What is a burl?
A burl (American English) or burr (British English) is a tree growth in which the grain has grown in a deformed manner. It is commonly found in the form of a rounded outgrowth on a tree trunk or branch that is filled with small knots from dormant buds. Burl formation is typically a result of some form of stress such as an injury or a viral or fungal infection. More scientifically, a burl is “the result of hyperplasia, a greatly abnormal proliferation of xylem production by the vascular cambium”.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burl
The Burl Trail is a one-mile loop that follows the creek to the far end of the park, then turns and passes through a successional forest at the edge of the meadow, and returns to the parking lot across the meadow itself. Along with a multitude of songbirds, you may also encounter turtles and salamanders along the creek, and garter snakes and pickerel frogs in the meadow. It is also home to the fantastic “Turk’s Cap” lily, which blooms at the edge of the successional area in mid June.
The Burl Trail is located in Gray’s Crossing on Northline Road just outside the village of Ballston Spa. The park is nestled in a big bend of the Kayaderosseras. This area is a popular canoe and kayak launch, it’s downstream from Kelley Park, and a good starting place for the trip down to Driscoll Road Landing.
This cache is not part of the 2025 NYS Parks Saratoga/Capital District Regional Geocache Challenge. It has been placed for your geocaching pleasure. Enjoy!