Fish Creek Lodge
Tug Hill
|
The Tug Hill is at the
western edge of the great northern forest that runs from
the coast of Maine. The region is a 2,100 square mile
area situated between Lake Ontario and the Adirondacks.
Congress has recognized the region as an intergral part
of the Nothern Forest Lands Area. With about 50 people
per square mile it is sparsely occupied. Most of its
100,000 people live in villages around its edge. Its
densely forested core of about 800 square miles has a
population of a few thousand and few public roads. The rocks that underlie the region are mostly shale and sandstone. The elevation rises from 250 feet near Lake Ontario to 2,100 feet. The elevation and location of the area near Lake Ontario results in an average snowfall in excess of 200 inches. This is the heaviest snowfall east of the Rocky Mountains. This high precipitation supplies an adbundance of wetlands, streams and rivers. This and the low density of people provides for pristine rivers. A notable characteristics of the Tug Hill is the adbundance of gorges, known locally as gulfs, that were carved by rapidly flowing melt water from glaciers. Most of the region's 17 gorges contain sections that are 200 feet deep with a few that are 300 feet deep. The Tug Hill is heavily forested with nearly two thirds of its area in forest. Much of the rest of the area is in farmland. The present day forest is dominated by northern hardwoods such as maples, American beech, and yellow birch mixed with spruce, fir and hemlock. About 10% of the region are state forests land. Much of the state forest land is conifer |