Giant Stairs – Hudson River Palisades

Posted on July 19, 2017

July 17, 2017 – Closter, NJ

Difficulty: Strenuous

Length: Approximately 4.5 miles

Max elevation: 527 ft. – total elevation gain approximately 818 ft.

Route type: Circuit

Map: Hudson Palisades Trails Map #109 – Web Map – Palisades Interstate Park

Trailhead parking: State Line Lookout, Closter, NJ 07624

I did the Giant Stairs Hike just over a year ago and even though I completed the hike, I struggled from the moment I began on the “Giant Stairs” section. I attributed my struggles that day to extremely high heat, humidity and poor air quality. Blah, blah, blah, I know excuses, excuses. I wanted to redeem myself and basically just wanted a “do-over.” I got my chance and even though it was hot and humid on my “do-over,” I did much better.

This is the most challenging hike in Palisades Interstate Park, but it is also a very gratifying one. Although there are many steep sections with uneven steps on this hike in order to navigate the steep cliffs in such a short distance, “Giant Stairs” refers to a mile long section of jumbled boulders that are part of the white-blazed Shore Trail that runs along the Hudson River. Most of which is 100 vertical feet above the river.

According to PIP Museum Technician Eric Nelsen, the Palisades Shore Trail was designated a National Recreation Trail in 1971, though the scramble across that section known as the Giant Stairs, was a known hike as far back as the 1920’s.

We did this hike on a Monday morning to avoid the crowds. We did the hike counter clockwise from State Line Lookout, but it can be done in the reverse as well.

hike route

Arriving shortly before 10:00 am, the large parking lot at State Line Lookout was almost empty. We began at the NW section of the parking lot where there are multiple blazes on a telephone pole.

trailhead

We started off by following Ski Trail A, but could have veered left onto the Long Path at this marker. Normally I follow the Long Path from here, but I just wanted to change it up a little. The route we took is slightly longer.

Ski Trail A

Ski Trail A is a woods road which begins parallel to the park entrance road, but then veers away from it a little. When we came to a fork in the road we went left and headed in the direction of the park entrance road and onto the Long Path. The Long Path crosses the road and heads towards the cliffs.

Long Path

The Long Path bends right, heads south along the cliff and past open rock views.

view from the Long Path

The trail then descends steeply on stone steps and comes to a wooden footbridge.

wooden footbridge on the Long Path

After crossing the bridge, the Long Path turns right and continues along the top of the cliffs. We turned left onto the blue/white-blazed Forest View Trail to begin our descent to the river.

blue/white-blazed Forest View Trail

The Forest View Trail descends steeply on uneven stone steps at first…..

Forest View Trail

then on narrow and eroded switchbacks.

Forest View Trail

The Forest View Trail ends at the base of the descent, at river level.

end of Forest View Trail

Here we turned left on the white-blazed Shore Trail and began heading north.

white-blazed Shore Trail

In about .3 miles we came to the start of the “Giant Stairs.”

Giant Stairs

The trail begins to ascend on a few well placed stones that act as steps.

Giant Stairs

The Shore Trail climbs about 100 feet over the boulders as it bends north.

Giant Stairs

At times the trail was hard to follow as the white blazes are faded or nonexistent, but just like on any other trail, blazes are sometimes more visible in the other direction. By turning around and looking the other way, we were able to spot a blaze to stay on the right path. A good part of the Giant Stairs section is under tree cover which helps with the hot sun, but there is one long section that isn’t. We rested briefly just prior to tackling the exposed areas so we wouldn’t have to stop in the hot sun.

Giant Stairs

I found the smaller rocks more difficult to navigate because they were ankle breakers.

Giant Stairs

The Shore Trail now enters the woods on a narrow footpath which is eroded in some spots with a steep drop off to the river.

Shore Trail

The Shore Trail descends towards the river and travels over some rocks close to the water.

Shore Trail

The Tappan Zee Bridge is visible in the distance from here as we neared the end of the Giant Stairs.

Shore Trail

We then reached a gate in a chain-link fence that marks the NY/NJ boundary. After passing through it, we were now in Rockland County, NY.

rusted gate on Shore Trail

A short distance after passing through the gate, we came to the ruins of an “Italian Garden.”

Italian Garden ruins

The ruins are from a garden designed by the artist Mary Lawrence-Tonetti.

Italian Garden ruins

I have seen images online of Peanut Leap Cascade with water gushing from the top of the cliff, but both times I have been here it was nothing more than a trickle. Early Spring would be a better time to visit.

Peanut Leap Cascade

The garden was built around 1900 and was inspired by a cliff-edge monastery on Italy’s Amalfi Coast which Mary visited as a teenager.

Italian Garden ruins

What’s left of the pergola that overlooks the river.

pergola ruins

The bench seating is all that remains of the pergola.

pergola ruins

The swing is a nice touch. A good way to unwind after a tough hike.

swing

We hung out here for a while enjoying the cool river breeze and the view.

view north

Even though the most difficult part of the hike was over and we were enjoying a beautiful Hudson River view, the hike was not over yet. After all, we still had to climb about 500 feet of elevation from the river to the top of the Palisades cliffs. The Shore Trail continues past the ruins and turns right.

Shore Trail

The Shore Trail climbs about 250 feet in .3 miles to a junction with the Long Path. Here we turned left and crossed the mostly dry brook that feeds Peanut Leap Cascade on a series of wooden footbridges.

the Long Path

The Long Path continues to climb and then turns right and begins a steeper climb on stone steps.

the Long Path

After climbing the uneven stone steps we came to an area called “High Gutter Point.” High Gutter Point was a historic “pitching place,” where lumberjacks “pitched” logs down the ravine to the river. The name seems to go back to at least the 19th century, I presume because of the gutter-like appearance of the ravine. – PIP Museum Technician Eric Nelsen

We stopped here to catch our breath and take in the view.

High Gutter Point

I also happened to see a survey marker on this trip. I have passed by here numerous times and have never noticed it before.

survey marker

We then entered through the gate of the boundary fence back into New Jersey.

boundary fence

The trail parallels the fence, and at the point where the trail begins to veer to the left, there is a New Jersey Boundary Monument by the fence.

New Jersey Boundary Monument

This stone monument was placed there in 1882 to mark the state line.

New Jersey Boundary Monument

The Long Path continues a gradual climb and comes out at Old Route 9W where it crosses the road.

Long Path at Old Route 9W

We left the Long Path here and walked Old Route 9W to State Line Lookout. This road was built in 1926 and with the construction of the Palisades Interstate Parkway in the 1950’s, Route 9W was shifted to the west. It is now closed to traffic and enjoyed by pedestrians and cyclists.

Old Route 9W

We stopped at the lookout briefly to capture a few images, but we were pretty wiped out by this point.

State Line Lookout

We rested for a minute or two to unwind before we got in the vehicle and take off. I was feeling tired, but pleased with how well I did on the trail compared to last time. I guess the weather conditions were to blame for my lackluster performance last year. I am glad that I came back and did this hike again. Another must do for the avid hiker. That’s it for today. See ya next time, now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: “Giant Stairs,” Hudson River views, Palisades cliffs, ruins, waterfall.

Cons: A lot of Poison Ivy along the Shore Trail.

Take a hike!

Lake Sebago Loop – Harriman State Park

Posted on July 18, 2017

July 15, 2017 – Southfields, NY

Difficulty: Moderate

Length: Approximately 7 miles

Max elevation: 1,260 ft.– total elevation gain approximately 769 ft.

Route type: Circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map 118

Trailhead parking: 1184-1340 Kanawauke Rd, Southfields, NY 10975

At 310 acres, Lake Sebago is the largest lake in Harriman State Park. The name is Algonquian for “big water.” The lake was created in 1925 by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission under William A. Welch by building a dam across Stony Brook. The lake filled the former site of Johnsontown, a pre-revolutionary logging settlement founded in the mid-1700’s in the Stony Brook valley. By the early 1900’s, Johnsontown was the largest mountain settlement in the western part of the Ramapos. In 1916-17, the PIP condemned the land, on the grounds that the settlement was built on swampland (“the great Emmetfield Swamp”). Many homeowner’s resettled in nearby Sloatsburg. The PIP took possession of the land and the homes, stores, school and church were torn down before the Stony Brook valley was flooded to create the new lake. Remnants of the Johnsontown sawmill is still visible to scuba divers.

In 1931, a beach area was constructed on the southeastern side of the lake. Two rustic buildings were erected, and 70 concrete tables and benches were installed. That “Old Sebago Beach” served until 1952 when “New Sebago Beach” was opened at the north end of the lake, where Johnsontown had once stood. Damage caused by Hurricane Irene in 2011 closed the beach indefinitely and from the looks of it today, it doesn’t appear as it will ever be reopened. Left in a state of abandonment, it has begun to be reclaimed by nature.

I faintly recall visiting Sebago Beach as a child on those hot summer days when we would load up the car and cross the Tappan Zee Bridge to go swimming and grilling. Lake Welch was our destination of choice back then, but I do recall several excursions to “New Sebago Beach.” I decided to map out a hike to Sebago Beach and loop around the western shore of Lake Skenonto. I also included the Tom Jones Shelter as it was not too far from the designated route and to also add some mountain views. The hike was done clockwise from County Road 106 (the top of the map), visiting Tom Jones Shelter, Lake Sebago Beach then passing Lake Skenonto on our return.

hike route

A new feature that I have added is the Google Earth Fly-Through. It follows the path that we hiked and it gives you a good idea of the terrain, layout, amount of parking etc. Check it out, it’s pretty cool.

View the Google Earth Fly-Through video of the hike below.

A fair amount of rain fell from Friday night into Saturday morning, but the forecast was promising. With all that rain, I knew that the trails would be muddy and the rocks slick in the early morning hours, but we had to get out to the trails early due to limited roadside parking at the trailhead. We were the first car in the area where we parked, but upon our return at approximately 4:00 pm, every available space was taken. We crossed the road and walked east for about 350 feet to the beginning of the blue-V-on white blazed Victory Trail.

Victory Trail

This section of the Victory Trail was blazed in 1949, the trail was extended from the fireplace at the foot of Tom Jones Mountain out to Route 210 (now Route 106). This section of the trail travels the notch between Parker Cabin and Tom Jones Mountains.

Victory Trail

The trail was a little swampy at the outset, but considering all the rain just hours earlier, it wasn’t too bad.

Victory Trail

We were able to circumvent the swampy area at times and at others just walked right through them as we headed southeast on the Victory Trail.

Victory Trail

In about 1/3 of a mile, we came to a junction with the red-dot-on-white blazed Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail. To the right, the R-D Trail goes up to Parker Cabin Mountain. We turned left and headed towards Tom Jones Shelter.

junction with the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

The Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (R-D) was the first trail in Harriman State Park to be built and is just over 23 miles long. Here the trail climbs the western slope of Tom Jones Mountain on rocks.

Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

The mountain was named after one of the members of the Claudius Smith gang. The R-D Trail climbs rather steeply at first then levels off somewhat.

Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

The R-D Trail then resumes its steep climb over rocks as it nears the top.

Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

The R-D trail then climbs more moderately. I saw an unmarked side trail that went to the right and seemed to wrap around the the side of a rock formation, but I ignored it and kept going up the R-D Trail onto open rocks. I saw a hiker approaching from the opposite direction and asked him if he knew where the Tom Jones Shelter was. He indicated that is was just below us. So that side trail that I ignored probably led right to it. Nevertheless, we descended down the side of some rock formations and we were there.

Tom Jones Shelter

The Tom Jones Shelter, built in 1927, was the first trail shelter built in Harriman State Park. The plans were drawn by Major Welch and built by John Tamsen, supervisor of construction, along with some old timers that were handy with rocks and logs. It is eighteen feet long, fourteen feet deep and nine feet high at the pitch of the roof. It also has two fireplaces with chimneys.

Tom Jones Shelter

This was a nice place for a break to enjoy a nice view of the Harriman hills and Lake Sebago in the distance.

view from Tom Jones Shelter

Knowing we had to make our way back to the Victory Trail in order to head towards Lake Sebago, I made an executive decision to bushwack south and meet up with the Victory Trail further down rather than retrace our steps back on the R-D Trail and have to tackle a steep descent on wet rocks. At first we descended on a footpath which I thought might lead us down where we wanted to go.

unmarked path

The path led to a rock outcrop and several campsites, but also provided a gorgeous view of Lake Sebago and the surrounding hills.

view of Lake Sebago and surrounding hills

The unmarked trail seemed to lead north so we walked around the west side of the rock outcrop and descended a somewhat steep rocky slope.

steep rocky slope

The hike down the rocky slope was short lived and wasn’t too difficult, but it knocked off the mileage we would have gained if we had back tracked. The image below is looking up from the base of the descent.

base of the descent

This turned out to be a good shortcut as the rest of the way to the Victory Trail was a gradual descent through the tree lined forest.

tree lined forest

On this hike we encountered many cave-like openings that were big enough for a family of bears. I love the geological features of Harriman and I am always wowed by its beauty. On many of the hikes that I do here, It’s like passing through areas that time forgot.

cave

The Victory Trail is fairly level in this area, with some gentle ups and downs. We encountered quite a few stream crossings on this hike. That may be due to all the recent rain, but I always find them fun.

Victory Trail – stream crossing

The Victory Trail comes to a junction with a paved park road and turns right.

Victory Trail

A short distance later, we came to a fork in the road, veered left and bid adieu to the Victory Trail……for now.

veering left at the fork in the road

The park road passes by several corrugated metal buildings that lay in ruins.

corrugated metal building

Shortly after passing the metal buildings we arrived at the northwestern shore of Lake Sebago. The first thing we saw was the building that housed the restrooms for the picnic area.

restrooms

We then headed for the shore of the lake, passing a stone building on the way.

stone building

We got to the shore of Lake Sebago and it was quite a sight. Not a soul around and the view wasn’t bad either.

Lake Sebago looking south

Looking north towards the beach, our next stop, the view was just as splendid.

Lake Sebago looking north

A closeup shows what was once a sandy beach, now heavily eroded and filled with weeds. The buildings now fallen into disrepair.

Lake Sebago Beach

We walked along the crumbling road and walkway to the once bustling promenade. The benches that overlook the beach, now swallowed by nature.

promenade

What was once a soft sandy beach crowded with sun worshipers, beach chairs and umbrellas is now filled with rocks and weeds.

Lake Sebago Beach

The long tree lined walkway from the parking lot to the beach brought back memories. Back then, when I was a kid, it seemed like it took forever to get to the sand from the vehicle.

tree lined walkway

The beach was eerily quiet while we were there. Not even the birds made a sound. With the exception of a few Turkey Vultures hovering up above, there were no signs of life in the area, with the exception of us of course. It is still a scenic place to visit even though it seems to have been forgotten by those that oversaw it.

picnic table

We relaxed there for quite some time then headed back to northwestern side of the lake, and walked up a hill that overlooks the lake that leads to a picnic area. While walking and taking photographs, I almost stepped on this Rat Snake that was hiding in the tall grass.

Rat Snake

We passed an old picnic shelter that in its heyday was probably a well sought-after spot.

picnic shelter

We then walked down a short gravel road and turned left. Now heading south along the western shore of Lake Sebago on the unmarked Sloatsburg Trail that mostly hugs the shoreline. The trail is faint at first, but then becomes more discernable.

unmarked Sloatsburg Trail

Before the lake was made in 1925, the Sloatsburg Trail was a road along the edge of Emmetsfield Swamp. The old road here has now been covered by the lake, so the present-day trail is a relatively level footpath which parallels the old road.

Myles, William J.. Harriman Trails: A Guide and History (Kindle Locations 4718-4720). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

unmarked Sloatsburg Trail

This was my favorite trail on this hike. It is almost entirely level, with the hillside to the right and Harriman’s gorgeous rock formations dotting the landscape.

rock formation

At times the trail follows the very edge of the shoreline……

Sloatsburg Trail

which provides splendiferous views of the lake.

Lake Sebago looking northeast from the Sloatsburg Trail

We came to a stream that flows from Lake Skenonto to Lake Sebago. This proved to be the most difficult stream crossing of the hike. It was wider and deeper than the others, but manageable nonetheless.

stream crossing on the Sloatsburg Trail

A short distance later we came to a junction with the yellow-blazed Triangle Trail. We turned right on the Triangle Trail, now heading northwest, which begins a gradual ascent.

Triangle Trail

The Triangle Trail was first marked in 1939 as the Yellow Bar Trail, with yellow bands around the trees, using already existing roads and trails. Early in 1942, the Trail Conference marked a Yellow Triangle Trail from Parker Cabin Mountain to the arm of Lake Sebago and continuing to ADK Camp Nawakwa.

Triangle Trail

The Triangle Trail skirts a swamp at the southern end of Lake Skenonto with a view from open rocks.

view from Triangle Trail

The Triangle Trail curves towards the western shore of Lake Skenonto and then briefly joins the Victory Trail which comes in from the left. The Triangle Trail then turns left, but we stayed on the Victory Trail which parallels the western shore of Lake Skenonto. There are numerous spur trails that lead to viewpoints over the lake. After Lake Sebago was finished in 1926, there was still a “Big Swamp” just over the hill on the western side. This swamp became Lake Skenonto.

Lake Skenonto

The dam was built in 1934 and the lake was filled with water by 1936. Looking east, the dam is visible in the distance.

Lake Skenonto

We began to follow a trail at the edge of the lake that quickly fizzled out. We then bushwacked west back to the Victory Trail which is now a woods road.

Victory Trail

Along this trail, we encountered numerous groups of people that were heading to or from the lake. It’s such a beautiful spot and located near several trails which makes it relatively easy to get to.

view from the northern shore of Lake Skenonto

We continued to follow the Victory Trail west. It goes from woods road…..

Victory Trail

to a paved road……

Victory Trail

to a footpath.

Victory Trail

A few more stream crossings and we made our way back to County Road 106 and the parking area where our hike began. We were pretty tired at this point and even though the hike was not strenuous by any means, the length of it wore us down. I truly enjoyed the hike and would recommend it to others. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Tom Jones Shelter, Lake Sebago, Lake Skenonto, scenic views, rock formations, woods roads, abandoned beach, ruins, lesser traveled trails.

Cons: Crowds near Lake Skenonto.

Take a hike!

Montgomery Place – North Woods

Posted on July 14, 2017

July 9, 2017 – Red Hook, NY

Difficulty: Easy

Length: Approximately 3 miles

Max elevation: 154 ft. – total elevation gain approximately 430 ft.

Route type: Circuit

Map: Montgomery Place grounds map

Trailhead parking: 26 Gardener Way, Red Hook, NY 12571

Montgomery Place, now Bard College: The Montgomery Place Campus, near Barrytown, New York, is an early 19th-century estate that has been designated a National Historic Landmark. The Montgomery Place estate was owned by members of the Livingston family from 1802 until the 1980’s. The north and south sections of the property, known as the North and South Woods, remain heavily wooded. The South Woods, approximately 70 acres in size, is the oldest oak forest in the Hudson Valley. The North Woods slopes down to the ravine that the Saw Kill flows through. Winding paths and trails lead through both wooded tracts. In the North Woods they lead to a waterfall; in the South Woods to the river’s edge.

I had heard of this place and viewed images online of the buildings and grounds which seemed interesting to me. I wanted to break in some new hiking boots and wanted to do so as painlessly as possible. This place fit the bill because the grounds are not that big and I could opt out at any time. We arrived on the grounds shortly before 10:00 am on a Sunday Morning and the visitors lot was empty. I was surprised, but pleased that there wouldn’t be anyone photobombing my photographs. They do give tours on Saturdays, but on Sundays the grounds are open to the general public for free.

I forgot to turn on my GPS so I did not include a hike route. The trails are marked with signs at the main junctions, but we did walk in circles a few times. Nevertheless it is difficult to get lost in the North Woods section of the grounds. The visitor center is quite large as is the parking lot. The restrooms were open and clean on the day we visited. Montgomery Place is a nice place to visit if you are just interested in a casual walk on a nice day.

visitor center

Walking through the center of the visitors center, there is a gravel path off to the left. Continuing straight, takes you towards the river and the mansion.

towards the river and the mansion

If you bear left, the path takes you to the South Woods Trail, which we did not check out on this trip. The path that goes right takes you across the road and a field onto the Sawkill Trail.

junction

We proceeded straight towards the mansion and passed the coach house, a fancy name for a garage. Prominent NYC architect A. J. Davis built the coach house in 1860 for Louise Livingston. Coach houses were built as essential features of upper-class estates and served as high-status buildings that accommodated valuable horses and expensive painted coaches and leather tack. With the arrival of the automobile, the coach house was transformed into the family garage and an apartment upstairs was added for the family chauffeur.

coach house

We veered off the path and cut across the lawn and approached the mansion from the front. The Montgomery Place Mansion was completed in 1805 under the direction of Janet Montgomery Livingston.

Montgomery Place Mansion

Walking along the north side of the mansion we came to the large open porch. If not for the fact that this was a hike of sorts, I could have sat there all day sipping lemonade.

large open porch

A view of the rear of the mansion.

rear of the mansion

Walking from the rear of the mansion there are Hudson River views.

Hudson River view

We then walked along the south side of the mansion towards the garden. I was unimpressed with the garden, but they had an exhibit called “Historic Garden Tools of Montgomery Place.” There was no one around and I am not sure if that’s standard operating procedure or if someone left the door open.

