Four days & three nights packed with spiritual inspiration, learning, recreation & immersion in nature

In August 1858, avid outdoorsman and Hudson River School painter William James Stillman invited Ralph Waldo Emerson and eight other Boston intellectuals on an expedition to the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York State. They set up their base camp on the shores of Follensby Pond, a remote wilderness pond near the present-day village of Tupper Lake.

With the support of local guides, the men hunted, fished, and studied the flora and fauna of the surrounding wilderness. This historic expedition, immortalized in Stillman’s famous painting The Philosophers’ Camp, has often been described as the birthplace of the American environmental movement.

A unique experience for UUs

Now the Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady, in collaboration with the Nature Conservancy, has created the Follensby Pilgrimage, a unique opportunity to visit and pay homage at the actual spot where Emerson camped, and to discover the profound natural beauty of this incredible place. Follensby Pond is a wilderness preserve that has been closed to the public since the 19th Century and has been allowed to thrive as a natural ecosystem.

Led by Rev. Wendy Bartel and Rev. Lynn Gardner, co-ministers of UU Schenectady, the Pilgrimage will be a deeply spiritual experience. You will learn the history of this place, hear stories from Indigenous voices, and travel easily across these waters in a pontoon boat, viewing shores rarely seen by other humans. In a sense, you will travel with Ralph Waldo Emerson, experiencing the same untouched wilderness and reflecting, as he did, on our human relationship with the natural world.

Most importantly, you will share this extraordinary experience with other UU’s, worshipping together, making new friends, and sharing your reflections and insights.

Nature, yes, but modern-day amenities too

But unlike Emerson and his colleagues, you will not be asked to sleep on the ground under a spruce-bough covered lean-to, nor will you be expected to hunt and to fish for your meals.

Instead, our group of 8 to 10 UU participants will be staying together in a modern, comfortable private lodge (see photos & amenities below) that overlooks scenic Stony Creek Pond — along some of the same waters followed by the philosophers in 1858 when they were rowed to nearby Follensby Pond.

Most meals will be prepared by UU Schenectady members. All participants will be expected to share in the preparation of bag lunches on excursion days, and to help with general shared cleanup after meals.

In addition to specific excursions, our schedule includes time for reflection, rest, and recreation, such as paddling, hiking, or enjoying the lodge hot tub, and fitness center.

Register here for the Follensby Pilgrimage 

1. Rooms will be reserved as first come/first served, You will be asked for your first and second room preference on the registration form.
2. Once we receive your request to register, we will review and reach out to you with any questions and/or concerns, to confirm your room(s), and to request a 30% deposit. Once your deposit is received, your room is reserved.
3. The balance is due by June 1.
4. If there happens to be a room available and you are registering after June 1, full payment will be expected by a named date.
5. Refund:  If you must cancel after April 30 and we can fill your spot, we’ll return the deposit. If we can not fill the spot, your deposit will have to be forfeited.