Moose Forces Hiking Trail to Close in Upstate New York

A big bull moose forces New York state wildlife officials to close a popular New York hiking trail.

If you are planning to take a trip to the Adirondack Mountains to do some hiking this summer, be aware that a popular hiking trail in Upstate New York has been closed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) because of a huge moose.

Moose Forces Hiking Trail to Close in Upstate New York

Back at the beginning of June, the NYSDEC announced that the Goodman Mountain trail in the Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest had been temporarily closed after a big bull moose was spotted lingering around the area. According to WRGB, the trail was closed on June 6th after wildlife officials reported that the moose was behaving oddly and believed that it might be suffering from some sort of ailment.

The DEC explained that the moose has been spotted sitting and sometimes foraging in a small area around the trail near the summit. Dave Kramer, a DEC research scientist, told WRGB, "This is very unusual behavior. Typically at this time of year, moose will have moved down into the lower elevations where they’re primarily browsing on aquatic vegetation."

The DEC estimates that the moose is approximately four years old (based on the spread of its antlers), it stands about six feet tall at the shoulder, and weighs about 900 pounds.

Why Won't the Moose Move?

Wildlife experts have made numerous attempts to lure the moose away from the trail but have been unsuccessful. They are sure why the moose refuses to move, but at one point believed that it might be suffering from an underlying illness, which could be affecting its behavior. The DEC said that moose are susceptible to various parasites that can lead to their death.

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The threat of illness recently prompted wildlife staffers to try and get close enough to the animal to observe its behavior. When they did, they didn't find any obvious signs of disease. Kramer did say that the moose appears to be a little thinner than it should be around this time of year, but stated, "It is difficult to make conclusive diagnoses of animals in the wild."

Thankfully, the moose hasn't shown any signs of aggression, but to be on the safe side, the trail remains closed due to concerns that it could pose a danger to people if they get too close. The DEC did say that they will continue to monitor three trail cameras they installed to keep tabs on the moose and its health.