Historic Garden Tools of Montgomery Place

We then headed back towards the mansion and ventured down the West Lawn Trail on the left and passed a pond. We then walked around and found a trail that led into the woods. After walking a big circle, we headed back on that trail until we came to a junction with the Sawkill Trail.

Sawkill Trail

The Sawkill Trail goes through the woods and down into the ravine.

Sawkill Trail

This trail does not see regular maintenance as there is some erosion and several blowdowns along the way, but nothing too serious.

blowdown on Sawkill Trail

At the base of the descent near the banks of the Sawkill Creek, there is the ruined building of the hydroelectric power station that was used to supply elecrticity to the estate.

hydroelectric power station

We walked over to the Sawkill Creek over a wooden footbridge that spans a wet area. There are a few benches where one can sit and relax alongside the Sawkill Creek.

wooden footbridge

Looking upstream, the Lower Falls are visible in the distance.

Sawkill Creek with Lower Falls

I went around the barrier looking for a better vantage point, but it was difficult to get a good angle.

Lower Falls

We then made our way uphill on a woods road and arrived at a junction where we made a sharp left on the Lake Trail.

woods road

The trail ends with the Sawkill Creek straight ahead, the lake to the right and a wooden shack on the left that was used by swimmers to change into their suits.

wooden shack

There isn’t a great view of the lake from here, but walking off the trail downstream, I was able to get a clear view of the waterfall that cascades over the dam from the lake.

waterfall that cascades from the dam

We retraced our steps back up the Lake Trail and turned left on another woods road that leads around the northeast end of the lake.

woods road

The woods road dead ends at the Sawkill Creek and we turned around and headed back to the Lake Trail then continued on the Sawkill Trail which led us out to the field by the entrance road and back to the parking area. A nice walk on a Sunday morning and we didn’t encounter anyone on the trail. That works for me. Since this was a modest 3 mile walk, we decided to check out the main campus of Bard College and I am glad we did. Since it is right next door, I included some images below that I captured.

Blithewood Manor was built in 1900, and its site, originally designed by renowned landscape architect A. J. Downing. The building and grounds were donated to Bard College in 1951.

Blithewood Manor

The estate is perched on the edge of the Hudson River and it provides fantastic views of the Catskill Mountains. Looking west across the expansive lawn, one can see Overlook Mountain to the left and Plattekill Mountain to the right.

view from Blithewood Manor

Blithewood Garden was designed circa 1903 by Francis L. V. Hoppin. It is a classic example of a walled Italianate garden.

Blithewood Garden

Hook Mountain State Park – July 4th Flag Raising

Posted on July 12, 2017

July 4, 2017 – Nyack, NY

Difficulty: Moderate

Length: Approximately 6 miles

Max elevation: 702 ft.– total elevation gain approximately 1,006 ft.

Route type: Circuit

Map: Hudson PalisadesTrails Map 110

Trailhead parking: Nyack Beach State Park 698 N. Broadway Upper Nyack, NY 10960

Hook Mountain State Park is part of the Palisades Interstate Park system, just north of Nyack. It extends along almost seven miles of continuous waterfront and cliff slopes. The Long Path runs along the escarpment above while a bike path follows the river’s edge from Haverstraw Beach State Park to Nyack Beach State Park in Upper Nyack. Hook Mountain’s summit at 702 feet, second only to High Tor, along the Palisades ridge, offers spectacular views overlooking the Hudson River valley.

I wanted to raise a flag somewhere on the 4th of July and after lengthy contemplation I chose Hook Mountain as the site. I have been coming to Hook Mountain since I was a kid and live almost directly across the Hudson River from it, which made it a good choice. We did a clockwise hike from Nyack Beach State Park to the summit and continued on the Long Path along the ridge, returning on the bike path that hugs the shoreline.

hike route

We parked at Nyack Beach State Park which charges $6.00 to park in season and headed back up to the entrance to begin following the white blazes of the Upper Nyack Trail which begins as a road walk.

Upper Nyack Trail

We followed the white blazes which were painted on telephone poles. We Turned right on Larchdale Avenue with the mighty cliffs of Hook Mountain visible to our right.

Hook Mountain

At the end of Larchdale Avenue, we turned left onto Midland Avenue. In about 300 feet, the Upper Nyack Trail ducks into the woods.

Upper Nyack Trail

Even though this winding trail is just a stone’s throw from homes to the left, it has a feeling of being deep in the woods.

Upper Nyack Trail

The Upper Nyack Trail ends at a junction with the aqua-blazed Long Path where we turned right.

Upper Nyack Trail/Long Path junction

The Long Path follows the route of an old road that was built in the 1870’s. This road was supposed to extend to the top of Hook Mountain, but it was never finished.

The Long Path

The trail climbs steeply in sections as it narrows to a footpath.

The Long Path

After passing some views of the Hudson River and the Tappan Zee Bridge, the Long Path makes a sharp right as it nears the summit and climbs steeply again.

The Long Path

Arriving at the summit about 20 minutes ahead of my hiking partners, I took a well needed rest. The view from here is fantastic and I sat there enjoying it.

view southeast from the summit of Hook Mountain

Looking northeast, Rockland Lake is visible through the trees on the left with The Hudson River just beyond.

view northeast from the summit of Hook Mountain

After a brief rest, it was time to get to work. After all, this flag wasn’t going to raise itself. I scoured the woods nearby for a long tree branch that would serve as the flag pole. I ended up walking down a bit and then dragging a couple of branches back up. I then attached the flag to the pole. Don’t worry, I didn’t let it touch the ground, I had someone hold the other end.

attaching the flag to the pole

After a little effort and some help, the flag was in place. What better way to honor America on its birthday than to fly Old Glory.

American flag at the summit of Hook Mountain

We then saluted the Hook Mountain American flag and continued on our hike. Still following the aqua blazes of the Long Path, we entered the woods and began to walk the ridgeline which offers many views along the way.

view of the Tappan Zee Bridge

The Long Path had numerous ups and downs, but the views were well worth it.

view of the Hudson River from the Long Path

The Long Path turns left, begins to descend and then joins a woods road. The nicely graded road was a welcome change from the rocky trail on the ridge.

The Long Path

There is a wide stone wall on the left side of the Long Path which I have passed by many times. I have no clue what its significance was, but it is different than other stone walls I have encountered on my hikes.

wide stone wall

There is an unmarked trail that leads off to the right and comes out on the cliffs. There are great views from there as well. That is the way I have gone in the past, but I decided to continue on the Long Path since I never walked down that way. The trail continues its descent and passes the stone ruins of an old building. I can only assume that it had something to do with the Knickerbocker Ice Company which was formed in 1831.

stone ruins

Just beyond, at the base of the descent are more remnants of the ice harvesting industry.

remnants of the ice harvesting industry

The Long Path leads out to Landing Road and continues to the northern section of Hook Mountain. We turned right and followed the paved park road towards the river. Just off the road on the right, are the ruins of the old ice railway that leads close to the river.

old ice railway

Walking down the paved park road, the end of the old ice railway is visible looking back into the woods.

old ice railway

Looking up from the paved park road, the scarred cliffs of Hook Mountain stand proudly in the July sun.

cliffs of Hook Mountain

We came to an intersection where the Hook Mountain Bike Path joins from the right, but continued straight on the paved park road, heading south.

paved park road

On the left side of the park road there is a ruined metal shack that was built into the side of the hill. The roof is just about level with the road.

ruined metal shack

The road descends to river level and passes the ruins of a stone building on the right.

ruins of a stone building

The road now changes to gravel and since it was after 2 pm, the cliffs provide plenty of shade. Almost directly across the Hudson River, Sing Sing Correctional Facility is visible.

Sing Sing Correctional Facility

There is a picnic area close to the water and we found a nice shady spot to relax for a bit and enjoy the sights and sounds on the river.

Hudson River

The rest of the way was a nice easy stroll along the river. The shade and the breeze helped to cool us off a little.

Hudson River view

We then arrived back at a packed Nyack Beach State Park. All the parking spots were filled as well as the picnic tables. We were hungry and tired by this point and headed out to our secret picnic area to grill some food. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: American flag, views, ruins, Long Path, Hudson River, cliffs, shaded trails.

Cons: Stretches of the ridge are exposed with no tree cover (hot sun).

If you come across the flag and there is an issue with it, please contact me. Thank you.

Take a hike!

Three Reservoirs and Breakneck Pond – Harriman State Park

Posted on July 2, 2017

July 1, 2017 – Haverstraw, NY

Difficulty: Moderate

Length: Approximately 6.5 miles

Max elevation: 1,224 ft.– total elevation gain approximately 800 ft.

Route type: Circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map 118

Trailhead parking: Call Hollow Rd, Haverstraw, NY

The first day of July called for high humidity and possible rain and thunderstorms. Not ideal hiking weather, but one must adapt to the conditions that are beyond our control. I mapped out a moderate hike that would take us on fairly level woods roads past bodies of water to try to stay as cool as possible. We did this loop clockwise beginning at Call Hollow Road on the right side of the map below.

hike route

This hike is almost entirely on unmarked trails, but is quite easy to navigate. None of the woods roads/trails are overgrown and never having hiked this area before, we were able to find our way without any difficulties. The parking area on Call Hollow Road is also a trailhead for the Long Path, but our hike began on the paved road just to the left. The paved road beyond the gate leads to the Letchworth Village Reservoirs water treatment plant. Letchworth Village State Developmental Center was a New York State custodial institution on Willow Grove Road, just east of the Palisades Interstate Parkway. It was founded in 1908 by William Pryor Letchworth. Letchworth Village was closed in 1996.

Myles, William J.. Harriman Trails: A Guide and History (Kindle Locations 5516-5519). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

gate on Call Hollow Road

In 1908, the far-sighted planners bought 640 acres in the hills drained by Horse Chock Brook, a branch of Minisceongo Creek. This was to be used for water supply. At present, there are three Letchworth reservoirs. Harriman State Park has acquired the land and roads around the reservoirs, but the reservoirs themselves are off limits. The three reservoirs are named First, Second and Third Reservoirs.

The paved road leads gradually uphill on what Google maps shows as Camp Winaki Road. It is actually Woodtown Road as indicated on the NY/NJ Trail Conference map.

Woodtown Road

In about .3 miles, the road passes the Letchworth Village water treatment plant. Here the paving ends and the road bears left, past a gate.

Woodtown Road

It then comes to the eastern end of the dam of First Reservoir, which was built in 1912.

First Reservoir

We stopped here momentarily to reflect upon the meaning of life. Well, not exactly, we stopped mainly to catch our breath, wipe our brows and capture some images.

First Reservoir

There are numerous signs posted throughout, but they pertain to the reservoirs and not the land around them, which is owned by Harriman State Park.

No Trespassing sign

We continued on Woodtown Road which climbs gently, with Horse Chock Brook to the right. Woodtown Road is named after a family of woodcutters who had several homes, a sawmill and a barkmill at the site of the Second Reservoir. Woodtown Road was used for hauling iron, charcoal and wood to Haverstraw.

Woodtown Road

At about 1.35 miles, just below the dam of Second Reservoir, Woodtown Road turns left. We continued ahead on the more obvious route that continues straight ahead and then bears right. This is a service road which leads to Third Reservoir. We arrived at the Second Reservoir and took a short break here.

Second Reservoir

In 1910, the 50-acre Parcel #30, known as the Bedford Pond property (the old Wood millpond), was acquired by Letchworth Village for $538.84 (the pond was 14 acres). After two years of water shortage, the Second Reservoir was built in 1927-28, using the old mill pond.

Second Reservoir

While relaxing here a group of about six loud talking women approached. They decided to take a break here as well, and that was our cue to proceed on our hike. Now on the service road, we began walking along the northwestern shore of the reservoir.

service road

We passed by some old rusty pipes then crossed the spillway and continued on the service road.

service road

We got one last look at Second Reservoir before the road starts to veer away from it.

Second Reservoir

We then arrived at a junction with another woods road that goes to the right. This is known as the Second Reservoir Trail. This woods road connects the Second Reservoir with the joint Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail/Long Path section and the Old Turnpike near the Big Hill Shelter. We stayed on the service road.

Second Reservoir Trail junction

The service road begins to climb and then reaches a fork. We stopped here to figure out which way to go. After consulting my compass, we stayed right at the fork to continue heading west towards Third Reservoir.

fork in the road

The rusty sign on the tree at the fork was of no help.

rusty sign

A little further up the road we came to Third Reservoir and the sun was shining.

Third Reservoir

Third Reservoir, which was built in 1951-52 in the valley where the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail comes down off Ladentown Mountain and starts up Big Hill. The trail was moved 400 feet to the west when the reservoir was filled. We found a nice flat rock at the edge of the reservoir to sit down and relax for a minute or two.

Third Reservoir

After working up a sweat, the sun was feeling kind of hot so we found a shadier spot. We then made our way over the earthen dam, still part of the service road as indicated on the map.

earthen dam

What a beautiful spot this place is. It was very quiet and quite picturesque as we soaked up some rays while we walked.

Third Reservoir

Just past the dam, the service road ends and an unmaintained trail begins, as indicated on the map. It looks more like a narrow woods road, although in places it does resemble a footpath.

unmaintained trail – Third Reservoir

It is easily passable and several other unmarked trails intersect it, but we stayed close to the water and ignored the other trails.

unmaintained trail – Third Reservoir

We then came to the junction with the yellow-blazed Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail. Knowing we were on the right track and having found our turnoff spot, we found a nice rock to sit on at the western edge of Third Reservoir and took another break.

Third Reservoir

We then proceeded northwest on the S-BM Trail, which heads up Breakneck Mountain. This was the steepest part of the hike, but only lasted for about .3 miles.

yellow-blazed Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail

This section of the S-BM Trail was scouted in 1924 by Archibald T. Shorey. He was a member of ADK, and a Brooklyn Boy Scout leader. Various routes were considered, but by January 1926 the route the trail presently follows had been worked out.

Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail

In about 1/3 of a mile, when the S-BM Trail makes a sharp right, there are 3 white blazes on a tree just to the left. This is the start of the white-blazed Breakneck Mountain Trail. We turned left here.

Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail/Breakneck Mountain Trail junction

The Breakneck Mountain Trail was first blazed in the fall and winter of 1927 at the suggestion of Major Welch, General Manager of the Park. It was built to connect the T-MI Trail with the S-BM Trail.

Breakneck Mountain Trail

Now following the white blazes, we walked over open rock as the trail begins to descend.

Breakneck Mountain Trail

In just under 600 feet from the start of the Breakneck Mountain Trail, there is an unmarked trail that goes off to the right. We turned here and began walking this footpath in a westerly direction towards Breakneck Pond.

unmarked trail to Breakneck Pond

The trail starts off level then begins a steep descent and comes out by a cabin on Breakneck Pond. The cabin is part of the AMC Harriman Outdoor Center, which operates camping facilities here and opened exactly one year ago on July 1, 2016.

AMC Harriman Outdoor Center

Camp Winake of the Rockland County Council, Boy Scouts of America, was opened in 1930 at Breakneck Pond. Winake, which means “a pleasant place,” was the Algonquin name of the home of William P. Abbott, an active member of the Council’s camp committee in 1927. Later, the camp became known as Camp Lanowa, operated by Homes for Homeless Children.

Myles, William J.. Harriman Trails: A Guide and History (Kindle Locations 5410-5413). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

The camp had been abandoned for over a decade before the AMC took it over. We stopped here briefly and then we wandered around a bit. This place is really nice and I wouldn’t mind staying here sometime. We walked over to a large rock outcrop that looked out over the pond to get a better look. Breakneck Pond is a 64-acre natural lake that was enlarged by a dam in 1888.

Breakneck Pond

We then proceeded down the main road of the camp about a 1/2 of a mile and turned right onto the Old Turnpike which has an orange cable strung across it.

Old Turnpike

The Old Turnpike was rather overgrown until 1969, when AT&T widened it to 20 feet and buried a coaxial cable along one side.

Old Turnpike

The Old Turnpike was a road from Monroe (now known as Southfields) to Haverstraw. It is not known when it was first built, but it became the “old” turnpike in 1824, when a new turnpike (now Gate Hill Road/Route 106) was built.

The Old Turnpike crosses the Long Path, the S-BM Trail and then the Long Path again. It ends at the dam of First Reservoir. All day the skies were threatening with a little drizzle here and there. While on this road, the skies really opened up and we got soaked, hence no images. A good chunk of this road is badly eroded and becomes an ankle breaker, but at least it was downhill for its entirety. The rain let up as we approached First Reservoir and I pulled out my camera. I was able to capture an image of First Reservoir with Cheesecote Mountain in the background.

First Reservoir with Cheesecote Mountain in the background

We then crossed the dam to the eastern side of the reservoir towards Woodtown Road.

First Reservoir dam

We then turned left on Woodtown Road and retraced our steps back to Call Hollow Road where our hike began. On the way back down it started to rain heavily again, but we were already soaked. The rain did dash our hopes for a post hike BBQ, so we did some indoor cooking instead. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please do not forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Lesser traveled area of the park, water features, woods roads, unmarked trails, scenic views.

Cons: Unmarked trails (actually good for testing your map and compass skills), eroded woods roads become ankle breakers.

Take a hike!

Almost Perpendicular, Claudius Smith Rock and Dutch Doctor Shelter Loop – Harriman State Park

Posted on June 25, 2017

June 25, 2017 – Sloatsburg, NY

Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous

Length: Approximately 5.2 miles

Max elevation: 1,047 ft.– total elevation gain approximately 800 ft.

Route type: Circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map 118

Trailhead parking: Johnsontown Road Trail Parking, Sloatsburg, NY 10974

Almost Perpendicular, Claudius Smith Rock and Dutch Doctor Shelter Loop

Check out the Google Earth Fly-Through video of the hike below.

Almost Perpendicular, a name given to a cliff on Dater Mountain in Harriman State Park by the Fresh Air Club in in 1936. It offers the hiker panoramic views of the Ramapo Mountains.

Claudius Smith Rock is a large rock formation that provides spectacular views from the top. The base of the rock formation has caves that were the former hideout of the gang of marauders, known as the Cowboys of the Ramapos, led by Claudius Smith. They operated during the Revolutionary War era. On January 22, 1779, Claudius Smith was hanged in Goshen, NY.

The Dutch Doctor Shelter, built in 1935 is a three-sided stone structure on the White Bar Trail used by hikers for overnight camping. It is named for John Frederick Helms, the “Old Dutch Doctor,” who lived nearby from 1874 to about 1892. He made a living by raising medicinal herbs, such as ginseng.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning in June. Low humidity and most importantly, no rain! We arrived at the parking circle on Johnsontown Road just before 9:00 am and there were quite a few cars already there. We geared up and headed down Johnsontown Road, the way we drove in, for about 100 feet, crossing a small bridge over a stream.

Johnsontown Road

A short distance after crossing the bridge, there are three blue-on-white blazes on a tree, which indicate the start of the Blue Disc Trail. We turned right and began walking up the hill on the paved road, crossing the route of a gas pipeline.

Start of the Blue Disc Trail

After passing a pumping station for the pipeline, the Blue Disc Trail bends left onto a footpath and begins to climb Dater Mountain. It then turns left onto a woods road.

Blue Disc Trail

The white-blazed Kakiat Trail joins the Blue Disc Trail briefly, but when the two trails split, we continued to follow the blue-on-white blazes which begins a steep climb.

Blue Disc Trail

The Blue Disc Trail crosses a mostly dry stream and climbs a bit steeper over large rocks. At times we had to use our hands, but it was more enjoyable than difficult.

Blue Disc Trail

Once past the mini-scramble, we continued up the rocky slope to our destination.

Blue Disc Trail

After almost a mile from the start of the hike, we arrived at Almost Perpendicular. What a great view and we totally earned it. We took a load off and enjoyed the peacefulness of this glorious spot.

Almost Perpendicular

We found a shady spot to sit while looking out towards the Ramapo Mountains and enjoying the breeze which helped cool us off.

View from Almost Perpendicular

When we were well rested and hydrated, we headed for the highest point and found the Blue Disc Trail which now heads north into the woods.

Blue Disc Trail

After entering the woods, the Blue Disc Trail begins to descend. The sun was hot by this time and the mostly shaded trail kept us from getting overheated.

Blue Disc Trail

After a modest descent, the trail now begins to climb Pound Mountain.

Blue Disc Trail approach to Pound Mountain

The trail is steep in spots, but nothing major and we just kept on trekking.

Blue Disc Trail – Pound Mountain

The trail then continues along the summit ridge and begins to descend again. At the base of the descent, the Blue Disc Trail begins to climb and runs alongside a rock ledge.

Blue Disc Trail

The trail gets interesting at this point. It makes you squeeze between the the rock ledge and a boulder……

Blue Disc Trail

and lets you experience the enchanting geology of Harriman State Park.

Blue Disc Trail

Then we arrived at “Elbow Brush,” a short tight squeeze through a rock crevice. This is easily bypassed if you so choose, but we passed through it.

Elbow Brush – Blue Disc Trail

I had to duck and twist in order to make it through without taking my backpack off, but it was kind of fun.

