very little human use of the area at present, except for light hunting. Access is moderately difficult because of the distance from public roads and the lack of a trail system.