Home: Discovery Center: Pine Bush Field Station and Rensselaer Lake

Pine Bush Field Station & Rensselaer Lake

Field Station

Located at the former “Six Mile Waterworks” on Fuller Road, the Albany Pine Bush Rensselaer Lake Preserve and Park is a unique open water recreational and educational resource within the City of Albany.

The Rensselaer Lake Preserve and Park marks the easternmost boundary of the 3,010 acre Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Home to over 20 rare species of plants and animals including the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly, the Albany Pine Bush is one of the best remaining examples of an inland pine barrens ecosystem in the world.

Used in the 1800’s as a drinking water reservoir for the City of Albany, Rensselaer Lake was later converted into a City Park supporting a variety of open space and open water recreational uses including boating, fishing, picnicking and hiking. Rensselaer Lake also provides important habitat for a diversity of aquatic and terrestrial plant and animal species.

Over time, recreational use of Rensselaer Lake diminished and the park fell into disrepair. Yet, as the only large open body of water in the City of Albany and in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, Rensselaer Lake represented a one-of-a-kind recreational and educational resource for residents of the City of Albany and of the Capital District Region. To meet the growing demand for open space and open water recreation, the City of Albany in partnership with the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission, area schools, businesses, youth organizations and individual sponsors began the restoration of this important local natural resource in the late 1990’s.

Renovations including the establishment of fishing docks, a boardwalk, nature trail and an open air interpretive center (the “Satellite Interpretive Center”) are among the improvements now underway at Rensselaer Lake. Donated resources and expertise by area businesses has furnished the Park with two large fishing docks on the lake and a wildlife viewing platform along a wetland. In 1998 the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation awarded the City of Albany a grant to assist with the establishment of the Satellite Interpretive Center and nature trail at Rensselaer Lake.

As the easternmost region of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, Rensselaer Lake serves as a gateway for visitors to learn about the ecology and history of the Albany Pine Bush area. Exhibits and guided public education programs based at the Satellite Interpretive Center will provide nature interpretation for the public.

Together, the City of Albany, the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission and the businesses, groups and individuals supporting this project will successfully restore this natural treasure for the people of the Capital District now and for generations to come.

Directions to the Rensselaer Lake Preserve and Park trailhead of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve:

From the West:

• Take Route 5 (Central Ave.) east towards Albany

• At the traffic light intersection of Route 5 and Route 155 (New Karner Road) turn right onto Route 155 heading west/south

• At third traffic light (just after crossing over the NYS Thruway), turn left onto Washington Avenue Extension

• Follow Washington Ave. Ext. east to intersection with Fuller Road. Turn left onto Fuller Rd and move into left lane

• Just beyond the first traffic light turn left into the driveway of the Rensselaer Lake Preserve and Park

From the East:

• Take I-90 west to Exit 2, Fuller Road

• At end of exit ramp turn right the traffic light onto Fuller Road. Rensselaer Lake is almost directly across Fuller Road from you here

• After turning right take a quick left into the driveway of the Rensselaer Lake Preserve and Park

From the North:

• Take I-87 (the Northway) south to exit 1E, I-90 East

• After merging onto I-90 East take your first exit, Exit 2 for Fuller Road and the University at Albany

• Bear right on the exit ramp yielding onto Washington Ave. Ext. heading west

• At the first traffic light intersection, turn right onto Fuller Rd

• Just beyond the first traffic light on Fuller Rd. turn left into the driveway of the Rensselaer Lake Preserve and Park

From the South:

• Take the Thruway, I-87 North to the second Albany exit, exit 24

• After the toll plaza continue straight ahead onto I-90 East

• Take your first exit, Exit 2 for Fuller Road and the University at Albany

• Bear right on the exit ramp yielding onto Washington Ave. Ext. heading west

• At the first traffic light intersection, turn right onto Fuller Rd

• Just beyond the first traffic light on Fuller Rd. turn left into the driveway of the Rensselaer Lake Preserve and Park

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Field Station

A future goal of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve is the development of the Field Station. The Field Station, which will be situated on a former farm site, is located approximately 2 miles from the Discovery Center. This facility will serve as an ideal setting for hands-on education programs about the Albany Pine Bush for both schools and the general public.

Active habitat restoration occurring at the site introduces visitors to the ecological management efforts of the Pine Bush Commission. In this area, the Commission is using controlled burns to restore overgrown pine barrens communities. Evidence of the burns can be seen along the red trail, a one mile loop trail that takes travelers over sand dunes, through forested and pine barrens areas and past one of the Preserve’s vernal ponds.
An open field, once cleared by the former landowner, is actively being restored to habitat for the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly.

Another potential development will be a “Teaching Greenhouse” which will provide native plant propagation facilities to enable students and volunteers to participate directly in the propagation of native pine barrens plant species for restoration purposes.
The Field Station will establish a location within the Pine Bush with infrastructure to support school, special interest and public programs as well as those conducting research in the Preserve.