Elbow Brush – Blue Disc Trail

We took a breather and then continued the gradual climb on the Blue Disc Trail. Along the way we ran into a couple of Trail Maintainers hard at work keeping the trail free and clear for us.

Trail Maintainers – Blue Disc Trail

We then began the approach to Claudius Smith Rock. It is just past the junction with the red-dash-on-white-blazed Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy Trail.

approach to Claudius Smith Rock

At this point, we lost sight of the blue-on-white blazes, but did see the junction for the Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy Trail. The huge rock formation in front of us had to be Claudius Smith Rock.

Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy Trail junction

I happened to see a blue-on-white blaze painted high up on Claudius Smith Rock and we climbed up to check it out. The view was pretty grand, I must say.

View from Claudius Smith Rock

There were several people up there already, but we walked around capturing images of the scenic landscape. The rock itself reminds me of the Gunks with its whitish appearance. We found a shady spot and enjoyed our lunch.

Claudius Smith Rock

While sitting there relaxing, a large group of people came from the opposite direction so we decided to find a less populated spot. When we were ready to resume our hike, we walked back down the Blue Disc Trail and turned right on the Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy Trail and made our way to the base of Claudius Smith Rock. There is the location of his hideout. On the way we could see the upper chamber where they slept, it’s about 8-10 feet high, 30 feet long, and 10 feet deep.

Claudius Smith Den – upper chamber

I had seen images online, but seeing this massive rock formation up close is mind blowing.

Claudius Smith’s Den

Claudius Smith’s Den was formed as slabs weathered out of the cliff. Blocks of rock were pried out of the cliff by thaw-freeze and could possibly date back approximately 12,000 years. The image below show the lower chamber that was used for their horse stable. On January 22, 1779, Claudius Smith was hanged in Goshen, NY.

Claudius Smith’s Den – lower chamber

We then retraced our steps back to junction of the Blue Disc and Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy Trails and began heading east on the TMI Trail. It was an easy walk and extremely peaceful on the TMI Trail. We did not encounter any other hikers and the only sound was the chirping of birds.

Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy Trail

The Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy Trail was a favorite project of Major William A. Welch, the Park’s first General Manager. It was he who persuaded the Tuxedo Park Association to let the Trail Conference blaze the trail in the spring of 1923.

Myles, William J.. Harriman Trails: A Guide and History (Kindle Locations 2872-2874). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy Trail

The TMI Trail crosses Spring Brook and reaches a junction with the White Bar Trail. At the junction is a cellar hole, all that remains from the homestead of John Frederick Helms, the “Old Dutch Doctor,” who lived here from 1874 to about 1892.

cellar hole

We turned left on the White Bar Trail and just a few feet up on the right side of the trail is the Dutch Doctor Shelter.

Dutch Doctor Shelter

We rested here briefly while listening to a couple arguing on the phone while they were standing about 30 feet from each other. So much for peace and quiet on the trail. It made for a humorous moment. We then began heading south on the White Bar Trail. The White Bar Trail was first marked in 1921-22 by the Boy Scouts from the 17 camps on Kanawauke Lakes, using mostly old roads. In January 1995, the White Bar Trail was extended south for 1.55 miles from the Dutch Doctor Shelter to the Johnsontown Circle. This extension facilitated access to the park trails from the end of Johnsontown Road, where parking is available. It was a nice easy walk the rest of the way.

White Bar Trail

We took care to follow the horizontal white blazes because the White Bar Trail briefly joins several woods roads. The White Bar Trail nears Seven Lakes Drive, bears right and joins the abandoned section of Johnsontown Road. Johnsontown Road once was a main Park drive. On November 10, 1962, after the new Seven Lakes Drive had been opened, the road was closed beyond the circle.

abandoned section of Johnsontown Road

We then arrived back at the circle, where our hike began. A very enjoyable hike that had a lot to see and the trails kept us on our toes. I saw my first Harriman Black Bear after our hike. While driving down Seven Lakes Drive, the bear ran across the road and into the woods. We stopped on the road where it went into the woods, but it was gone. Not a bad hike to do in hot weather, thanks to the canopy of trees that shade the trails. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Great views, massive rock formations, Almost Perpendicular, Claudius Smith Rock, Dutch Doctor Shelter, Elbow Brush, shaded trails, woods roads.

Cons: Claudius Smith Rock attracts crowds.

Take a hike!

Cheesecote Mountain Town Park

Posted on June 24, 2017

June 24, 2017 – Haverstraw, NY

Difficulty: easy – moderate

Length: approximately 3 miles

Max elevation: 925 ft.– total elevation gain 500 ft.

Route type: circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map #119

Trailhead parking: 9 Cheesecote Lane, Pomona, NY 10970

Cheesecote Mountain Town Park, in the unincorporated area of the Town of Haverstraw, has 217 acres of parkland with picnic areas, hiking trails, camping grounds and a 6 acre lake for fishing. A permit is needed for over-night camping. Their website states that the town is in the process of getting grants to install trailheads and make hiking and paving improvements. I called and was informed that those improvements should be done within the next five years. After scouring the internet for any information that I could find, I read that there are numerous unmarked trails and woods roads throughout the park. The Long Path skirts the western side of the park and is the only official trail.

Cheesecote Mountain Town Park

With rain in the forecast for a second straight weekend, I chose a a short hike to avoid getting caught in the rain for an extended period of time. It was raining early on this Saturday morning so we got a late start and were glad to see the skies clear up. It was humid, but it did not rain during our hike so it worked out as planned. We pulled into the parking area shortly before 11 am and parked where the Long Path goes into the woods. We hiked the loop counter clockwise through the undeveloped section of the park and towards the summit of Cheesecote Mountain.

hike route

There is another woods road just to the right of the Long Path which is where we began our hike. We would be returning via the Long Path.

Long Path to the left and woods road on the right.

We walked uphill along the woods road and almost immediately came to the ruins of an old fireplace.

old fireplace

This is all that remains from a building that once stood here. The foundation of the building which once graced this site, is barely visible.

old fireplace

It was an easy walk on this woods road that gradually climbs Cheesecote Mountain.

woods road

In about a half of a mile, as we neared the summit, we passed a lone boulder sitting just off the road.

boulder

Veering left, off the woods road, we took a footpath searching for any views. In Winter, with the leaves off the trees, the views are probably decent, but on this day, all that was visible was the top of the higher hills of Harriman State Park to the northwest. The communications tower visible on the left atop Jackie Jones Mountain. Irish Mountain is left of center and Pound Swamp Mountain is visible to the right.

View of the Harriman hills from Cheesecote Mountain

We found our way back to the woods road when no real views were apparent and continued heading northeast.

woods road

As we descended, the woods road faded or we lost sight of it, and we passed a stone wall. We crossed over the stone wall as we headed down.

stone wall

We began heading too far east and changed our course and began heading west, towards where the Long Path is. We headed closer to where the stone walls are because I thought there may be a road that led to that property at one time. We headed downhill paralleling one of the stone walls that run east to west. We ended up at a telephone line cut and headed downhill.

telephone line cut

I wanted to continue heading west, but the heavily forested woods did not comply. We were now behind some homes on Willow Grove Road which is the entrance road to the park from CR 106. We came out between two houses and walked across someone’s lawn and turned left on Willow Grove Rd.

Willow Grove Rd

I’m not a big fan of road walks and try to avoid them whenever possible, but the woods were quite dense behind those homes so we took the easier alternative. Just before reaching the intersection with CR 106, there is a small stone house almost hidden from view. I found it somewhat odd that this small house has two front doors.

small stone house

At the intersection there is a historic marker and here is where we turned left onto CR 106.

historic marker

Walking west on CR 106 with the Minisceongo Creek on the left, only provides a small sloping grassy shoulder to walk on.

CR 106

We walked up to Call Hollow Road and turned left. The road crosses the creek and we had our eyes open for the aqua blazes of the Long Path, which crosses the road. In a short distance we passed under some power lines.

power lines

Then after a 3/4 mile road walk, we arrived at the Long Path which runs right through the Old Letchworth Village Cemetery.

Old Letchworth Village Cemetery

This cemetery is about 1/2 mile from Letchworth Village, “a state institution for the segregation of the epileptic and feeble-minded.” We walked the woods road (also the Long Path) into the cemetery.

The Long Path

After about 500 feet, we reached the cemetery and very visible is a large memorial which reads: “THOSE WHO SHALL NOT BE FORGOTTEN” along with hundreds of names of those that are interred there. Etched into the bench is: “GIVING NAMES TO SOULS FORGOTTEN NO LONGER.”

Old Letchworth Village Cemetery

More than 900 persons are buried here that died at Letchworth. T-shaped markers are numbered and have no names on them because families refused to allow their names to be known. Such was the stigma back then to have any form of mental illness in the family.

Old Letchworth Village Cemetery

We paid our respects to the departed and walked a short distance into the woods. We found someone’s living room, I think. Although I’m sure that the leather ottoman is mighty comfy, we sat on the log and took a break.

Old Letchworth Village Cemetery

We then resumed our hike by jumping back on the Long Path which continues as a woods road. It remained a woods road for the duration of our hike.

The Long Path

The Long Path then crosses the power line cut….

The Long Path

and re-enters the woods.

The Long Path

The mostly shaded woods road made for a relatively easy walk the rest of the way. Although the road climbs, it is a gentle ascent that gains about 350 feet of elevation in about a mile. When we arrived at a fork in the road, we stayed to the right as the blazes on the tree indicate.

The Long Path

Before we knew it, we were back at the parking area where our hike began.

The Long Path

We walked over to Cheesecote Pond, which is directly opposite of where we parked. We sat in the shade by the vehicle for a while just relaxing and enjoying the day. Then we made our way to our favorite grilling spot to cook some chow.

Cheesecote Pond

A pretty good day considering the forecast called for rain for most of the day. We didn’t encounter anyone on the hike with the exception of the road walk. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please do not forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Secluded trails, the Long Path, woods roads, fireplace ruins, historic cemetery, pond.

Cons: No formal trails with the exception of the Long Path, no views, road walk.

Take a hike!

Irvington Woods

Posted on June 17, 2017

June 17, 2017 – Irvington, NY

Difficulty: easy

Length: approximately 5.3 miles

Max elevation: 476 ft.– total elevation gain approximately 600 ft.

Route type: circuit

Map: Irvington Woods Trails Map

Trailhead parking: O’Hara Nature Center – 170 Mountain Rd
Irvington, NY 10533

Here is a more recent hike at Irvington Woods.

The forecast called for rain starting at noon so I figured I would try to get a hike in close to where I reside before the skies opened up. Irvington Woods at 400 Acres, is one of the largest forested areas in Southern Westchester. I had visited the preserve before several years ago, but only wandered around a little. Below is the route we took. We walked in circles a few times trying to find the points of interest.

hike route

We arrived at the parking area of the O’Hara Nature Center slightly before 9:00 am on a Saturday morning. The only vehicle in the lot belonged to a groundskeeper who was doing some work out front.

O’Hara Nature Center

We headed for the trailhead which is just to the right of the nature center, towards the rear.

trailhead

Their website offers suggested hikes of various lengths which can be printed out. I chose the Full Perimeter Route which passes near all the points of interest. Our hike began by following the North-South (NS) Trail.

North-South Trail

The trails here are somewhat hard to follow as is evident from the hike route above. As the hike went on, I started to figure it out, but the intersections were a little confusing. Nevertheless, this place is not big enough to really get lost in. The woods were quiet except for the sound of squirrels scurrying about and birds chirping.

North-South Trail

The numbers on the posts at the junction pinpoint your location on the map. At number 10, we turned right onto the Split Rock (SR) Trail.

junction 10

A short walk down the SR Trail and we arrived at Split Rock, a large glacial erratic.

Split Rock

This seems to be the hangout for local kids due to the numerous discarded beer bottles and cans that were strewn about the area. There is a garbage can here, but it must be invisible to those under 21. We then retraced our steps back to junction 10 and turned right. We were back on the NS Trail and then arriving at another intersection, I became confused. We were looking for the HW Trail, that according to the map, was in this direction. We ended up going on the joint HG/NS Trail, but I knew at this point we would just freestyle the rest of the hike.

junction

We then arrived at marker 15, where we crossed a wooden footbridge.

wooden footbridge

A short distance later, we came to a fork where the HG Trail goes right, but we stayed left and began walking on the unmarked woods road.

unmarked woods road

We were looking for Sunset Rock, which the website states has “striking sunset views of the Hudson River.” We came to another junction where the road splits and a trail takes a hard left. I happen to spot a sign on a tree that read “Sunset Rock” so we took the hard left.

junction

Although the sign is helpful, it would be a good idea to have a sign posted right by the actual spot. We ended up wandering around looking for those elusive Hudson River views. I climbed all the high ground to no avail. I spotted a man walking his dog and asked him where it was and he pointed the way. He told me that he comes here all the time and still manages to get lost. Sunset Rock wasn’t impressive at all. It was basically a clearing with no views at all. Possibly in Winter with no leaves on the trees, one can see the river, but not on this day.

Sunset Rock

We began heading northeast, now looking for the Hermit’s Grave. While looking for Sunset Rock, I spotted the sign on the tree that read “Hermit’s Grave” by marker 17. The sign points us in the right direction, but finding the grave was anything but easy.

Hermit’s Grave sign

Once again we wandered around, this time looking for the grave. I consulted the map numerous times and still nothing. We passed some nice rock formations as well as some woman with three very large unleashed dogs that wanted to jump on us. After literally walking in circles, we headed for higher ground to see if we could spot the Hermit’s Grave from above. We found a faint path and climbed to the top of a rock formation.

rock formation

After not being able to spot anything worthwhile from above, we took a break there. I plucked a couple of Ticks off my pants and then sprayed myself with bug repellent, which I had forgotten to do prior to beginning this hike. We descended the rock formation and jumped back on the HG Trail (short for Hermit’s Grave) and walked down what looked like an eroded woods road for the third time.

eroded woods road

I had a feeling that we were now going the right way, considering that we tried just about every other way. Heading southeast the trail turns left and passed marker 25 and then we came to marker 26, the site of the Hermit’s Grave.

marker 26

A short climb up the trail and we finally got to the Hermit’s Grave.

Hermit’s Grave

According to their website, In 1810 Johann Wilhelm Stolting was born in Heligoland (Germany) in the North Sea. He was well educated and spoke German, Greek, French and Hebrew. Although he was a teacher, linguist, scientist and landowner; at the end of his days he became a recluse, making buttons on a homemade lathe to support his few needs.

Hermit’s Grave

The eccentric Stolting roamed the streets and woods and bathed in the Saw Mill and Hudson Rivers. In a small shed on his land overlooking the Saw Mill River valley, he slept in his own coffin made of local chestnut wood. Stolting was a fascinating figure, and became known as the Hermit of Irvington. He died in Irvington on January 10, 1888. His is the only marked grave in the Village of Irvington.

Hermit’s Grave

After checking out the grave, we retraced our steps back to marker 25 and turned left. We were now walking on the Monument Loop (ML) Trail.

Monument Loop (ML) Trail

The ML Trail looks like it was once a road that led to one of the estates that once graced these woods. The stone embankments along its side is a telltale sign of its prominence.

ML Trail

We walked along the ML Trail, now searching for the Macy Monument, a granite rock with a plaque honoring V. Everit Macy. We got to marker 24 and veered left, off the trail on a footpath to find it. We walked until the trail seemed to peter out, but no monument. We did see a couple of stone benches though.

stone bench

When we got tired of looking, we backtracked to marker 24 and proceeded up the stone steps towards the overlook.

ML Trail

Climbing the stone steps, we arrived at a terrace. I read that it was the best view on this hike. We climbed the last few stone steps to the terrace……

stone steps to the terrace

and no view! Nothing but trees surrounded this terrace. It was a nice place to sit and relax, but no views! I could see the cars on the Saw Mill River Parkway zipping past down below through the trees, but that was it.

the terrace

After a brief rest, we returned to the ML Trail and headed up the hill. We passed through a clearing and re-entered the woods.

ML Trail

Besides the two dog walkers earlier in the hike, we did not encounter anyone else the rest of the way. The woods were scenic and quiet, just the way I like it.

ML Trail

Along the trail there is a massive tree that fell and ripped a boulder out of the ground.

tree and boulder

We crossed a wooden footbridge over a small stream along the way as a light drizzle began to fall.

wooden footbridge

That light drizzle turned into a steady rain so we decided to make a beeline back to the parking area instead of passing by the reservoir. We took a wrong turn or two along the way, but eventually made it back to the parking area, thoroughly drenched. I would visit this place again in better weather to check out the spots that I missed. I think I could find my way around a little better on my next trip there. Until next time folks, now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Historic features, rock formations, glacial erratics, reservoir, secluded trails.

Cons: Trails are hard to follow at times, no views.

Take a hike!

Bald Mountain, The Timp and Doodletown – Bear Mountain State Park

Posted on June 10, 2017

June 10, 2017 – Stony Point, NY

Difficulty: Strenuous

Length: approximately 7.5 miles

Max elevation: 1,130 ft.– total elevation gain approximately 1400 ft.

Route type: Circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map #119

Trailhead parking: Route 9W – Tomkins Cove, NY 10986

Bald Mountain lies at the end of the northerly ridge of Dunderberg Mountain, which is part of Bear Mountain State Park in the town of Stony Point in Rockland County, NY. A very steep hike to the 1130 ft. summit of Bald Mountain rewards hikers with magnificent views of the Hudson Valley and beyond. Along the way up the mountain, there are remnants of former mining operations visible on the trail along with glacial erratics.

The 1,080-foot summit of The Timp sits on the border of Bear Mountain State Park and Harriman State Park. With its sparsely wooded summit and rock ledges, it offers great views of the surrounding area.

Doodletown survived as a small, isolated community for about 200 years. The area was settled in the 1760s by loggers and miners, and at one time included a church, a school, several small businesses and two cemeteries in addition to 70 houses and 300 residents at its peak in 1945. Doodletown is surrounded by five mountains: Dunderberg, Bald, Timp, West and Bear Mountains.

Originally this hike was going to be a 5 mile hike that included the summit of Bald Mountain and then returning on woods roads through Doodletown. While mapping it out I discovered that The Timp was not too far from the junction where we would turn to descend towards Doodletown. I figured since we would be in the area, why not extend the hike and hit that spot as well. I left it as an option which would depend how we felt after climbing the steep trail to Bald Mountain. I like options when hiking because mileage, elevation and the ruggedness of the terrain are factors one must weigh before heading out on the trail. With that being said, we did the longer version, but it wasn’t easy.

hike route

Check out the Google Earth Fly-Through video of the hike below.

It was a gorgeous Saturday morning which continued throughout the day. Arriving at the parking area just before 9:00 am, there were several vehicles already parked there. We geared up and headed out looking for the blue-blazed Cornell Mine Trail. The hike began just to the left of a concrete bridge which spans Doodletown Brook. Here the blazes are painted on the back of a sign.

Cornell Mine Trail

The trail heads uphill on a footpath, climbing rather steeply, then levels off. It soon begins to climb again, with cascades visible in the brook below to the right. We came to a fork where the blue blazes bear left and begin to veer away from Doodletown Brook, but we stayed to the right and took the unmarked trail which runs along the brook and leads to a waterfall that flows under the bridge of the Doodletown Bridle Path.

Doodletown Brook waterfall

We then continued on to the Doodletown Bridle Path. The Bridle Path was built during 1934-35 by workmen from New York City supplied by the Temporary Emergency Relief Administration (TERA). It was opened to the public on Sunday, May 5, 1935. It was intended for use as a ski trail as well as for horses.

Myles, William J.. Harriman Trails: A Guide and History (Kindle Locations 5289-5291). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

Doodletown Bridle Path

We were looking for Edison Mine which was somewhere close by. In 1890, inventor Thomas A. Edison purchased 197.59 acres of land located on the north slope of Dunderberg Mountain and at the base of Bald Mountain,

Lenik, Edward J.. Iron Mine Trails (Kindle Locations 1934-1935). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

We walked along the bridle path looking to our left for Tailings (waste rock) that usually indicates that a mine is nearby. As we walked along the bridle path I saw a what appeared to be some kind of sign on a tree. The “sign” let us know that we were close to the mine.

sign

Behind the tree there are Tailings on the side of the hill. We made our way up the hill to see if we could find the Edison Mine.

the path to Edison Mine

At the crest of the hill, about 100 feet from the bridle path is the location of the mine. The Edison Mine consists of a downward-sloping shaft that extends thirty-six feet in a northeasterly direction. The shaft opening at the surface measures eighteen feet by eleven feet and the maximum vertical depth is ten feet.

Edison Mine

This mine was an exploratory venture and was not operated commercially.

Edison Mine

We took a short break here and then began bushwacking east to join up with the Cornell Mine Trail. It was an easy bushwack as the area was not overgrown.

bushwacking

In about 550 feet, we reached the Cornell Mine Trail and turned right, heading south.

Cornell Mine Trail

The trail continues on a somewhat moderate grade and then it begins a steep, unrelenting ascent of Bald Mountain.

