Helderberg Landscapes

Hilltown photos

Early morning mist on Warner's Lake in early October, from the collection of Willard Osterhout

This is a series of images showing the beauty of the Hilltowns. When we get enough images we will make a separate page for each town. Maybe some day we will have enough to make a coffee table book!

If you have some photos you would like to share, click on "Instructions for Editing Hilltown Landscapes."

Warm thanks to those willing to upload and share their photos:

Jim Hamilton of Berne.
Eric Chamberlain of Knox.
Will Osterhout

Photo by Al Deitz, Oct. 2009

Bald Eagles From Al Deitz: "Three days straight in October of 2009, I passed the field on the east side of Switzkill Road near the Foxenkill Bridge and saw this immature Bald Eagle feeding on a deer carcus. On the third day I had my camera, and when I took this photo from my car, I could hear the eagle tear the meat from the bones . When I left the car for a closer photo, this spooked eagle would fly up into a tree to join it's mate. I suspect these two lived on West Mt."

35 Acres given to Huyck Preserve

Huyck Preserve meighbors Jeri and John Woodhouse formally donated 37 acres of their long-held family property to become part of the Huyck Preserve. The land includes fields and shrub habitats, but is dominated by pristine quality emergent marsh.

Chad Jemison, Jeri and John Woodhouse

Located just along Route 85 just north of Rensselaerville, this large open wetland is easily viewed and can be enjoyed by all. This land has terrific birding potential and is on the edge of being suitable habitat for the endangered bog turtle. Along with being protected in perpetuity, this wonderful gift will be highly valued at the biological field station for research and education opportunities.

Jim Hamilton

Jim and family enjoy watching the sun set over Mr. Van Rensselaer's Lot 594.

Fall drive through Thatcher Park, October 2009
Fall Colors from the Overlook
Valley view from the Helderberg Escarpment
Sunset over the Switzkill Valley June 2006
Stop Sign Nov. 2006
Berne Sunset 2007
Brilliant red sunset, Switzkill Valley 2006
Silos and bales 2007
Foxcreek near the Switzkill
Sunrise looking west. The red sky reflected across the clouds to the western hills; Oct. 2009
Hilltown Tenacity: A foothold in rock
Iced Wire Fence replaces barbed wire, December 2008
Turkey Vultures surf the Switzkill Valley winds; spring 2009
Grandson tossing pebbles in the Switzkill near the intersection with Fox Creek and the original beaverdam; October 2009
Cattle lounge near the Switzkill in the Town of Berne
The Switzkill meanders between South and West Berne

Eric Chamberlain

Eric lives in Township next to the Township Tavern. His house is on the site of the Octagon House. Eric has many photos posted on our "Then and Now" page.

Tree at the edge of the KNOX TOWN park
Big SKY in New York. I took this looking towards the Catskills. Not too far from home
Rensselaerville Mill from the bridge. Taken in October 2009.Eric Chamberlain
Lake Onderdonk October 2009-Eric Chamberlain
The trail Oct. 2009- Eric Chamberlain

Daniel A. Driscoll

Daniel A. Driscoll, of Knox, is founder and Chairman of the Helderberg Escarpment Planning Committee; he is a member of the Town of Knox Planning Board. Like all of the Albany hill towns, Knox is known for its natural beauty: pastoral rural countryside, rolling hills, meandering creeks, waterfalls, forest land. Click her for a list of Knox Farms, Natural History, and Outdoor Recreation opportunities. Here are some of Dan's pictures showing the Beauty of Knox

Andy Arthur

Andy Arthur, from Delmar, loves hiking and photography.

Blue Sky, Cole Hill State Forest
by Andy Arthur, Mar 6, 2009
Cole Hill Valley from the top of Cole Hill
Mar. 2009
Sunset woods, Partridge Run WMA
Mar. 2009
Winter Wonder - Ice Limbs
Dec. 2008
Uhai - Behind Berne
Open Sky, Knox
Barn, Knox
Hayfield Outside Renselearville.
Barn, Westerlo

Barb Husek

Barb lives in Rensselaerville and is the founder of Rensselaerville Farmland Protection Facebook group. These are some of the beautiful photos posted by by her on the site.

Beef Cattle
Hayfield off Fleming Rd
Hillside behind my house, Sept. 2010
Sunrise, Sept. 2010

Chris Shiralli

Worked at the Huyck Preserve in Rensselaerville.

Catskills from the top Mt. Piscah, (also known as Kropp Hill

Margaret Mendel

Morning Mist, Dunbar Hollow
by Margaret Mendel

Margaret has also shared with us a photo of the Dunbar Hollow Cemetery. And check out the source and the great story on the Dunbar Hollow murders she wrote to go with the photo.

Here is another of her photos taken at Dunbar Hollow

Jeremy Rue

Jeremy Rue lives in Knox. All images were taken about 2003.

Schoharie Valley from Town Line Road, Knox
Sunset from Knox Town Park
In the Shade of Old Uhai
Old Gage Farm, from West Wind Road, Knox
Fox Creek
Fox Creek near Foxenkill Lodge
Foliage in My Back Yard, Knox

Here is a link to more of Jeremy's images.

Charles Sloger

Photos of Berne by Charles Sloger.

Berne Falls
Early Morning Fog
Switzkill, 2007
Willow Lane Farm pond on Bradt Hollow Road near Berne, NY

Here are more of Charles' photos

Chelsie Miller

Chelsie lives in Berne.

Home (Berne), summer 2008>
Frozen fields of home, Berne
Fields of home
Long farm, East Berne
Gathering clouds
Over the fields
Sunset over the fields
Last rays of the day

For more of Chelsie's photos click here.

Hal Miller

Born in Berne and gets back there annually to visit friends and family.

Shadows on Ma's deck
Dec. 2008
East from Ma's sun room
Dec. 2008
West from Ma's sun room
Dec. 2008
West from Ma's front door
Dec. 2008
West from Ma's deck
Dec. 2008
West from Ma's deck
June 2009
South from Ma's deck: Filkins Hill, Cole Hill, Irish Hill
June 2009
East from Ma's deck towards East Berne and Filkins Hill
June 2009
Ralph's house, Cole Hill Valley
June 2009
Ralph's pond and Cole Hill
June 2009
Ralph's pond and Filkins Hill
June 2009

Will Osterhout

Willard Osterhout is not only a great photographer, but also a collector of old photos and vintage postcards of the Hilltowns. He has posted hundreds of old photographs of Berne on this site, and is is now doing the same for Rensseaerville.

December Ice Storm
Sunrise in early October from the collection of Willard Osterhout
Early morning mist on Warner's Lake in early October, from the collectiom of Willard Osterhout
Fall colors reflected on Warner's Lake

Unknown Photographers

If anyone knows who took these photos, let us know so we can give them credit

Berne Panorama

Old Photos

Knox Cave entrance in winter
Knox Historical Society
Berne
Bridge to Knox Web.jpg
Knox Cave in the 1950's when it was lit commercially
Knox Historical Society
Rensselaerville Grist Mill
Rensselaerville Historical Society
hamlet of Berne
Berne Historical Society
Wooden brige in hamlet of Berne across the Foxenkill
Berne Historical Society