Cornell Mine Trail

We stopped frequently to catch our breath and then kept going. After all, this mountain wasn’t going to climb itself. According to the book, Iron Mines Trails, there are some mine openings along the trail on the way up, but we missed them. After a hard climb on the rocky trail, we arrived at the terminus of the Cornell Mine Trail.

terminus of the Cornell Mine Trail

We turned right onto the red-dot-on-white-blazed Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail. This section of the trail was blazed in January and February 1921 by E. Cecil Earle and A.B. Malcolmson of the Tramp and Trail Club and J. Ashton Allis of AMC. The trail ascends gently (as compared to the Cornell Mine Trail), as it nears the summit of Bald Mountain.

Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

After a short distance, the trail bears left, but we continued straight, leaving the R-D Trail and bushwacking about 150 feet along the hillside. Here we came to the Cornell Mine, according to William J. Myles this mine opening was probably dug prior to 1859.

Cornell Mine

This adit or shaft opening is five feet by five feet and extends into the hillside about fifty feet; it should not be entered, as it contains water and is dangerous.

Cornell Mine

After spending a little time examining the Cornell Mine, we retraced our steps back to the R-D Trail and continued up to the summit. After climbing approximately 1100 feet, reaching the summit felt triumphant.

summit of Bald Mountain

Looking north from the summit of Bald Mountain, we were rewarded with a tremendous view of the Hudson River and beyond. The Bear Mountain Bridge with Anthony’s Nose to the right is quite a sight to see from this vantage point.

view north from the summit of Bald Mountain

Just over 2 miles away, on the summit of Bear Mountain, Perkins Memorial Tower was clearly visible.

Perkins Memorial Tower

The rolling hills of Bear Mountain and Harriman State Parks, with West Mountain on the left and Bear Mountain on the far right.

rolling hills of Bear Mountain and Harriman State Parks

We were in no hurry to leave this wonderful spot that we worked so hard to get to. We found some nice flat rocks to sit on and enjoyed a sandwich with a nice cold beverage. I always freeze a couple of sports drinks on warmer days and today was one of those. Once we relaxed for quite a while, we began to descend Bald Mountain on the R-D Trail. It was steep in some spots, but for the most part it was relatively easy.

Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

In about 3/4 of a mile, we arrived at a junction with the white-blazed 1777 Trail and the red-dot-on-white-blazes of the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail. We stopped here to discuss whether we would turn right on the 1777 Trail and head back towards Doodletown or continue up to The Timp.

junction with the 1777 Trail and the R-D Trail

We were all exhausted at this point and to be perfectly honest, I would have been fine with doing the shorter hike. After some contemplation, we figured that since we were here, we might as well do the longer hike. We rested for a few minutes and then resumed our trek. The R-D Trail begins to climb as we made our way to the summit of The Timp. Once near the summit, there are partially obstructed views looking southeast towards the Hudson River and Haverstraw Bay.

southern view from The Timp

A little more climbing and we finally got to the summit of The Timp. There were a few groups of people there enjoying the view and we found a comfortable spot and took a load off. The view from here was pretty spectacular as the breeze cooled us off.

view from The Timp

Looking northwest, I spotted the West Mountain Shelter which we had visited back in April.

West Mountain Shelter

My calf was sore so we rested longer than I would have liked. I didn’t want to cramp up and we still had about 3 miles to go. I guzzled a sports drink and we headed out. We began to descend via the R-D Trail and turned right on the unmarked Timp Pass Road. Timp Pass Road was marked with red plaques as a ski trail by the Youth Conservation Corps in 1980. It turned out that it was too long, and in places, too dangerous. In 1987, this ski trail was officially de-marked. This “stone road,” for much of its distance, is a real “ankle-breaker.”

Timp Pass Road

We were looking for a footpath on the left that leads to a woods road. That woods road leads to the Herbert Mine. We missed it, but found another road further down that would have been our return route from the mine. We began to walk up the hill on that woods road, but it got real steep, real fast. Upon consulting the map, we determined that visiting that mine would require us climbing another several hundred feet. It didn’t take much convincing to skip that. We descended the hill back to Timp Pass Road and turned left. In a short distance we reached the white-blazed 1777 Trail. The 1777 Trail marks the route taken by British troops under Sir Henry Clinton on October 6, 1777 from Stony Point to attack the American forces at Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery.

1777 Trail

Now in Doodletown, we passed by a small stone shelter. This is a remnant of a camp that was maintained there until the 1950’s by Riverside Church of New York City.

small stone shelter

We headed back to the 1777 Trail also known as Pleasant Valley Road, passing a 200 year Oak tree……..

200 year Oak tree

and the ruins of numerous homes, with not much left but foundations and stone steps.

Doodletown ruins

We turned right onto another woods road and walked a short distance to the Herbert Cemetery. A “sign” indicating its location is located at the intersection.

Herbert Cemetery

We retraced our steps back to the 1777 Trail which in a short distance divides into the 1777W Trail, which leaves to the left and the 1777E Trail which continues ahead on Pleasant Valley Road. We proceeded ahead, now following the 1777E blazes. Reaching a T-intersection, where Pleasant Valley Road ends, we turned right, still following the 1777E blazes, but now on Doodletown Road.

1777E Trail/Doodletown Road

We stayed on Doodletown Road and walked by the Doodletown Reservoir. Built in 1975, it was designed to supply drinking water to Iona Island and to serve as a backup to the Bear Mountain supply.

Doodletown Reservoir

Doodletown Reservoir dam

There are more points of interest to explore in this area, but by this time we were pretty wiped out. We just continued down Doodletown Road, stopping briefly to look at some ruins alongside the road.

Doodletown ruins

Just ahead, the 1777E Trail leaves to the left, but we continued along Doodletown Road (now unmarked), which begins a steady descent.

Doodletown Road

The blue-blazed Cornell Mine Trail joins from the left as we continued to follow the road downhill. It makes a sharp right turn and then narrows to a footpath. After descending wooden steps, the trail ends at Route 9W, just north of the parking area where we began the hike.

What a great, but exhausting hike. I am glad that we did the longer version, but the shorter hike is more manageable. My only regret is that fatigue set in and we bypassed several points of interest. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog, now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Scenic views, waterfall, secluded trails, woods roads, historic ruins, abandoned iron mines, old cemetery.

Cons: Lots of elevation gain, rugged terrain – ankle breaker trails.

Take a hike!

Rockhouse Mountain, Lake Askoti and Pine Swamp Mountain Loop – Harriman State Park

Posted on June 3, 2017

June 3, 2017 – Southfields, NY

Difficulty: easy – moderate

Length: approximately 6.6 miles

Max elevation: 1,179 ft.– total elevation gain 706 ft.

Route type: circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map #119

Trailhead parking: Lake Skannatati Parking – Southfields, NY 10975

The previous week we hiked in the same area (Pine Swamp Loop), but missed a scenic view due to the Arden-Surebridge Trail and the Red Cross Trail being rerouted. I decided to come back and explore some of the lesser traveled trails in the park and then bushwack at the end of the hike and find that elusive view. We hiked this loop counterclockwise from the Lake Skannatati Parking area, beginning on the Long Path and ending with the Arden-Surebridge Trail.

Lake Askoti and Pine Swamp Mountain Loop

Below is a Google Earth image of the trails and points of interests on this hike.

Lake Askoti and Pine Swamp Mountain Loop

We arrived at the parking area at about 9:45 am on a beautiful Saturday in June. The lot was beginning to fill up as it always does on the weekends. We gathered up our gear and headed out. We walked to the southern end of the parking area and picked up the Long Path.

Long Path trailhead

We would be following the aqua blazes of the Long Path for approximately the first 1.3 miles of the hike. The trail ducks into the woods briefly then curves to the left and crosses Seven Lakes Drive. The Long Path continues just to the right of the crossing, on a gravel road.

the Long Path

A few feet in, the Long Path turns right, leaves the gravel road and continues on a footpath.

the Long Path

The trail then crosses a powerline cut and reenters the woods.

the Long Path

In a brief distance, the Long Path crosses County Road 106.

the Long Path

After crossing the road, we turned right and walked along the side of CR 106 for a short distance then turned left into the the woods.

the Long Path

The Long Path now becomes a narrow footpath. Having walked this section before, I knew to wear long pants because we were constantly brushing up against the foliage as we walked the trail.

the Long Path

After crossing a small stream and a short climb, We arrived at a junction with the blue-blazed Beech Trail. This turn can be easily missed if not for a cairn sitting in the middle of the trail.

cairn at the Long Path/Beech Trail junction

Making a left on the Beech Trail, we were now heading northeast as we followed the blue blazes.

Beech Trail

The Beech Trail starts out narrow and at times widens to a woods road then narrows again. The blazes also vary in shades of blue. Sometimes dark blue, light blue or just faded blue. Nevertheless, they are blue and it wasn’t confusing. This is one of the newer trails, blazed in 1972. It was during the construction of this trail that the method of using offset double blazes to show the direction in which the trail turns was invented.

Beech Trail

There are some interesting rock formations along the way and except for the birds, it was quiet.

Beech Trail

We then crossed CR 106 again, entered the woods and then in a short distance, the Beech Trail turns right onto a grassy woods road and runs along the shoulder of Rockhouse Mountain.

Beech Trail

The mainly level woods road was a pleasure to walk. Being able to look around without the fear of tripping over a rock was a big plus. The trail once again narrows to a footpath as we pass a series of stone walls, the site of an old farm.

Beech Trail

Not too long after passing the stone walls, we came to an old cemetery. The first grave is that of Timothy Youmans, who died on April 7, 1865 while serving in Company K of the 56th New York regiment. The Civil War ended two days later.

Timothy Youmans grave

This cemetery was restored by the Eagle Scouts as indicated by the plaque below and the graves in this cemetery date back to the mid-1800’s.

cemetery plaque

We spent a few moments here to pay our respects.

cemetery along the Beech Trail

We continued along on the Beech Trail until we came to a woods road. Here the Beech Trail turns right, but we turned left onto Hasenclever Road.

Beech Trail/Hasenclever Road junction

Hasenclever Road was also a pleasure to walk on. The grassy surface was a nice change from the normally rocky trails of Harriman and the road had several long straightaways. Hasenclever Road, built in 1760 from Stony Point to Central Valley, is one of the oldest roads in the Park. Its significance is apparent from the many woods roads (most of which are overgrown) that branch off of it. Hasenclever Road was mapped by General Robert Erskine in 1778 for General Washington.

Myles, William J.. Harriman Trails: A Guide and History (Kindle Locations 3730-3731). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

This was once the main road to an old settlement.

Hasenclever Road

Sandyfield was settled in 1760 on Hasenclever Road. Originally a settlement of about 30 houses, in the early 1940’s Sandyfield was intentionally flooded to create Lake Welch in Harriman State Park, despite protests from the residents, who were ultimately forced to leave in 1939. The road crosses a little concrete bridge, a reminder that until 1910 this was a county road.

concrete bridge on Hasenclever Road

Walking along the trail something caught my eye. About 15 feet from the road, on the right, is a Rockland County highway monument mounted on a rock.

Rockland County highway monument

A short distance beyond the highway monument marker, we arrived at a junction with the red-cross-on-white blazed Red Cross Trail. On the right side of the junction is the Hasenclever Mine. The mine, which is said to be 100 feet deep, is now filled with water.

Hasenclever Mine

The Hasenclever iron ore deposit was discovered and initially developed in 1765 by Peter Hasenclever, who purchased 1,000 acres of land, including the site, for the purpose of establishing an ironworks on the nearby Cedar Ponds (now Tiorati) Brook. Peter Hasenclever was an iron entrepreneur who headed a group of British investors known as the London Company.

Lenik, Edward J.. Iron Mine Trails (Kindle Locations 1704-1706). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

Hasenclever Mine

Once we were done checking out the mine, we proceeded west on the Red Cross Trail. We had now hiked about 3.75 miles. The Red Cross Trail was first blazed in April 1944, but it has been relocated several times since then.

Red Cross Trail

The trail passes through thick mountain laurel, a powerline cut and past some rock formations before it descends a little to a northwest facing viewpoint. Fingerboard Mountain can be seen from the trail from a rock outcrop.

northwest facing viewpoint from the Red Cross Trail

The Red Cross Trail now begins a steady descent and Lake Askoti can be seen through the trees. At the base of the descent, the Red Cross Trail passes by a rock outcrop along the shore of Lake Askoti, a man-made lake, approximately 41-acres in size. Askoti which means “this side,” was filled with water in 1937. A short spur trail leads to the edge of the lake.

Lake Askoti

Up to this point we hadn’t seen a single person on our hike. We had this view to ourselves for a short while, then a couple of ladies and their two children came to relax here. After taking in the view, we continued on our way. I lost sight of the trail, but Seven Lakes Drive was just feet away, so we bushwacked up towards the road where the markers became visible again.

Red Cross Trail as it crosses Seven Lakes Drive

The Red Cross Trail crosses Seven Lakes Drive and begins a steady climb up Pine Swamp Mountain.

Red Cross Trail

After a short but steep climb, we arrived at the terminus of the Red Cross Trail. The inverted-red-triangle-on-white blazes that mark the Arden-Surebridge (A-SB) Trail forms a T-intersection. I sat on a rock as I waited for my hiking partners to catch up.

terminus of the Red Cross Trail

The Arden-Surebridge Trail was first blazed during the summer of 1921 by J. Ashton Allis. In December of 2014 the trail was relocated to alleviate erosion and ongoing impacts to sensitive habitats. That explains why on two previous hikes I did not see a fantastic view that the old trail provides. I had viewed images of the scenic view online and was determined to find it. I bushwacked up to the summit and hit a few deadends, but found a well beaten path and knew I was on the right track. I headed south and then came to the rock outcrop that I was looking for. Lake Skannatati and Lake Kanawauke from the summit of Pine Swamp Mountain.

Lake Skannatati and Lake Kanawauke as viewed from Pine Swamp Mountain

I would have liked to have spent more time here, but since I did this part on my own, I didn’t want to keep my hiking partners waiting too long. I followed the route of the old Arden-Surebridge Trail south until it connected with the new re-route and descended towards the parking lot.

Arden-Surebridge Trail

We made it to the parking area, which was pretty full at this point and after a short rest, got in the vehicle to find a spot to grill some food. Another great hike in the books that had a little bit of everything. I hope that you enjoyed reading and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Secluded trails, historic mining operation, scenic woods roads, rock formations, scenic views, lake views.

Cons: Narrow footpaths at times that make it hard to avoid brushing up against the foliage (Ticks).

Take a hike!

Pine Swamp Loop – Harriman State Park

Posted on May 27, 2017

May 27, 2017 – Southfields, NY

Difficulty: moderate

Length: approximately 6 miles

Max elevation: 1,358 ft.– total elevation gain 680 ft.

Route type: circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map #119

Trailhead parking: Lake Skanatati Parking – Southfields, NY 10975

Click here to see Trail Alerts for Bear Mountain-Harriman State Parks

Please note: Hikers should use caution in the vicinity of the mines, as their deep water filled pits and unstable overhanging rocks can be dangerous.

I designed this hike around Pine Swamp Mine. It was originally a 3 mile hike, but it felt too short so I extended it. The image below shows the figure 8 loop that we hiked. The bottom half of the “eight” represents the original 3 mile hike and the upper half is the extended portion I added on. The lower half can be hiked on its own for a shorter loop.

A shorter similar version of this hike can be viewed HERE.

Hike route

View the Google Earth Fly-Through video of the hike below.

Below is a Google Earth image of the trails and points of interests on this hike. We hiked this loop clockwise and bearing left at the center towards Times Square.

Pine Swamp Loop waypoints

After all the rain throughout the week it was nice to have some dry weather. It was mostly cloudy with temps in the mid to high 60’s on this Saturday morning. Although the weather was dry, the trails weren’t. All the rain that fell caused the trails to be swampy and in some cases flooded. Thank god for waterproof boots.

We arrived at the parking area at about 9:15 am and the lot was nearly full. This parking area tends to fill up early on weekends and it was maxed out by the time we returned. We began our hike at the northwest corner of the parking area, picking up the aqua-blazed Long Path just to the left of the kiosk. To the right of the kiosk is the inverted-red-triangle-on-white blazed Arden-Surebridge (A-SB) Trail, which would be our return route.

northwest corner of the parking area

The Long Path begins along the northern shore of Lake Skannatati with views of the lake alongside the trail.

Lake Skannatati

In about a 1/2 mile, the Long Path veers away from the lake and goes deeper into the woods.

The Long Path

The rocky trail travels through mountain laurel…..

mountain laurel

and some swampy sections that resemble stream crossings.

swampy Long Path

The Long Path then crosses Pine Swamp Brook on rocks…..

Pine Swamp Brook

and passes by a massive rock formation.

rock formation

After about 1.3 miles from the start of the hike, we came to a T-intersection with the yellow-blazed Dunning Trail. We turned right onto the Dunning Trail, a grassy, mostly level woods road.

Dunning Trail

The blazes along this section of the trail are few and far between, but it is easy to follow. The Dunning Trail was created by James Dunning, chairman of the AMC Trail Committee in 1934. This section was created in 1943 by Joseph Bartha who extended the Dunning Trail to reach the Arden-Surebridge Trail.

Dunning Trail

In about a 1/2 of a mile from the point where we began on the Dunning Trail, we came to Pine Swamp.

Pine Swamp

An area of the the Dunning Trail alongside the swamp, was a little flooded. We had to step on logs and walk along the hillside to keep our feet dry. We were looking for a footpath that led up the hillside to Pine Swamp Mine. I stopped right by the footpath to ask a couple of hikers that were going in the opposite direction if they knew where the mine was. When I mentioned that there was a trail that that leads up the hill to it, the man said “is that it?” and pointed to the trail beside me. I think I would have noticed it anyway, but was appreciative of his assistance.

Pine Swamp Mine trail

The trail climbs steeply for about 50 feet to a level area, where there were a few people standing. Seeing people there was indicative that I was in the general vicinity of the mine. This mine is a large open cut about 100 feet long and forty feet wide, with vertical walls seventy-five feet high.

Lenik, Edward J.. Iron Mine Trails (Kindle Locations 1419-1421). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

Pine Swamp Mine

Walking into the cut and looking to the left, I could see the mine adit behind 3 large trees. We exercised caution as we got closer for a better look. In areas where there has been mining activity, there are usually water filled pits that could be quite deep. Exploring in and around mines can be dangerous.

Pine Swamp Mine

At the southern end of the cut, there is an adit or opening to a horizontal passage that extends some 125 feet into the hillside. This passage slopes upward, and above its far end is an air shaft opening to the surface. Moving past the trees that stood guard at the opening, we were able to get a good view of Pine Swamp Mine.

Pine Swamp Mine

Below is an image of me standing in front of Pine Swamp Mine so you can get an idea of the size of the adit. Pine Swamp Mine began operations circa 1830 and was worked intermittently until 1880.

Pine Swamp Mine

I stepped inside briefly to look around, but did not venture too far in.

Pine Swamp Mine

A rectangular water-filled shaft containing the remains of timbers, is located along the bottom of the west wall of the open cut.

Pine Swamp Mine

We descended down the footpath back to the Dunning Trail and turned left, heading northeast. In a few hundred feet, we arrived at the terminus of the Dunning Trail.

terminus of the Dunning Trail

Here the Arden-Surebridge (A-SB) Trail forms a T-intersection with the end of the Dunning Trail. There is a picturesque cascading stream here and we took a short break.

cascading stream

The A-SB Trail crosses the stream here and about 100 feet on the left is a large rectangular cut in the hillside that is 118 feet long and twenty-nine feet wide, with vertical rock walls that are about twenty-two feet deep. This excavation is part of the Pine Swamp Mine complex.

large rectangular cut

We recrossed the stream and began heading west on the A-SB Trail. The Arden-Surebridge Trail is marked with inverted-red-triangle-on-white blazes. The trail was blazed in the Summer of 1921 by J. Ashton Allis, who was the president of the Fresh Air Club for many years and a veteran hiker and trail builder.

Arden-Surebridge Trail

This section of the A-SB Trail runs on an old mining road, called Surebridge Mine Road. It ascends gently for about a 1/2 of a mile until it reaches Times Square. Times Square got its name because it is located at the junction of three trails and serves as a popular meeting place for hikers.

Times Square

We took a nice long break here which was about the halfway point of our hike. There was a group of hikers that were there when we first arrived. Shortly thereafter, they left and we had the place to ourselves for quite some time. When we were ready to continue, we began following the red-dot-on-white blazes of the Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail, just to the left of the Times Square boulder.

Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

The Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail is the oldest trail in Harriman State Park and bisects the park west to east. At 23 miles long and 6,000 feet of elevation gain, it is a challenging trail, but quite enjoyable with its ups and downs and open rock surface.

Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

The ruggedness and beauty of this trail added to the enjoyment of the hike even though we were only on it for about 1/2 of a mile.

Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

We were now looking for a junction with the Bottle Cap Trail. It is listed on the NY/NJ Trail Conference map as an unmaintained trail, but hikers have nailed actual bottle caps to the trees to mark the trail. I was a little hesitant when choosing this trail as I have read on a few hike descriptions that this trail is hard to follow and the bottle caps being so small, at times are hard to see. The junction was visible, but the beginning of the trail had me rethinking going this way.

Bottle Cap Trail

The beginning of the trail, east of the R-D Trail is overgrown, and we almost turned back, but then the trail cleared up and the bottle caps led the way.

Bottle Cap Trail

At times the trail was easily discernible and other times not so much. The key was once we came to a tree that was marked with bottle caps, we did not move forward until we located the next one. In essence, we were playing “find the bottle cap” along the way.

Bottle Cap Trail

For an unmaintained trail, it wasn’t too bad. Most of the blow downs were chainsawed and the path cleared, so someone has been maintaining it to some degree.

Bottle Cap Trail

We didn’t see any other hikers since we left Times Square. After a mile on the Bottle Cap Trail, we arrived at its eastern terminus, at a fire road (the former route of the A-SB Trail).

Bottle Cap Trail terminus

Walking on the unmarked fire road that was mostly level, was a nice reprieve.

woods road

We enjoyed a scenic walk on this woods road as we were now starting to wear down.

woods road

Arriving at a junction with the A-SB Trail, we turned left, now heading for the homestretch. The A-SB Trail climbs a bit as it heads southeast towards the parking area.

Arden-Surebridge Trail

The Arden-Surebridge Trail climbs to the shoulder of Pine Swamp Mountain then descends to the northern shore of Lake Skannatati and a now full parking lot.

Lake Skannatati parking area

I hope that you enjoyed todays hike as much as I did. Please don’t forget to follow my blog and stay up to date on all my journeys. Until next time folks, now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Woods roads, abandoned iron mine, Times Square, secluded trails, Lake Skannatati, stream crossings.

Cons: Can’t think of any.

Take a hike!

Boston Mine and Island Pond – Harriman State Park

Posted on May 20, 2017

May 20, 2017 – Southfields, NY

Difficulty: easy

Length: approximately 4 miles

Max elevation: 1,096 ft.– total elevation gain: 384 ft.

Route type: circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map #119

Trailhead parking: 1369 Kanawauke Rd, Southfields, NY, 10975

Hike route

Boston Mine, which was last worked in 1880, is one of the more impressive mines in Harriman State park. I have visited this mine before on a longer hike and decided to include it on this hike. Island Pond is a large glacially-made pothole. It drains both north and south. The deepest part of the pond is 126 feet, with depths averaging ninety-one feet in the northern half. It is a beautiful and tranquil place deep in the woods and far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

I was in the mood for an easy, walk in the woods type hike that included several points of interest. This hike fit the bill quite nicely. This would make an excellent hot weather hike, as much of the trails traveled have tree cover. It was a cloudy Saturday morning with temps in the mid 50’s and windy at times. We arrived at the parking area at approximately 9:30 am. There were several cars already there and just room left for a few more. Our hike began on the White Bar Trail, blazed with white horizontal rectangles.

White Bar Trail

The White Bar Trail cuts through the parking area from the south and crosses County Road 106 and heads north into the woods. The White Bar Trail was first marked in 1922 by the Boy Scouts.

County Road 106

The trail bears left and runs parallel to CR 106 for about 500 feet. This area has a lot of downed trees, but the trail crew that maintains this section of trail have done a good job clearing the way.

White Bar Trail

The trail then bears right, crosses a stream then arrives at a fork. The left fork is Island Pond Road, which would be our return route. We stayed to the right to continue on the White Bar Trail.

fork – Island Pond Road (left) White Bar Trail (right)

The White Bar Trail continues ahead on a woods road.

White Bar Trail

In a short distance, the Nurian Trail joins from the right, also blazed white, but with vertical blazes. The trail was established in 1929 by Kerson Nurian, a Bulgarian immigrant and an electrical engineer that worked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He was among the first trail builders in the Harriman area.

joint White Bar Trail and Nurian Trail

We followed the joint White Bar Trail and Nurian Trail for several hundred feet. When the trails split at a Y-intersection, we veered left and began following the vertical blazes of the Nurian Trail.

Y-intersection

The Nurian Trail follows a footpath over an open area and passes a glacial erratic on the left.

glacial erratic

It then passes through an area filled with pine trees……

Nurian Trail

then continues through dense mountain laurel.

Nurian Trail

About a 1/2 mile from the Y-intersection with the White Bar Trail, the Nurian Trail reaches Island Pond Road. We turned right here, still following the vertical white blazes along the wide woods road.

Nurian Trail/Island Pond Road

The Nurian trail then veers left at a fork, but we stayed to the right and continued on Island Pond Road.

fork – Nurian Trail/Island Pond Road

The yellow-blazed Dunning Trail now joins Island Pond Road from the left. We stayed on the woods road, now blazed yellow.

joint Dunning Trail/Island Pond Road

In a short distance, when the Dunning Trail turns right, we left the road and followed the yellow blazes.

junction – Dunning Trail goes right

After making the right turn to stay on the Dunning Trail, the cut in the hillside leading to Boston Mine is visible straight ahead. The mine opening consists of a large open cut, about 100 feet long, which extends north to south within a low ridge. At its northern end, the open cut becomes a shaft which extends into the rock ridge for about 30 feet.

Lenik, Edward J.. Iron Mine Trails (Kindle Locations 1300-1302). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

Boston Mine

Approaching the mine cut, we exercised caution as this area is filled with water and topped with leaves. The best way to view the actual mine entrance is by turning right and staying on the Dunning Trail, which goes up around the side of Boston Mine. Veering off the trail, we had a good frontal view of the adit.

Boston Mine

According to historian James M. Ransom, the Boston Mine was worked around 1880. The ore extracted from this mine was sent to the Clove Furnace at Arden, New York to be smelted.

Boston Mine

There where a lot of bugs in this area and I was glad that I applied insect repellent prior to beginning the hike, although they were swarming around my head which I left unprotected. When we were done checking out Boston Mine, we retraced our steps back to the junction of the Dunning Trail and Island Pond Road. We turned right and proceeded to walk north on Island Pond Road.

Island Pond Road

It was a nice easy walk along this woods road which was built in 1905 by Edward H. Harriman.

Island Pond Road

The Arden-Surebridge Trail (A-SB Trail) comes in from the right and joins Island Pond Road. When the joint A-SB Trail/Island Pond Road goes to left, we continued straight onto another unmarked woods road.

straight on unmarked woods road

To this point we had only seen two other hikers that were walking behind us briefly along the A-SB Trail. We walked the unmarked woods road to its terminus at the southern end of Island Pond where there sits the ruins of a cabin.

unmarked woods road

Harriman State Park built this stone cabin circa 1927 for their Park Rangers.

stone cabin ruins

Major William A. Welch, a founder of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, entertained visitors here.

stone cabin ruins

Unfortunately, the cabin was burned by vandals on January 1, 1962.

stone cabin ruins

Just beyond the cabin is a narrow footpath that leads to flat rocks which grace the southern shore of Island Pond.

Island Pond

Such a beautiful spot, that even though it was only about 11:30 am, we decided to sit here and have lunch. Luckily for us, not another soul was to be seen or heard while we enjoyed our sandwiches and cookies as well as the scenery.

Island Pond

As picturesque as this place is, the sun would not cooperate nor the wind. Since I was wearing short sleeves and short pants, at times the breeze from the pond was a bit chilly. We then began to retrace our steps back along the unmarked woods road.

unmarked woods road

On the way down to Island Pond, I noticed a trail off to the left with a fallen tree lying across it. Garfield Mine is located down in that area. We decided to venture down that trail and see if we could find it.

unmarked trail

I had forgotten to print the details about the exact location of the mine and the trail was littered with felled trees. The trail seemed to peter out at one point, but later, after reading the details that I had failed to print, the mine is 250 feet down that trail. We were literally just feet from it when we gave up.

unmarked trail

Retracing our steps back to the unmarked woods road, we turned right and continued heading south towards Island Pond Road. The rest of the way back was a pleasant walk in the woods with only a minor hill or two along the way.

Island Pond Road

Island Pond Road ends at County Road 106, about 500 feet from where we parked. We turned left on the White Bar Trail just before reaching the road. This is the section that parallels CR 106 before crossing the road and back to the parking area where our hike began.

Island Pond Road

I hope that you enjoyed this weeks hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions below as well. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: abandoned mines, stone cabin ruins, scenic pond, shaded trails, easy to walk woods roads, mostly level hike, secluded trails.

Cons: Garfield Mine trail is overgrown and hard to follow.

Take a hike!

Hunter Island – Pelham Bay Park

Posted on May 7, 2017

May 7, 2017 – Bronx, NY

Difficulty: easy

Length: approximately 4.5 miles

Route type: circuit

Map: Pelham Bay Park

Trailhead parking: Orchard Beach Parking lot

For an updated and slightly different version of this hike, click HERE.

Located north of Orchard Beach, Hunter Island contains many noteworthy geological features including glacial erratics that were deposited during the last ice age nearly 15,000 years ago. The Siwanoy Indians, who originally occupied the island, called it Lap-Haa-Waach King, meaning “place of stringing beads,” after the shells they strung together and used for ceremony and currency. In 1654, they sold the land to Thomas Pell (c.1610-1669), for whom Pelham Bay Park is named, and it was called Pell’s Island, and then Pelican Island, until 1804 when John Hunter bought the island for $40,000. He cultivated the land, creating a magnificent garden and mansion.

Hunter Island

I first visited Hunter Island to search for owls a few years ago. In the process of trying to find those elusive owls, I discovered a hidden gem in the Bronx. I did eventually find those owls, but have been back numerous times to explore the myriad of trails that snake through this island. The only official trail here is the Kazimiroff Nature Trail, in honor of Dr. Theodore Kazimiroff (1914-1980). Kazimiroff dedicated much of his work to the exploration and preservation of Pelham Bay Park. There are numerous other unmarked trails that lead in all directions. With 138 acres to explore, there is enough ground to cover to keep you busy for a few hours. I decided that I would walk the “official” trail today and meander throughout the rest of the island. Although we did retrace our steps several times, it was mostly a loop.

Hunter Island

It was mostly cloudy, temps in the low 50’s with rain in the forecast on this Sunday in May. Not wanting to get caught in a downpour miles deep in the woods, this was a good spot for a leisurely hike before the rains fell. After parking in the Orchard Beach lot, we headed out on the unpaved park road towards the trailhead. It was a little swampy at the start of the trail as we began on the Kazimiroff Nature Trail.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

The flora along this trail so lush and green and a welcome sight, a contrast to the chilly air, which was not Spring like.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

There are numerous spur trails that lead towards the water’s edge and we encountered one almost immediately. This spur trail left us standing directly across from Two Tree Island, named after Joe Two Trees, an Algonquin Indian that lived in Pelham Bay Park and befriended and inspired a then 10 year old Theodore Kazimiroff.

Two Tree Island

Hunter Island was at one time connected to West Twin Island via a man-made stone bridge that now lies in ruins in one of the city’s few remaining salt marshes.

stone bridge ruins

Looking north out onto the Long Island Sound, reminded me of why I love this place.

Hunter Island

After taking in the view, we walked back to the main trail, turned right and veered left at fork, following the blue arrows which lead into the forest. The right fork would be our return route.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

The first part of the trail is easy to follow and the posts with arrows indicate which direction to go in order to stay on the trail. Following the blue arrows takes you on the outer loop, which is the route we took.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

I always enjoy walking through these scenic woods, so close to the city yet it felt like we were upstate somewhere.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

There are countless trails that criss-cross the island, some of which are wide woods roads that were part of John Hunter’s estate.

woods roads

Still following the blue arrows, we turned right and began walking on what was once the road that connected Mr. Hunter’s estate to the mainland. At this point, the posts with the directional arrows are no longer visible. They have either been removed or perhaps fallen down. There are blue splotches on trees which I didn’t deem reliable at the time, but did lead the right way.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

We came to a T-intersection where in the past I have always turned right. We decided to turn left and continue on the original road to the mainland, which now headed west along the water.

original road to the mainland

As we walked, I could see that we were headed towards the area of the parking lot and we turned around and retraced our steps back to the T-intersection and proceeded straight with the water to our left.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

We got to a fork where the blue arrow appeared again and veered right, but we stayed left and came to a rock outcrop on the northwestern section of the island.

rock outcrop

We walked to the tip of the island and looking west, I saw a giant boulder. Doing research for this post, I discovered that it is called the Gray Mare. The Native Americans reportedly believed that their God or guardian intentionally placed the Grey Mare at that spot and it was a very important Siwanoy ritual site.

Gray Mare

We then retraced our steps back to the fork and veered left reconnecting with the main trail.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

Just up on the left, a short spur trail leads to my favorite spot. The salt marsh with its wooden plank walkway that leads to a tiny rocky island.

tiny rock island

I’ve been here numerous times and always enjoy walking the plank out to this joyous spot. We took a nice long break here just as the sun made its long awaited appearance. Sitting on a rock and enjoying the view, Glen Island is visible in the distance.

view from tiny rock island

A tinier rock island with glacial erratics, sits nearby. It is accessible via a sandbar during low tide.

glacial erratics

The sun was short lived and the wind picked up, a cue that it was time to get moving. We walked the plank back to the main trail and continued on our hike.

the plank

The trail markers appeared again, but it didn’t really matter as the trail paralleled the water. We stopped at a few of the many side trails that lead to views along the water. There is one spot along the trail that used to have an informational sign, but only a steel post remains. It sits across from Two Trees Island, but I have no clue what it was.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

Then we arrived back at the trailhead, but our hike was not over.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail

We walked straight towards the ocean and Orchard Beach, but I spotted a Great Egret in the salt marsh and stopped to take a look.

Great Egret

Walking towards the beach, we turned left onto the boardwalk. Technically it’s called a promenade because it is a paved walkway, but boardwalk sounds better to me.

Orchard Beach hexagonal-block promenade

We turned left just before the nature center by the Orchard Beach kiosk and onto West Twin Island.

kiosk

We then turned left onto the first trail we saw and headed towards the salt marsh.

West Twin Island

We continued on the wide footpath that parallels the salt marsh, heading northeast.

West Twin Island

Along the way, a Snowy Egret was just sitting there with its long neck tucked in.

Snowy Egret

We walked over to the stone bridge that used to connect West Twin and Hunter Islands.

stone bridge

Heading east now towards East Twin Island, we encountered a slight problem. The trail that connects the “Twins” was flooded. The water was about calf high and it was a little too chilly to get our feet wet.

flooded trail

We headed back the way we came in and turned left after reaching the “boardwalk.” When we neared the end, we turned left.

Orchard Beach hexagonal-block promenade

Now we were on East Twin Island and our feet were still dry.

Twin Island

Reaching a fork, we decided to stay left and walk along the water. The wide paved road would be our return route.

Twin Island

The clouds were getting a bit dark now as the wind increased.

Twin Island

It was a very pleasant walk along the rocky sand as we headed for Two Tree Island.

Twin Island

Twin Island and Two Tree Island connect via a thin mudflat landbridge which is submerged at high tide.

Two Tree Island

We ventured onto the tiny island to get a look around. I have been here a few times and have always enjoyed relaxing on the rocks. Today was no different.

Two Tree Island

Sitting here, looking out at the Long Island Sound, I felt a few drops. Since it was the tail end of the hike, we figured it was best to just start heading back.

Two Tree Island

Walking back from Two Tree Island, we had a good view of East Twin Island on the left, West Twin in the center and Hunter Island on the far right. The Islands were once true islands in Pelham Bay but are now connected to each other and to Orchard Beach by a landfill created in 1937.

East, West and Hunter Islands

We headed back towards Orchard Beach, passing through the center of East Twin Island.

East Twin Island

When we reached the “boardwalk,” we turned right and headed back to the parking lot where we began our hike.

East Twin Island

Even though I have hiked this area several times before, I always enjoy coming back and discovering new things about it. It does get crowded in the hotter months, but early mornings are usually less congested. On this day we crossed paths with several people and a large group of bird watchers. A great day of hiking in the Bronx, you can’t beat that with a baseball bat. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Rock formations and glacial erratics, Long Island Sound, views, islands, shore birds, scenic trails.

Cons: poorly marked trails, entrance fee in summer months, tends to get crowded in warmer weather.

Take a hike!

West Mountain Ridge Hike – Harriman State Park

Posted on April 29, 2017

April 29, 2017 – Tomkins Cove, NY

Difficulty: strenuous

Length: approximately 6 miles

Max elevation: 1,247 ft.– total elevation gain: 1,076 ft.

Route type: circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map #119

Trailhead parking: Anthony Wayne Recreation Area

Alternate routes from the same starting point:

From time to time I have parked at the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area and while gazing up at the rock outcrops atop West Mountain, I have seen people standing there and seemingly admiring the view. I decided that I wanted to hike the ridge and see what the view was like. I didn’t know that it was called West Mountain until I did a little research. I also discovered that the Appalachian Trail runs along the western ridge and a stone shelter is located on the southern ridge. I then planned out a hike that covered both. This turned out to be an excellent hike with views galore in all directions. Looking at the image below, we did this hike in a counter clockwise direction.

West Mountain Ridge Hike

A new feature that I have added is the Google Earth Fly-Through video. It follows the path that we hiked and it gives you a good idea of the terrain, layout, amount of parking etc. Check it out, it’s pretty cool.

View the Google Earth Fly-Through video of the hike below.

It was a wonderful day for a hike with the temperature in the mid 60’s when we began and then hovering around 80 degrees and partly cloudy throughout the rest of the day. We arrived at the parking area at around 8:45 am and once geared up, we headed southeast across a grass field towards the park road.

grass field

We proceeded to cross the park road and walking along the side of the road, we began to follow the blue-on-white diamond blazes of the Horn Hill Loop Mountain Bike Trail.

Horn Hill Loop Mountain Bike Trail

We continued past the entrance ramp to the Palisades Interstate Parkway and into the next parking area that had some trucks parked there.

next parking area

Continuing on the gravel path to the southernmost end of the parking area towards the edge of the woods, we came to a kiosk.

kiosk

We now headed into the woods still following the blue-on-white diamond blazes.

blue-on-white diamond blazes

The trail passes through a pine forest and crosses several bridges.

bridge

We then crossed a junction with the white-blazed Appalachian Trail, and soon afterwards, reached a junction with the red-on-white-blazed Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail and turned left.

red-on-white-blazed Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail

The R-D Trail begins to climb West Mountain, gradually at first, then after reaching some stone steps, the grade steepens. The R-D on the south crown of West Mountain was marked in 1920 by A.B. Malcolmson.

Myles, William J.. Harriman Trails: A Guide and History (Kindle Location 1977). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

red-on-white-blazed Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail

The trail then crosses Beechy Bottom East Road which is marked with the blue-on-white blazes of the Horn Hill Bike Path.

Beechy Bottom East Road

The R-D Trail continues its steady ascent through mountain laurel.

The R-D Trail

After passing a gully, the trail again becomes steep as it climbs the mountain over boulders.

Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail

This was turning out to be quite a vigorous hike. Although beautiful, the trails were at times unrelenting. There were many instances where we were required to use our hands as well as our feet.

Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail

After climbing the boulders, the trail turns left and narrows, as it passes by a huge rock formation.

Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail

Then we came to our first views of the day and a well deserved break to enjoy them. While resting at this spot a scattered group of hikers passed by. They were the only people we saw up to this point.

view south from Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail

After resting up, we continued up the rocky trail which led us towards a rock outcrop.

Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail

After a short but steep climb, we came to the junction of the Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail and Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail. Looking southeast, the Hudson River and surrounding hills are visible.

junction of the Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail and Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail

The two trails now run together briefly for about 300 feet on a fairly level tract as we proceeded up the mountain. This section of the S-BM Trail, from Cats Elbow to Bear Mountain Inn was first scouted by Raymond Torrey in 1926.

joint Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail and Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail

After climbing a ledge, the two trails split. Turning left, we were now following the yellow blazes of the S-BM Trail.

joint Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail and Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail

The trail passes through a section of the forest that is newly rejuvenated after having been damaged by fire some years ago.

Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail

The S-BM Trail then descends into a valley, crosses a small stream and then begins to climb again, passing by some interesting looking rock formations.

rock formation

After climbing some more, the trail briefly levels off…..

Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail

then reaches a t-intersection with the blue-blazed Timp-Torne Trail. We planted ourselves on a rock and rested from all the climbing. The Timp-Torne Trail was the second trail built by the new Palisades Interstate Park Trail Conference, in the winter of 1921. It was considered to be a branch of the R-D Trail, which had been built in 1920.

joint blue-blazed Timp-Torne Trail and Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail

Now on the ridge of West Mountain, we turned right and began following the joint blue-blazed Timp-Torne Trail and the yellow-blazed Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) Trail. There are several views to the south along the trail from rock outcrops.

view south

I thought that once we were on the ridge, the trail would level off and it would be an easy hike the rest of the way. I was mistaken, there are quite a few ups and downs over rocky terrain all along the ridge.

joint Timp-Torne Trail and Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail

In about 1/3 of a mile from the t-intersection, the trails split. As the yellow-blazed trail goes off to the left, we veered right and stayed on the blue-blazed trail. In about 500 feet, we arrived at the West Mountain Shelter. This shelter was built in 1928, with burros being used to carry up the lumber and cement. We were now about halfway through our hike.

West Mountain Shelter

The stone structure with a wood floor and shingled roof was refurbished in the fall of 2014. This shelter sits at an elevation of 1240 feet with views of the Hudson Valley to the southeast.

West Mountain Shelter

Needless to say, the view from here is magnificent. From what I read, it offers the best views of any of the shelters in Harriman State Park. With views of the Hudson River and the surrounding hills, who can argue with that?

view from West Mountain Shelter

We stopped here and had some lunch, as did numerous other people. To be honest, I was a little worn down already and could have stayed here for a lot longer than we did, but we had a hike to do. Retracing our steps back along the blue-blazed Timp-Torne Trail, passing the t-intersection where we turned earlier, we continued straight and arrived at a western facing viewpoint. This is also where the white-blazed Appalachian Trail joins the blue-blazed Timp-Torne Trail from the left.

blue-blazed Timp-Torne Trail

When researching this hike, I noticed that on the trail map there were ten stars (the stars denote the viewpoints) on the map along the north-south section of the ridge. This was the first of many viewpoints we would encounter on this stretch of trail.

view west from Timp-Torne Trail

Now heading north and following both the white and blue blazes, the trail travels along the ridge over rocky terrain.

Timp-Torne Trail

At this point, we had hiked almost 4 miles and were starting to tire. Not only are there numerous ups and downs, but at times you have to scramble over the numerous boulders that line the trail. The views are definitely worth it though. We came to a another viewpoint with Bear Mountain visible to the north.

Bear Mountain visible to the north

Continuing on, the trail turns right at a western facing viewpoint.

western facing viewpoint

Looking northwest, the Palisades Interstate Parkway and the Anthony Wayne parking area is visible below.

Looking northwest

As we proceeded on the trail, we arrived at a rock outcrop that had a strange looking boulder sitting on the edge of the cliff.

strange looking boulder

Although rugged, the trail along the ridge is quite scenic. The views are outstanding and the terrain is so varied that it kept the hike interesting.

Timp-Torne Trail

We came to another rock outcrop that offers a view southwest of the Harriman hills and beyond.

view southwest

Passing another cool rock formation, the trail climbs yet again.

rock formation

The Timp-Torne Trail climbs around the side of a glacial erratic then turns left.

Timp-Torne Trail

We stopped alongside the glacial erratic and took a quick break in the shade.

glacial erratic

This trail never lets up as it climbs open rock slabs rather steeply. We were worn down, but kept it moving. The end was now in sight, we had now hiked about 5 miles.

Timp-Torne Trail

The trail changes from open rock to a rocky footpath over undulating terrain as it passes several more viewpoints.

view northwest from Timp-Torne Trail

When we reached a y-intersection where the white-blazed Appalachian Trail veers right, we stayed left to remain on the blue-blazed Timp-Torne Trail.

y-intersection

The trail then begins a rather steep descent over open rock slabs. Relying on the grip of our boots, this section would be difficult if not hazardous, in wet conditions.

Timp-Torne Trail

After climbing a little, the trail leads to a north facing viewpoint with Bear Mountain and Perkins Memorial Tower directly in front of us.

Bear Mountain and Perkins Memorial Tower

Also visible just to the left of Bear Mountain is Popolopen Torne and its bald peak.

Popolopen Torne

The trail resumes its descent and reaches an intersection with the red-“F”-on-white blazed Fawn Trail. We turned left and continued down West Mountain.

red-“F”-on-white blazed Fawn Trail

The Fawn Trail ends at a junction with the white-blazed Anthony Wayne Trail at Beechy Bottom East Road.

end of Fawn Trail

Turning left onto Beechy Bottom East Road, marked with blue-on-white diamond blazes, we now began heading south. We were finally on level ground and it felt great. The road was muddy and swampy in places, but a joy to walk as we neared the end.

Beechy Bottom East Road

When we reached a y-intersection, the blue-on-white diamond blazes of the bike trail bears left, but we took the right fork…….

y-intersection

and continued walking on the unpaved road…….

unpaved road

which led us to an area with picnic tables where we sat for a few minutes before proceeding ahead back to the parking area where our hike began.

Anthony Wayne parking area

I have to say that this was a tough hike, but very rewarding. The trails were challenging at times and made us stay alert throughout most of the hike. The views were never ending and the weather cooperated as well. A great way to spend a Saturday in the Hudson Valley. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Challenging trails, many spectacular views, stone shelter, ample parking, well blazed trails, rock formations and glacial erratics, varied terrain.

Cons: I can’t think of any.

Take a hike!

Catfish Loop Trail – Fahnestock State Park

Posted on April 22, 2017

April 22, 2017 – Carmel, NY

Difficulty: moderate

Length: approximately 5.3 miles

Max elevation: 1,002 ft.– total elevation gain: 586 ft.

Route type: circuit

Map: East Hudson Trails Map (more detailed) – Free maps also available at kiosks

Trailhead parking: 294 Dennytown Rd Putnam Valley, NY 10579

Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park is a 14,337-acre state park located in Putnam and Dutchess counties, New York. Most of the park is situated in northern Putnam County between the Taconic State Parkway and U.S. Route 9. It is in an historic iron-mining region, and several remnants of that industry remain in mine excavations, stone foundations and the old railbeds used by some of the trails.

The Catfish Loop marked with red blazes, is a 4.9 miles long trail which loops around the southwest corner of Fahnestock State Park. It passes through a wide variety of terrain and is a good introductory hike if you’ve never explored the park before. It is also a good rigorous ramble for the novice hiker, needing only to follow the same color blaze for the entirety of the hike. The trail passes through a less traveled section of Fahnestock which provides some tranquility for those looking to escape the crowds on some of the more popular trails in the area.

Catfish Loop Trail – Fahnestock State Park

View the Google Earth Fly-Through video of the hike below.

The weather for this Saturday morning was supposed to be cloudy, but a light rain fell throughout most of the hike. The temperature was in the low 50’s with 6 mph winds. When we arrived at the parking area at about 9:30 am there were quite a few cars there already. A group of Boy Scouts appeared to be gearing up for some camping and a group from the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) was about to hit the trails. I asked the leader of the ADK which trails they were hiking and was informed that they would be embarking on the blue-blazed trail and returning on the AT. I was glad to hear that as I did not want a large group on our heels as we hiked.

We began our hike by crossing the road and entering the trail by the sign for the Catfish Loop Trail. The Appalachian Trail crosses the road and enters the woods here.

Catfish Loop Trail

In a short distance we arrived at a junction with the red-blazed Catfish Loop Trail. The trail goes left and right, but we turned left and followed the trail clockwise. While hiking the first part of the trail I mentioned that is was so well blazed to the point of there being too many blazes close together. Jokingly I said that by the end of the hike, the trail won’t have any red-blazes because the overzealous trail keeper ran out of red discs.

Catfish Loop Trail

The trail passes through a stone wall, of which there are many on this hike. An indication that this area was once used for farming.

stone wall

Passing by remnants of more stone walls, the trail parallels Dennytown Road.

stone walls

Immediately I noticed that this trail was quite picturesque as we walked through the woods. Never having been here before I was satisfied thus far at picking this hike.

Catfish Loop Trail

In about a quarter mile, the trail turns right and crosses a stream, the first of many on this trail.

stream crossing

After crossing a second stream, the trail now begins to climb.

second stream crossing then climb

After climbing, the trail levels off then descends to cross another stream.

trail descends to cross another stream

After crossing this stream the trail markers are difficult to see, but looking straight up the hill, they become visible once again. For a minute I thought my comment of running out of red discs was coming to fruition. After climbing to the highest point on this section of the ridge, it continues on to a fairly level tract.

fairly level tract

The red-blazed Catfish Loop Trail crosses the white-blazed Appalachian Trail. There is a cairn marking the intersection.

Catfish Loop Trail crosses the AT

Continuing on the red-blazed trail it soon begins a steady descent crossing a woods road marked with yellow blazes, indicating a horse trail.

Catfish Loop Trail crosses a woods road marked with yellow blazes

Crossing yet another stream on rocks, the most enjoyable aspect of the hike, the trail climbs again and passes between some large boulders.

Catfish Loop Trail passes between large boulders

From the top of the boulders, there is a west-facing view, with Crows Nest and Storm King Mountains visible on the west side of the Hudson River. It was still raining and the visibility wasn’t ideal, but it’s the only real view on this hike. I had envisioned sitting on this boulder and having a snack while enjoying the view, but the song “Fool in the Rain” by Led Zeppelin was playing in my head, so “I’ll run in the rain till I’m breathless.”

only real view on this hike

We were now 2 miles into the hike and hadn’t really taken a break. Since it was raining, I would rather keep moving than stand still and get wet, there goes that song again! We passed through probably the most scenic section of the trail while a light rain fell steadily enough to get us drenched and keep my camera tucked away.

Catfish Loop Trail

We crossed another stream on rocks. I lost count of how many streams we crossed on this trail. None were difficult (I carry spare socks just in case) and they made the hike more interesting.

stream crossing

This stream had a nice little cascade right where we crossed.

cascade

We then passed through an area that had a large number of stone walls. These stone walls are a little different that what I am used to seeing. These walls are covered with lichen and have a palish appearance.

stone walls

Hard to imagine that along this rugged area, many made their living farming the land.

Catfish Loop Trail

As we proceeded on the Catfish Loop Trail it was now lined with moss.

Catfish Loop Trail

The moss lined trail really accentuates how attractive these woods are.

Catfish Loop Trail

The peacefulness of the woods was a welcome respite from everyday life, despite being waterlogged from the rain. At least my feet stayed dry as we made another stream crossing.

stream crossing

We passed through a wet area that was teeming with green, a sign that Spring is indeed here.

wet area

Of course there is another stream crossing, this one the most attractive of the bunch.

stream crossing

A couple of times during the hike, the trail skirts the park boundary which is posted with signs. We stayed on the trail, respecting private property.

park boundary

As we continued along the trail the rain drops ceased for a bit and I began to dry out. The overzealous trail keeper must have run out of the shiny new red discs because the second half of the hike was marked with old and faded blazes and weren’t as frequent, but the trail is still easy to follow. There are some blue and green blazes painted on some trees, but we just disregarded them and kept following red.

Catfish Loop Trail

This trail goes by numerous interesting rock formations and glacial erratics.

glacial erratic

The Catfish Loop Trail goes over another stone wall as we arrived at the end of the loop.

end of the loop

We turned left onto the white-blazed Appalachian Trail and walked back up the hill, crossing Dennytown Road to the parking area, where our hike began.

end of loop

Upon arriving at the parking area in the morning, we noticed the ruins of a stone building just off the road. We decided to take a look at it after completing the hike. The back of the East Hudson Trails map states that this stone building was built in the 1920’s or 1930’s by an amateur stone mason.

stone ruins

It also says that although it may be mistaken for a chapel, it served as a chicken coop.

stone ruins

This had to be the most extravagant chicken coop in history.

stone ruins

Exploring this glorified chicken coop was a nice way to end the hike.

stone ruins

Speaking of chicken, it was time to take off and find a spot to light the grill.

stone ruins

This hike turned out to be much better than I expected. The trail was scenic throughout and the solitude was ideal. We only saw a young couple with an unleashed dog going in the opposite direction. Even though the dog growled at me, it was a good day on the trail. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Until next time folks, now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Well blazed trails, varied terrain, lots of rock hopping over streams, scenic woods throughout, very secluded, old stone walls, rock formations, glacial erratics.

Cons: Not many views, last part of the hike is uphill.

Take a hike!

Bonticou Crag and Table Rocks

Posted on April 17, 2017

April 17, 2017 – Mohonk Preserve – New Paltz, NY

Difficulty: strenuous

Length: approximately 6.3 miles

Max elevation: 1,195 ft. – total elevation gain: 1,215 ft.

Route type: circuit

Map: Shawangunk Trails Map

Trailhead parking: Spring Farm Trailhead

Fees: $15.00 per hiker day use fee (totally worth it)

Bonticou Crag is one of those hikes that that you just want to do. Similar to Breakneck Ridge, it is challenging and exhilarating. I have been wanting to “conquer the crag” since I read about it a couple of years ago. It is a very popular hike and with popularity comes crowds. I don’t much care for crowds when I hike because it’s the crowds I’m trying to get away from when I hike. I wanted to do a challenging hike on my birthday to keep father time at bay and convince myself that age is only a number. Since my birthday fell on a Monday, I thought it would be the right time to do this hike. After all, since I didn’t know how difficult it would be until I was actually doing it, I didn’t want any young bucks breathing down my neck or feeling pressured to move faster than I wanted to. With that being said, we were off to “conquer the crag” on the Monday of my birthday. Not wanting to reveal my true age, it’s just a number you know, I remember 8-track tapes and parachute pants.

Arriving at the parking area just after they open at 9:00 am, there were some cars in the lot already. A group of women chatting by their cars, possibly waiting for others and some hikers disappearing onto one of the trails. When paying at the booth, the attendant has maps (more like a drawing) that are adequate, but if you are going beyond the crag, I would suggest a NY/NJ Trail Conference map which is very detailed. We geared up quickly and we were on our way.

Bonticou Crag and Table Rocks

This place has numerous trails going in different directions, but there are signs and blazes that lead to the places of interest. I knew that going in, so we paid attention and followed the signs and/or blazes. We also went with someone that has hiked this area before.

We headed towards the sign that is on the side of the road where you enter the lot.

sign

Turning left at the sign (we didn’t, but we took the scenic route) to head towards the Crag Trail. We followed the blue blazes up the hill.

blue blazes

As we walked on the gravel path, a trail veered off to the left, but we continued straight.

gravel path

In a short distance we crossed Spring Farm Road and continued straight to the Crag Trail which is marked with red blazes.

junction

For some reason I was under the impression that it was a flat walk to the start of the crag ascent, but I was mistaken. The trail starts to climb and becomes a rather steep walk uphill.

Crag Trail

We got to an intersection that in the past has been confusing to some, but there are plenty of signs and red blazes now. We made the far left to stay on the Crag Trail.

Crag Trail

The gravel path continues to climb, but more gently. I had the feeling that we were getting close.

Crag Trail

As we rounded a turn, there it was. We could see the cliffs through the trees.

Crag Trail

After rounding the curve, we came to the end of the red-blazed Crag Trail and turned left onto the yellow-blazed Bonticou Ascent Path.

Bonticou Ascent Path

The path leads downhill to the base of the crag.

Bonticou Ascent Path

We rested briefly while gazing up at the imposing cliff that we were going to climb. There is a bypass trail that takes you up to the top if you chicken out, but I didn’t drive over an hour to skip the highlight of this hike.

Bonticou Crag

There are yellow blazes painted on the boulders to show you the way. We had to use our hands and feet with a little thinking thrown in to navigate our way up this trail.

Bonticou Crag

I was surprised at how well I did. I only had trouble in one spot where I had to push off and rely on the grip of my boot on my landing foot. The one boulder that I worried about from watching videos about this hike, I dubbed “refrigerator rock.” I didn’t struggle at all with it, only had to remove my backpack to wedge myself up.

refrigerator rock

We did it! We conquered the crag! What a tremendous feeling to reach the top. The views, oh the views! You can see forever from up here.

Bonticou Crag

The views from the top are phenomenal. It was exceptionally windy while we were there, but we hung out for quite some time.

Bonticou Crag

If we would of quit here and just looped back to the parking lot, that makes it a 3 mile hike. Paying 15 bucks and having never been here before, we wanted to take in as much as possible. If ever I return, I would only do this section and scrap the rest. Not that the rest isn’t worth seeing, but this is the highlight of the hike and the extra 3 miles wore us down. We weren’t ready to quit thus yet so we jumped back onto the yellow-blazed trail as it leads down the mountain through a pine forest.

yellow-blazed trail

We came to a junction where the yellow-blazed trail ends and made a right onto the blue-blazed Northeast Trail.

blue-blazed Northeast Trail

This is a very picturesque trail through the woods with a couple of open rock ledges with northern views of the Catskills.

blue-blazed Northeast Trail

We followed the blue blazes for about one half mile to it’s terminus.

blue-blazed Northeast Trail

Here we made a left on Clearwater Road. The sign is not readable from this direction as you can see from the image above, but we were able to figure it out.

Clearwater Road

We began walking on the red-blazed Clearwater Road which is supposed to be a more secluded area of the preserve, but we didn’t see anyone since we left the top of the crag. This road was at one time the main route over the mountain.

red-blazed Clearwater Road

In a few minutes we came upon the stone ruins of an historic farmhouse of the Clearwater family on the right. Historic or not, I couldn’t find any info online about this structure.

Clearwater ruins

Just past the ruins, we came to a fork in the road. This is a spot that has confused people in the past, but now there are multiple red blazes which indicate to stay right, which we did.

fork in the road

The red-blazed trail ends at a junction with Farm Road (not to be confused with Spring Farm Road from earlier in the hike), but we continued heading straight and were now following the blue blazes of the Table Rocks Trail. We would retrace our steps back to this junction after visiting Table Rocks. Table Rocks is about a 1/2 mile away from this junction.

junction

The trail led us downhill, which was such an easy walk, but I knew we were going to have to climb it on the way back. We were tired and we still had a lot of hiking left.

Table Rocks Trail

We arrived at Table Rocks and it was nice. I wasn’t that impressed, but that may have been from fatigue or perhaps I was a bit craggy. The view was impressive, but we were already impressed by the views from the top of the crag.

Table Rocks

With all the crevices in between the rock slabs, I pictured myself jumping from slab to slab. I was now feeling closer to my age and didn’t have much hops left in me. Damn you father time! I did manage to hop over a few of the crevices, some of which are deeper than I care to know.

Table Rocks

We sat for a few minutes admiring the view then we were back on the trail. The Table Rocks Trail loops around and brought us right back to where we entered. We turned right by the Table Rocks sign (where we entered) and retraced our steps back up to the junction with Farm Road. It was only about a 1/2 mile, but all uphill. That’s one of the reasons why I wouldn’t repeat this part of the hike. Beautiful area and worth it to do it once, but it did wear me down. Back at the junction, we turned right on Farm Road.

Farm Road

From here it can get confusing because there are many junctions and forks. They made it easier by posting signs every so often indicating the direction of the Spring Farm Trailhead. Whenever we were in doubt, we looked for those signs and spotted them easily.

Spring Farm Trailhead sign

Ignoring all forks and bisecting trails, we stayed on Farm Road and arrived at the Slingerland Pavilion.

Slingerland Pavilion

The view from Slingerland Pavilion is outstanding. In the image below, to the far right is the Hudson Valley. Moving to the left is Overlook, Indian Head and Twin Mountains respectively.

Slingerland Pavilion view

We were all worn down by now and getting hungry so we trudged on. Farm Road hugged the Slingerland Pavilion and passed by a few outhouses and we stayed right at the fork.

right at fork

Following the exit signs, we made our way back towards the parking lot, but there was one more thing we had to see, The Million Dollar View.

Million Dollar View

A glorious view indeed, but stick a fork in me cause I’m done. We admired the view for a few minutes, then made a beeline for the vehicle. Next time I come here, I will conquer the crag then come sit here and really enjoy this view. We took off and stopped somewhere to grill some food. Grilled spicy chorizo, spicy shrimp and rice and a cold beer to celebrate not just my birthday, but conquering the crag. Yo Adrian!!!!!! I did it!!!

That’s all folks, I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: The Crag, rock scramble, majestic views, scenic woods, cliffs, Table Rocks, less crowded on weekdays.

Cons: tough hike, crowded on weekends. numerous ups and downs.

Take a hike!

Silver Mine Lake Loop – Harriman State Park

Posted on April 16, 2017

April 16, 2017 – Woodbury, NY

Difficulty: moderate

Length: approximately 4.5 miles

Route type: circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map 119

Trailhead parking: Old Silver Mine Ski Center

Silver Mine Ski Center was once a popular ski destination. It was shut down in the 1980’s due to inconsistent weather. The Silver Mine area now offers picnic grounds, fishing and hiking.

Old Silver Mine Ski Center

I have done several hikes from Silver Mine and have found them all enjoyable. I also like to check out the stone shelters that are scattered throughout the park and this hike provided that opportunity. We arrived at the parking area at about 9:30 am, a later start than I am used to, but better late than never. The weather for this Sunday reached the mid 80’s and windy. Although it was cloudy when we began our hike, it would turn out to be a bright sunny day. It was finally shorts weather and we were ready to get our hike on.

We did this loop hike counterclockwise.

Silver Mine Lake Loop

View the Google Earth Fly-Through video of the hike below.

We began our hike by crossing the bridge over Lewis Brook.

bridge over Lewis Brook

For the first part of the hike we would be following the yellow blazes of the Menomine Trail. The blazes are located along rocks, the bridge and on buildings in this area so they are hard to miss.

bridge over Lewis Brook

Turning left after crossing the bridge, we headed towards Silver Mine Lake.

Silver Mine Lake

After lingering along the shore momentarily, we then continued on our way along the right side of the lake. Following the yellow blazes which were abundant at the edge of the woods.

Menomine Trail

We turned left behind the shack and entered the woods on the southwest end of the lake.

Menomine Trail

On a rocky footpath we walked through the woods with the lake to our left.

Menomine Trail

We came to an open view of the lake with Black Mountain just beyond.

Silver Mine Lake

The trail turns right, skirts the lake then turns inland and begins a gradual climb.

Menomine Trail

It was swampy in this area and somewhat buggy. I would recommend adding bug spray in the warmer months. The trail wraps around the southern end of the lake where we crossed over a metal pipe, acting as a culvert.

Menomine Trail

We rested here briefly until the bugs started annoying me. Of course I was the only one that didn’t apply any bug spray. The Menomine Trail then begins to steepen as it snakes its way uphill. The sun began to come out at this point and and brightened up our day.

Menomine Trail

At the top of the rise, the William Brien Memorial Shelter came into view.

William Brien Memorial Shelter

This stone shelter was built in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and was originally named the Letterrock Shelter.

William Brien Memorial Shelter

In 1973 it was renamed in memory of the first president of the New York Ramblers Hiking Club.

William Brien Memorial Shelter

It has two bunk beds and unlike most shelters in Harriman, it has no fireplace, but it does have two fire rings just outside.

William Brien Memorial Shelter

Within feet of the shelter is a fallen tree that made a nice seat. We sat there and enjoyed a snack and a beverage. We felt a few drops and commented to each other that if the skies opened up at least we had some shelter from the rain. Luckily the sun shone bright for the rest of the day. Just past the shelter, to the right of the huge jumble of boulders, is where we jumped on the joint white-blazed Appalachian Trail (A.T.) and the red-dot-on-white-blazed Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (R-D).

AT/R-D trail

Thanks to the trail volunteers, the stone steps made it easy to climb the hill.

AT/R-D trail

When we got to the top we stopped for a minute to look down at the shelter from above.

view from above

This section of trail was quiet and picturesque. We didn’t see anyone on the half mile stretch that we hiked.

AT/R-D trail

There were several ups and downs along the way, but nothing too drastic. I could feel the sun on my neck and it felt good.

AT/R-D trail

The trail then descends at the lowest point between Letterrock and Black Mountains. Here the joint AT/R-D trail continues up steeply to Black Mountain. We turned left onto the unmarked Silver Mine Road.

Silver Mine Road

This woods road was built in 1934 by workers of the Temporary Emergency Relief Administration, it is easily identified by the stone embankments along its sides.

Silver Mine Road

We followed Silver Mine Road downhill as it led us towards the northeast side of the lake.

Silver Mine Road

We came to the northern shore of Silver Mine Lake and sat for a bit and soaked up some rays as we enjoyed the view. Black Mountain is on the left and Letterrock Mountain is just to the right of center.

Silver Mine Lake

We continued walking on Silver Mine Road as it skirted the lake. We passed by a dam and then Silver Mine Road crosses Queensboro Brook on a wide wooden bridge.

wooden bridge

Queensboro Brook

When the Silver Mine Road curves to the right, Seven Lakes Drive is just up the embankment. A short unmarked trail leads to it and then turning left, in about 1/4 mile the parking area is on the left. Not wanting to do a road walk, we bushwacked through the woods keeping Seven Lakes Drive on our right.

bushwacking

We then arrived at the parking lot and returned to the vehicle. On a side note; When gearing up, I placed my phone on the roof of the car and forgot it there. Upon returning to the vehicle hours later, the phone was still sitting there. I lucked out that no one decided to “borrow” it. Don’t forget to follow my blog to stay up to date on all my journeys. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros; Lake views, well marked trails, scenic woods, ample parking.

Cons: Swampy in a short section of the Menomine Trail which means bugs in warm weather, no summit views.

Take a hike!

Bartow Station Ruins – Bronx, NY

Posted on April 14, 2017

April 14, 2017 – Bronx, NY

Difficulty – easy

Location: near 9 Shore Rd, Bronx, NY 10464

Disclaimer: Exploring abandoned and/or ruined structures can be dangerous and you could be trespassing. Should you choose to enter the property of any of the places featured on this site, do so legally.

City Island Road Station, also known as the Bartow Station is hidden in plain sight near the entrance road to the Hutchinson River Parkway. It sits abandoned and in ruins along the tracks, about a 100 feet from Shore Road in the Bronx.

Bartow Station

Built for the Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad, a branch line railroad between New York City and Port Chester, New York. The line opened in 1873 as part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford commuter railroad.

Bartow Station

Bartow Station was designed by Cass Gilbert and built in 1908 as a replacement for an existing wooden station in what was then called Bartow-on-the-Sound. After getting off at the station you could connect to a trolley into City Island.

Bartow Station

Built of stone with arched windows and sturdy walls, the station stands at track level.

Bartow Station

From 1910-1913, a monorail ran from Bartow Station throughout City Island. The trolley into City Island ran until 1919 and the Harlem branch ceased passenger service in the 1930’s.

Bartow Station

In 1910, during its inaugural journey, the monorail lurched over, sending scores of people to the hospital.

Bartow Station

With the roof now gone, likely due to fire, all that remains are the brick walls and some steel beams.

Bartow Station

Now it’s a haven for graffiti artists who have tagged the brick walls with their art.

Bartow Station

The wheelbarrow is cable locked to the ladder.

Bartow Station

The chimney still stands tall as it seemingly reaches for the sky.

Bartow Station

We wandered around capturing images and didn’t run into anyone while we were there. I wouldn’t recommend coming here at night for obvious reasons. The vegetation overgrowth will make it difficult to find and navigate through if you visit in the warmer months.

Bartow Station

Please be advised that the station is very close to an active Amtrak line and take proper precautions if you decide to visit these ruins.

Now get out there and explore!

Get out there and explore!

Saint Frances Cabrini’s Novitiate Ruins

Posted on April 14, 2017

April 14, 2017 – Dobbs Ferry, NY

Difficulty – easy

Location: St Cabrini Nursing Home 115 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, also called Mother Cabrini, founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Catholic religious institute that was a major support to Italian immigrants. She was the first naturalized citizen of the United States to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, on July 7, 1946.

Mother Cabrini took over the MacKenzie School for Boys on Broadway in Dobbs Ferry and turned it into Sacred Heart Villa. It opened in 1914 as an orphanage and school on the site where the Mackenzie School building once stood. That building was razed in 1973 to make way for the Nursing Home, which officially opened in 1977 and expanded in 2009.

Sitting behind the nursing home is a castle-like structure that overlooks the Hudson River.

St. Cabrini Novitiate

There are several versions of how this castle-like structure came to be. One version is that it housed nuns during their period of training and preparation.

St. Cabrini Novitiate

The other version is that a local priest was building a church for his congregation and found himself with an excess 1,000 cartloads of quartz and granite stone, which he offered to Mother Cabrini.

St. Cabrini Novitiate

At the sight of the sparkling blue and white stone, she exclaimed, “It looks like a castle!” and she ordered that a large open terrace with rooms on either side be built with a castle-like appearance behind the Villa.

St. Cabrini Novitiate

It was built somewhere between 1914-1917 and somehow avoided the wrecking ball when they demolished the villa. I visited this “castle” a couple of years ago and most of it was covered with vegetation overgrowth which left just the turrets visible.

St. Cabrini Novitiate

They have since cleared it of weeds and vines which may indicate a restoration is in its future. The view from the terrace is outstanding, with the Palisades cliffs across the Hudson River.

St. Cabrini Novitiate

It’s a shame that it has sat in ruins for all these years. Who wouldn’t want to have a castle?

St. Cabrini Novitiate

It would be great to see this marvelous little castle get a face lift and be returned to its former glory.

St. Cabrini Novitiate

Hook Mountain State Park (North)

Posted on April 9, 2017

April 9, 2017 – Congers, NY

Difficulty: moderate

Length: approximately 6 miles

Max elevation: 556 ft. – total elevation gain: 1413 ft.

Route type: circuit

Map: Hudson Palisades Trails Map

Trailhead parking: Landing Rd, Clarkstown, NY

To early Dutch settlers, Hook Mountain was known as “Verdrietlg Hock,” which means “Tedious Point.” Hook Mountain State Park is a 676-acre undeveloped park, part of the Palisades Interstate Park system, just north of Nyack. It extends along almost seven miles of continuous waterfront and cliff slopes. The Long Path runs along the escarpment above while a bike path follows the river’s edge from Haverstraw Beach State Park to Nyack Beach State Park in Upper Nyack.

Throughout the years, I have visited Hook Mountain many times. I have never explored the northern section so I decided it was time to check it out. The Long Path segment of this hike has quite a few ups and downs, with some of the ups being pretty steep. It is also less traveled than the southern section of Hook Mountain, on the other side of Landing Road. Below is a Google Earth image of the hike route with Rockland Lake just to the left of the red x.

Hike route

We arrived at the parking area shortly before 9am on a gorgeous Sunday morning. Temps reached the mid 60’s and practically no wind. A perfect day for a hike. We began by crossing the road and heading north past the barricades and up the hill on the Long Path.

trailhead

Just up the hill on the right is the Wells Family Burial Ground. There are 21 graves here with the earliest date being 1831 and the latest 1874. Benedict Wells was the former owner of a large portion of Rockland Lake. He donated land for the hamlet’s church and school. His brother, Thomas Wells, owned property on the north side of the lake.

Wells Family Burial Ground

The first half of this hike, we would be following the Aqua blazes of the Long Path which would take us along the ridge. Just past the cemetery, the trail begins to climb.

the Long Path

As the trail levels off there is an unobstructed viewpoint over the Hudson River to the right of the trail.

the Long Path

From this viewpoint, Croton Point Park is visible across the Hudson River.

view from Long Path

Looking northeast, the East Hudson Highlands and beyond is discernible in the distance.

view from Long Path

As I stated previously, the Long Path portion of this hike has numerous ups and downs. I have hiked the Long Path atop most of the Palisades and this appears to involve the most climbing along the ridge. At times the trail runs along the edge of the cliff with partial views through the leafless trees.

the Long Path

partial view

It was very peaceful throughout this hike. No road noise, no dogs barking and barely any other people around. In fact we only encountered a few hikers along the first half of the hike. Wildlife was plentiful, but with the exception of a pair of curious deer, they were too quick for my lens.

curious deer

We saw a couple of Bald Eagles, a hawk and plenty of Turkey Vultures soaring just above the treeline. Plenty of smaller birds serenaded us as we trudged along the cliffs. I also spotted a Wild Turkey when I ventured off the trail. Chipmunks and Squirrels were abundant throughout the hike as well. After all the numerous elevation changes on the Long Path, we came to a junction with the start of the White-blazed Treason Trail.

White-blazed Treason Trail

According to Daniel Chazin of the NY/NJ Trail Conference, The “treason” after which the trail is named was the famous treasonous act of Benedict Arnold during the Revolutionary War, when he handed over the plans to West Point to the British Major, John Andre. Supposedly, Benedict met Andre at a large rock along the Hudson River a the base of Hook Mountain known today as “Treason Rock.” The Treason Trail, which leads down to this rock, was named after this event. Since the top of the cliffs are in such close proximity to the river, this trail is quite steep as it descends on switchbacks.

White-blazed Treason Trail

The White-blazed Treason Trail ends at the Hook Mountain Bike Path, which is paved at this point. An abandoned stone park building is across from the intersection.

White-blazed Treason Trail ends

We then took a few minutes to check out the stone building which had seen better days.

abandoned stone park building

We then began heading south with the river on our left and the cliffs to our right.

Hook Mountain Bike Path

The bike path is easy walking and usually quite busy with walkers, runners and bikers, but not on this day. Although we saw people doing all those things I just mentioned, they were few and far between.

Hook Mountain Bike Path

Just off the trail to the right stands a stone building, built into the hill with a concrete roof. My only guess is that it could have been used to store explosives when the quarries were operational.

stone building with a concrete roof

For the most part it was a nice quiet walk along the shore of the Hudson River. The scenery wasn’t bad either.

Hook Mountain Bike Path

We came to a clearing with a view towards the river and we stopped briefly. Visible directly across is Croton Point Park with the Village of Croton on Hudson just beyond.

view from Hook Mountain Bike Path

As we continued walking on the bike path, we came to the ruins of a small shack that was sitting on the embankment.

ruins of a small shack

We came across several spots that afforded us enjoyable views of the Hudson River.

view of the Hudson River

There are a few ups and downs along this bike path, but nothing like earlier in the hike. At times the path is as high as 80 feet above the river with a steep drop off.

Hook Mountain Bike Path

Another stone building stands right alongside the bike path.

stone building

I don’t know the origin of this building, but if I had to guess, I would say that this may have had something to do with the park. It has similar characteristics as some of the other park buildings.

stone building

Looking up we could see where we were hiking earlier in the day.

Hook Mountain

Then we passed another stone shack.

stone shack

This hike was chock full of ruins. I was pleasantly surprised at all the ruined buildings we saw. Most are either right alongside the path or within feet of it. As we continued on the bike path, you guessed it, another ruined building right beside the path.

ruined building

This building could have been a restroom due to the multiple sinks that are laying around.

ruined building

Although the history of these buildings may have faded with time, I am glad that they haven’t been demolished.

ruined building

Across from the building is another pleasant view of Westchester County. We stopped here and enjoyed it.

pleasant view

We continued walking on the bike path until we came to a junction with another park road. Here we made a sharp right and began walking up the hill.

junction

Just past a stone building, now used as a private residence, are two more old buildings. The first one resembles a stockade, although I have no idea what its purpose was.

stockade?

A little further into the woods, a bigger stone structure is visible from the park road.

bigger stone structure

After checking out these two interesting buildings, we resumed walking up the park road, back to the parking area where our hike began. It was about 2:30pm and every available parking spot was taken with cars parked along both sides of the road.

park road

This hike although exhausting, had many points of interest and was quite enjoyable. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Until next time, now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Mostly secluded, cliffs, wildlife, views, ruins galore, scenic trails, Hudson River.

Cons: numerous steep ups and downs.

Take a hike!

Ramapo Valley County Reservation

Posted on April 2, 2017

April 2, 2017 – Mahwah, New Jersey

Difficulty: moderate – strenuous

Length: approximately 5 miles

Route type: circuit

Map: Ramapo Reservation Trail Map (2016 updated newly blazed trails)

Trailhead parking: 608 Ramapo Valley Rd Oakland, NJ 07436

Ramapo Valley County Reservation is Bergen County’s largest park and is located on the edge of the Highlands Region. It was designated a Wilderness Area in 1972 with 741 acres of open space. The reservation now boasts over 4,000 acres of permanent open space. Several trails connect with bordering Ringwood State Park to the north and the Ramapo Mountain State Forest to the south. It’s a great place for a midday walk, a morning trail run, or a weekend hike with the family. It does get crowded the closer you are to the parking area.

The past month or so I have been I have been battling Bronchitis and have been relegated to easier hikes as I recovered. Now feeling better it was time to do a more rigorous one. Trying to stay away from snow covered trails, we decided on Ramapo Valley County Reservation. During the summer of 2016, volunteers of the NY/NJ Trail Conference, in cooperation with the Bergen County Department of Parks, created a new network of loop trails in the core area of the Reservation, making trails easier to follow. The project involved re-blazing 6 miles of existing trails and constructing 1.2 miles of new trails.

We arrived at the parking area at about 9:30am on a beautiful Sunday morning. It was sunny and the temperature reached 60 degrees. A perfect day to spend in the woods. The parking lot had a good number of cars when we arrived, but was completely full when we got back about 2:30pm, with people waiting for others to leave so they could park.

We began our hike at the southwest corner of the parking area and picked up the Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail.

Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail

We walked down a few steps and proceeded straight towards the steel truss bridge which spans the Ramapo River.

steel truss bridge

Ramapo River

We continued straight after crossing the bridge, walking on a wide dirt road. Since it was relatively early, there weren’t too many people around. On our return, this road was packed.

Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail

We walked along the shore of Scarlet Oak Pond, which was on our right. We stopped here briefly to capture a few images.

Scarlet Oak Pond

Once past the pond, there is a tree with four Yellow blazes, indicating the start of the loop. We turned right, heading north along the western shore of Scarlet Oak Pond for about 500 feet. The Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail now turns left and crosses a wooden footbridge.

wooden footbridge

The trail now begins to climb on a moderately steep grade.

Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail

We stopped once or twice to catch or breath then arrived at Hawk Rock, which would provide us with our first view of the day.

Hawk Rock

Looking down to the right, we could see Scarlet Oak Pond, which we had just walked by minutes earlier.

View from Hawk Rock

The Vista Loop Trail now becomes steep and rocky as we continued our ascent.

Vista Loop Trail

After leveling off, the trail arrives at Cactus Ledge, which offers a similar viewpoint as Hawk Rock, but from a higher elevation. The NYC skyline is also visible from here.

view from Cactus Ledge

At this spot there are some Prickly Pear Cactus, the only native American cactus that grows east of the Rocky Mountains. So now we know how this scenic vista got its name.

Prickly Pear Cactus

As we resumed our hike, the Vista Loop Trail becomes a little wider and much less steep.

Vista Loop Trail

It then comes to a junction and the triple-green-on-white blaze marks the start of the Halifax Trail.

start of the Halifax Trail

The Halifax Trail gradually descends through the woods and crosses a wide gas pipeline cut. When we got to the pipeline cut, we had to stop and look for blazes. None were visible, but a footpath just off to the right, caught my eye. Once we started walking on the footpath, the blazes became noticeable.

Halifax Trail

At the base of the descent, the Halifax Trail turns left onto a woods road which passes through Havemeyer Hollow. We had now hiked about two miles.

Halifax Trail – Havemeyer Hollow

The trail was swampy in some spots so we walked along the edge of the road/trail.

Halifax Trail – Havemeyer Hollow

There are several abandoned cars along this trail, but they were so far gone that there was not much left of them. We did not encounter any other hikers along this stretch of trail.

abandoned car

In about 1/4 mile, we reached a junction with the purple-blazed Havemeyer Trail. This was the way we were going, but first we took a short side trip. We wanted to check out a set of ruins just ahead on the Halifax Trail, but we had to cross Havemeyer Brook to proceed on the Halifax Trail.

Havemeyer Brook – Halifax Trail

The brook was running strong and we didn’t want to get wet. This seemed to be the place to cross, but it is also the widest point in this area. We walked up and down a few feet, but it was knee deep in some areas. Luckily, my hiking partners had trekking poles, so I borrowed one and we rock hopped across Havemeyer Brook. There was another car a few feet past the brook crossing that was mangled beyond recognition.

abandoned car

A few feet past the mangled car, there is a stone wall and just beyond, is the Halifax ruins.

Halifax ruins

They weren’t that impressive and not really worth the side trip, but it is listed on the map, so here we were. I even walked up the trail a bit just to make sure that this was indeed the ruins we were looking for………they were.

Halifax ruins

We then retraced our steps back to the brook and crossed back over. We didn’t get wet so in hindsight it was kind of fun.

Havemeyer Brook – Halifax Trail

We then turned right and began a steep climb up the Purple-blazed Havemeyer Trail. This was probably the hardest part of the hike, in part due to dirt bikes creating a rut in the trail along some of the steepest sections.

purple-blazed Havemeyer Trail

We kept a pretty steady pace up, only stopping briefly to catch our breath. A pair of hikers passed us on their way down, but we did not see anyone else on this trail.

purple-blazed Havemeyer Trail

At the top of the hill, the White Trail comes in from the right and joins the Havemeyer Trail. The purple and white blazes run jointly for about 500 feet on a mostly level route, passing more stone walls on the right.

joint Havemeyer Trail and White Trail

When the purple blazes depart to the right, we continued straight ahead on the White Trail, which soon begins to climb very gently.

Havemeyer Trail and White Trail junction

Walking along the White Trail, we could hear dirt bikes/ATVs motoring through the woods. We didn’t encounter any, but they weren’t too far away. No other hikers on this trail but us.

White Trail

After a steep climb, it was enjoyable just strolling through the woods knowing that it was all downhill from here.

White Trail

We came to the route of the same gas pipeline that we crossed earlier, picking up the White Trail on the other side.

White Trail

The White Trail ends at a t-intersection with the Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail, which comes in from the left. We veered slightly right and were now following the yellow blazes.

White Trail terminus

In about 500 feet, the Blue-blazed Ridge Loop Trail joins from the right. We now followed both the blue and yellow blazes as they led us downhill.

Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail/Blue-blazed Ridge Loop Trail

In about another 500 feet, the trails split and we turned right and followed the Yellow-blazes up the hill. I saw a unmarked footpath to the left and we took it to a rock outcrop that is known as the Ridge Overlook.

view from Ridge Overlook

When we got to the overlook, there was one guy sitting enjoying the view. In a few minutes about 20 people came pouring out onto the rock outcrop and we headed out.

view from Ridge Overlook

Another nice view of New York City can be had from here on a clear day.

view from Ridge Overlook

We retraced our steps back to the Blue-blazed Ridge Loop Trail and turned right heading down the hill.

Blue-blazed Ridge Loop Trail

We spotted a small Garter Snake slithering close to the trail.

Garter Snake

At the base of the descent, the Ridge Loop Trail reaches a wide woods road, with blue blazes going in both directions. We turned right and followed the Ridge Loop Trail uphill for about 650 feet and crossed a bridge over a stream with some nice cascades.

bridge over a stream

Almost immediately after crossing the bridge, we turned left onto the Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail. Now on a footpath in the woods, we walked along the stream which had numerous cascades.

Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail

Since we were walking downstream, we had to keep looking over our shoulder to view the cascades.

cascade

The trail then turns left and crosses the stream on a wooden footbridge.

wooden footbridge

Right after crossing the bridge, we turned right onto the Green-dot-on-Orange-blazed River Trail which runs close to the Ramapo River. As we neared the river two hikers that were coming from the opposite direction told us the trail was flooded. We then turned around and returned to the Yellow-blazed Vista Loop Trail and turned right. We followed the trail back to the parking area. Along this stretch of the trail, it was jam packed with people. I wanted to relax by Scarlet Oak Pond and decompress a little while before driving, but there were people at every turn. When we got back to the parking lot, people were waiting for spots. Not wanting to get right in the car and start driving, we stood around enjoying a beverage after a rigorous hike. At least six people asked me if I was leaving so they could take my spot. I was feeling tired, but no worse for wear.

I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. See you next time, now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Scenic vistas, streams, cascades, ruins, well marked trails.

Cons: Way too many people the closer you get to the parking area.

Take a hike!

Zabriskie Ruins – Hudson River Palisades

Posted on March 25, 2017

March 25, 2017 – Alpine, New Jersey

Difficulty: moderate

Length: approximately 5.5 miles (includes off trail exploration)

Route type: circuit

Map: Hudson Palisades Trails Map – Free maps

Trailhead parking: Henry Hudson Drive, Closter, NJ 07624

An updated version of this hike which begins and ends at the Alpine Boat Basin can be viewed HERE.

Overlooking the Hudson River in Bergen County, NJ, Palisades Interstate Park is about 12 miles long, a half-mile wide, and encompasses 2,500 acres of wild Hudson River shorefront, uplands, and cliffs. There are over 30 miles of trails that range from easy to strenuous. The two main trails within the park are the Long Path, which runs along the top of the cliffs and the Shore Trail which runs along the banks of the Hudson River. Five short trails link the Long Path and the Shore Trail, ranging in classification from moderate to steep.

With snow still covering some of the trails in Harriman and the surrounding area, I decided it was better to head a little further south where the trails would have little or no snow. I had done this hike before, but in warmer weather when the vegetation covered much of the area I wanted to explore. I figured now was a good time to pay a return visit.

George A. Zabriskie made a name for himself in the flour business, working for Pillsbury flour mills. The fifteen-room manor house called “Cliff Dale” that was built for Zabriskie at Alpine in 1911 was constructed of native stone on a 25-acre estate high atop the cliffs of the Palisades. His was just one of many mansions that used to line “Millionaire’s Row.” Today all that remains of those stately mansions are some foundations, with the exception of Cliff Dale. The two-story ruins of the foundation and the surrounding terraced gardens along with the pool make for an interesting off trail exploration. Below is an image of Cliff Dale, courtesy of of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.

Image courtesy of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission

With the history lesson out of the way, it’s time to get on with our hike. From the parking area, we headed south past the park headquarters towards Henry Hudson Drive.

Palisades Interstate Park Commission

We walked down the road and veered left onto a footpath just before the blocked off section of Henry Hudson Drive.

blocked off section of Henry Hudson Drive

For the first part of the hike, we would be following the Aqua blazes of the Long Path.

Long Path

After a brief walk downhill, we turned right and walked through a stone tunnel that passes beneath Henry Hudson Drive. We were now following both the Aqua blazes of the Long Path and the Orange blazes of the Closter Dock Trail.

Long Path and Closter Dock Trail

Through the tunnel and up some stairs we went.

Long Path and Closter Dock Trail

After climbing the stairs we were now walking near the Palisades Interstate Parkway. In a short distance the two trails split, but we stayed left to continue on the Long Path.

Long Path and Closter Dock Trail

The trail now led away from the parkway and brought us closer to the cliffs and our first views of the day. Visibility was not optimal, but still a nice view.

view north

Down below us was the Alpine Boat Basin, which we would walk by on our return route. Yonkers is visible just across the Hudson River.

Alpine Boat Basin – Hudson River

There are numerous spur trails that lead to the edge of the cliffs from the Long Path and we ventured down most of them. At times we also just walked along the edge of the cliffs with the Long Path to our right. A little further down the trail, we saw a stone lookout that was built on the edge of the cliff.

stone lookout

Right nearby there are some foundation ruins of what used to be a pretty big house. This was “Millionaire’s Row” and I am quite sure that the estates that rested on these cliffs were impressive. It’s a shame that they were all torn down for the construction of the Palisades Interstate Parkway.

ruins

We continued walking off trail along the edge of the cliff and came to the terraced gardens of Cliff Dale. We had now traveled about a mile from the start of the hike.

terraced gardens

Through the trees the numerous levels of Mr. Zabriskie’s garden are visible.

terraced gardens

A walkway right alongside the Long Path leads down to the garden.

walkway

As you travel down the walkway these stairs lead further down to the different terraces.

stairs

A little further south, there are concrete columns laying on the ground.

concrete columns

Just past the columns, we came to what is left of the house. We walked along the eastern side of the house and I saw what used to be a window and a doorway that was sealed up.

window and an doorway

This was, I believe, the garage and also the foundation of the house. Just above the garage is where the patio once was.

Zabriskie Ruins

A look inside the garage.

garage

According to the Palisades Interstate Park website, the property was purchased by John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1930, along with much of the surrounding area, in an attempt to halt over-development of the cliffs spurred by the newly built George Washington Bridge.

stairs leading to the Long Path

The room above the garage.

room above the garage

On the side of the house, the year of construction is clearly visible.

1911

The top of the garage, where the patio was located. Note the tiles mostly still intact. The hole on the patio is from where a column once stood.

patio

An old photograph shows the patio and the columns that once supported the pergola.

Courtesy of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission

The curved double staircase was a nice touch.

curved double staircase

The two images below were captured from similar angles and provide a glimpse of what it looked like then and the reality of now.

then – courtesy of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission

now

As we walked further down the embankment and got closer to the cliff, we came to what once was a pool or pond. Below is an image of the pond in its former splendor.

pond – courtesy of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission

Doesn’t quite look the same today.

pond

Standing in what used to be the pond are some of the small columns that were part of the railing that bordered the pond. Scroll up to the top of the page and use the first image of Cliff Dale as a reference.

pond

When we were done exploring, we sat near the edge of the cliff and relaxed a bit. Imagining how it must have been to live up here in such wonderful surroundings. Once we were done daydreaming, we headed back to the Long Path and continued heading south.

the Long Path

About a 1/2 mile from Cliff Dale, we arrived at the Alpine Lookout. It is a pull-off overlook in Alpine, about 3 miles north of Parkway Exit 1, opposite Yonkers and accessible from the northbound Parkway only. The Long Path follows a paved walkway along an iron railing on the edge of the cliff.

Alpine Lookout

Manuel Rionda a Sugar Baron who owned sugarcane plantations in Cuba, built the sprawling “Rio Vista,” the largest of the Palisades estates. The manor house was where Alpine Lookout is today.

Alpine Lookout

The wrought iron fencing still along the cliff edge is from Rio Vista.

wrought iron fencing

A view of a barge parked in the middle of the Hudson River with Yonkers in the background.

view of Yonkers from Alpine Lookout

We walked along the railing and back into the woods where the Long Path reaches a parapet that juts out over the cliff, with views up and down the Hudson River.

parapet

I wouldn’t trust the railings as they felt a little shaky.

parapet

Looking north up the Hudson River from the parapet.

view north from the parapet

Still following the Aqua-blazed Long Path, we walked by another foundation. This one was a little different due to the coloring of the stones.

foundation

As the trail began to run closer to the Palisades Interstate Parkway, we came to a junction with the Red-blazed Huyler’s Landing Trail. We turned left and began to descend towards the river. At this point we had now traveled a little over 2 miles.

Huyler’s Landing Trail

Of the five trails that run from the cliffs to the river, the easiest is the red-blazed Huyler’s Landing Trail, an old wagon route that gradually descends 400 feet from the Long Path to the Shore Trail.

Huyler’s Landing Trail

When the trail emerges on Henry Hudson Drive, we turned left and walked on the paved road about 300 feet. We then turned right at a chain and continued our descent towards the river.

Huyler’s Landing Trail

Upon reaching the river, we arrived at Huyler’s Landing. In November of 1776, British and Hessian troops led by General Cornwallis crossed the Hudson River from New York City, causing the American troops to abandon their encampment at Fort Lee and begin a retreat across New Jersey. It is believed that they disembarked here at Huyler’s Landing, which was then called “Lower Closter Landing” or “the New Dock.”

Huyler’s Landing

We sat on a log here and took a short rest as we enjoyed a hydration break along with the view.

view north from Huyler’s Landing

We then proceeded to head north along the Shore Trail with the river to our right as it hugs the shoreline.

Shore Trail

In about a 1/2 mile, the Shore Trail ascends and begins to veer away from the river.

Shore Trail

The trail then led us back near the water and we decided to stop. I had read that a squadron of French fighter jets were supposed to fly from Stewart Airport in New Windsor, down the Hudson River, just south of the Statue of Liberty and then back up the Hudson River. I had read that it would happen at noon which was ten minutes away. This was a good vantage point to watch and/or capture some images as they flew by, otherwise, we would be blocked by tree cover along the trail. It didn’t take long because after a few minutes we heard the roar of the engines as they came into view.

French Alpha Jets

The Glenwood Power Plant is also visible just across the river in Yonkers.

Glenwood Power Plant

We then resumed our hike, still following the White blazes of the Shore Trail. A few minutes later, the jets came roaring back up the river. That was pretty cool, I had no idea that the jets would be doing a flyover until after I had planned the hike. I am glad I got to see them. Further along the trail there is a plaque attached to a boulder in memory of John Jordan, the first Superintendent of the Park, who died here in 1915.

in memory of John Jordan

We then arrived at the Alpine Picnic Area & Boat Basin. In the early part of the twentieth century, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission operated a bathing beach here, and the stone picnic pavilion, built in 1934 by the Civil Works Administration, used to have lockers on the lower floor. Most bathers came on the Yonkers Ferry, which landed at the south end of Alpine Boat Basin. The ferry service was discontinued in 1957, after the completion of the Tappan Zee Bridge. There were many interesting sights in this area, including a stone tunnel that runs under Henry Hudson Drive which has been sealed up on the other side.

stone tunnel

A stone water fountain in the foreground with the booth where the entrance fee is collected, behind it.

stone water fountain

The boat basin.

Alpine Boat Basin

A row of dilapidated garages sits on the left at the base of the cliffs.

dilapidated garages

Kearney House is a 19th-century tavern and homestead that serves as a history museum. Of the dozen or more houses that once stood at the Landing, only the Kearney House remains.

Kearney House

The concession stand.

concession stand

The Alpine bathhouse, now called Alpine Pavilion, “rustic in design and veneered with great boulders” — with “architectural features of unusual beauty and utility” — still stands, even if the beach it was built to service is closed. On most weekends in the warm weather it is the site of parties and picnics, family get-togethers, barn dances, even the occasional wedding. It is also a monument of sorts — to the men who wrested it from the hard winter. We rested here for a few minutes before we made our way back up the mountain.

Alpine Pavilion

The plaque which is entitled “Old Alpine Trail,” states that the trail you are about to use to climb the Palisades was used by British troops in 1776 during the American Revolution. The information on this plaque from 1928 is no longer considered to be historically accurate.

Old Alpine Trail plaque

This informational sign which sits a few feet away, corrects the information on the plaque.

informational sign

We then continued on the Shore Trail which led us up the hill on a stone-paved road.

Shore Trail

We then arrived at a junction with the Closter Dock Trail where we turned left and began a 460 feet ascent to the top of the cliffs. The orange-blazed Closter Dock Trail is an old wagon route, though a bit steep.

Closter Dock Trail

It was steep, although it was a wide mostly smooth road which was easier to navigate than some of the other trails that lead up to the top of the cliffs.

Closter Dock Trail

As we were huffing and puffing up the hill, I noticed a stone structure just off the trail. I did not know what it was, but was informed by Eric Nelsen, the Historical Interpreter of the park of its origin after contacting him via email. It was a trash incinerator built by the park in 1934, in operation for about 25 years. Trucks would dump garbage from the picnic area and it would be burned there. The “chute” on the hillside is the chimney.

trash incinerator

There are a nice set of stone steps at the same location as well.

stone steps

I also saw “1840” engraved on a boulder nearby. It looked like it was done with some sort of a punch and hammer.

1840

We then retraced our steps back to the Closter Dock Trail and resumed our climb uphill.

Closter Dock Trail

When the orange-blazed Closter Dock Trail turns left through the stone tunnel, the one we walked through at the beginning of the hike, we continued straight. That led us back to the parking area where we began our hike.

stone tunnel

This hike was packed with history and had plenty to see. When I did this hike previously, I missed some of it due to the amount of vegetation on the ground and not knowing it was there. I am glad that I chose to do it again. One of my favorite hikes thus far. I hope that you enjoyed my interpretation of this hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Clifftop views, river views, historical features, ruins, Hudson River, Long Path, well blazed trails.

Cons: Couldn’t think of any.

Take a hike!

Eagle Hill Area – Rockefeller State Park Preserve

Posted on March 18, 2017

March 18, 2017 – Pleasantville, NY

Difficulty: easy

Length: approximately 3 miles

Route type: circuit

Map: Rockefeller State Park Preserve Trail Map

The public has long been allowed to enjoy the Rockefellers’ 55 miles of carriage roads, which also function as hiking trails, and the opportunity to experience Rockefeller country grew with the creation of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve. Its 1,400 acres are used for hiking, horseback riding and running. A good winter hike in the preserve is along the Eagle Hill Trail, a steep ascent that offers panoramic views of the Hudson River, farmland and Kykuit.

Growing up in North Tarrytown (now Sleepy Hollow) we knew this area as Eagle Mountain. As a kid we spent many a day wandering around the Rockefeller property, long before it became a preserve. It was the only “mountain” within walking distance of Beekman Avenue. The official name is Eagle Hill and at an elevation of just over 300 feet, it is more of a hill than a mountain. For a while, the U.S. defined a mountain as being 1,000 feet or more tall. Any similar landform lower than this height was considered a hill, but even this was abandoned in the early 1970’s. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), however, has concluded that these terms do not in fact have technical definitions in the U.S, but a hill is universally considered to be less tall and less steep than a mountain.

With that out of the way, let’s get to the hike. With the amount of snow that had accumulated from earlier in the week, I knew that most trails would be difficult to hike without snowshoes. Since I don’t own a pair, I am relegated to using microspikes which are great for icy conditions, but not much help in deep snow. From my experience the trails which are mostly carriage roads, are very well maintained at Rockefeller’s. It is also a short drive from where I live so off we went.

Arriving at approximately 9am at the parking area, which is right off of Route 117, there were only several cars in the large lot. Weather for the day was cloudy with temps in the high teens to low 20’s and wind about 10 mph. I already had a trail map, but it was slightly tattered so we picked up some spares at the visitor center, which was open on this Saturday morning. Once geared up, we headed to the trailhead at the southeast end of the parking lot and began our hike on the Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail.

Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail

We began walking down the trail which was snow covered, but since it was so cold we didn’t sink in much. I tried to walk on the snowshoe tracks which had compacted the snow and made it much easier.

Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail

After about 1/3 of a mile, we made a right onto Nature’s Way. This trail can also be accessed from the parking area.

Nature’s Way

We walked up the hill briefly and then turned left on the Glacial Erratic Trail. This 100 yard trail was created by Dobbs Ferry Eagle Scouts in 1987 using hand tools.

Glacial Erratic Trail

We walked through the snow towards our destination, a massive boulder. At almost 20 feet high and 65 feet in circumference, it is probably the largest glacial erratic to be found anywhere in Westchester County.

glacial erratic

There is a good article about its discovery in 1987 in the New York Times. It is 600 million years old and was carried and dropped here by the Late Wisconsin continental glacier from some mountaintop in the Hudson Highlands. We brushed some snow off the benches and took a brief rest here.

glacial erratic

We then retraced our steps and turned right onto Nature’s Way and then turned right again when we reached the Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail. In a short distance, we walked past the gate and crossed Sleepy Hollow Road.

Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail

We picked up the trail on the other side of the road and followed it to a steel bridge that crosses over the Pocantico River.

steel bridge

Pocantico River

We turned left after crossing the bridge and almost immediately made a right onto the Eagle Hill Trail. The trail began to ascend and walking in the snow, it made for a nice workout. As we neared the summit, the trail split. We stayed to our left, but the trail loops back around so it doesn’t matter which way you go.

Eagle Hill Trail

We arrived at the summit of Eagle Hill and were greeted with some decent views. To the southeast Kykuit, also known as the John D. Rockefeller Estate, is perched proudly on the hill.

Kykuit

To the south, both the old and new Tappan Zee Bridges can be seen spanning the Hudson River.

old and new Tappan Zee Bridges

Looking west, Nyack and the The Palisades can be seen across the Hudson River.

Looking west

We sat upon a stone bench and drank some hot chocolate as we relaxed at the summit of Eagle Mountain (sounds better than hill) as we enjoyed the view. After a short while, we started to get a bit chilly and decided to continue on our hike. As we began to descend, I notice that the snow was deeper in this area and was softer as the temperature rose a few degrees. That meant more effort was needed as we postholed down the trail. We continued down Eagle Hill Trail to its terminus and turned left, then a quick right to cross back over the steel bridge on the Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail.

steel bridge on the Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail

After crossing Sleepy Hollow Road, we walked uphill towards the parking lot. Upon arriving near where we had parked, the area was teeming with wildlife. Someone had laid birdseed all around and it was feeding time. A pair of deer were hanging out as I approached the vehicle.

pair of deer

A Wild Turkey was also on the scene before being scared away by someone’s dog.

Wild Turkey

Although it was only a 3 mile hike, we were tired. Hiking in the snow takes more effort and I took that into consideration as I planned this hike. Once back at the homestead, we dug into some Corned Beef and Cabbage that was waiting for us in the slow cooker. After all St. Patrick’s Day was the previous day so we planned our menu accordingly. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog and stay up to date on my journeys through the woods. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: ample parking, scenic carriage roads, historical feature, partially obstructed views, wildlife

Cons: partially obstructed views

Take a hike!

Buttermilk Hill – Rockefeller State Park Preserve

Posted on March 12, 2017

March 12, 2017 – Pleasantville, NY

Difficulty: easy

Length: approximately 5 miles

Route type: circuit

Map: Rockefeller State Park Preserve Trail Map

Buttermilk Hill, a high rocky ridge at the northeastern section of Rockefeller State Park Preserve, is said to get its name from the turbulent period of the American Revolutionary War, when local farmers hid their dairy cattle on the ridge to protect them from marauding soldiers. It also seems to be a lesser visited area of the preserve. It is tucked between the Saw Mill River Parkway and New York State Route 448, with Route 117 on its northern border and Old Saw Mill River Road in Eastview to the south. In an interview with the New York Times in 2002, David Rockefeller was asked:

Q. Of the thousands of acres your family has owned in Westchester, which places do you like the most?

A. Rockwood Hall, which belonged to my brother Laurance and was given to the state, is certainly a beautiful place. Buttermilk Hill would be another one of my favorite places. The carriage roads there, the earliest ones, were built by grandfather.

Previously we hiked to Raven Rock and Ferguson Lake which is on the same eastern side of Rockefeller’s so I decided to the rest of that section. We did not see many people along the trails there so we were hoping for the same on this day. Since we had a few inches of snow a couple of days before plus the snow that had still not melted from earlier in the month, I decided on Rockefeller’s for our hike. The relatively level terrain and wide carriage roads makes it a good spot for an easy hike when there is snow on the ground. It was in the low to mid 20’s with gusts up to 24 mph on this blustery Sunday morning in March. Still not fully recovered from Bronchitis, but on the mend, we headed out. We parked in the lot for the North County Trailway which is right on Route 117 in Pleasantville. The lot offers ample parking and on this day there were only a few cars in the lot when we arrived. We began at the connector trail at the southwest area of the parking area.

connector trail

We walked on the footpath until we came to a t-intersection where we turned left onto Lucy’s Loop. We had our microspikes with us, but decided to wait to see how icy and slippery the trails were before we put them on. The footpath was a little slick, but surprisingly the carriage roads were mostly clear.

Lucy’s Loop

When we arrived at the next t-intersection, we veered left and continued on Lucy’s Loop.

t-intersection – Lucy’s Loop

We walked uphill and at the top of the rise came to some fenced off fields that overlooked Route 448. By looking at the trail map it appears that this is also the end of the Lucy’s Loop trail.

fenced off fields

We stopped here briefly for a rest and I happened to see a hawk in a tree some distance away. It was very windy and it was hard to keep my camera steady as I zoomed in for a shot.

hawk in a tree

We then walked along the carriage road which paralleled Route 448. Upon arriving at a y-intersection, we veered left and began to ascend the Buttermilk Hill trail.

Buttermilk Hill trail

On the way up, a couple of runners passed us and they were the only people we saw in this section of our hike. The road levels off and then begins to descend. To the right of the road is the summit of Buttermilk Hill so we walked up what appeared to be a snow covered road and headed towards the top. At an elevation of about 716 feet, it is the highest point of the entire preserve. There are no views that I could find, but it was still a worthwhile visit to the summit. The Buttermilk Hill trail ends where the Laurance’s Ridge trail begins. We bushwacked along the summit with the Laurance’s Ridge trail just below to the left. We then walked down a small embankment and rejoined the trail. We then arrived at a y-intersection with the Goat Trail that veered to the left, we stayed to our right to continue on the Laurance’s Ridge trail then made another right at the Ferguson’s Loop trail a few feet ahead. We stayed straight and were now walking on what is listed on the map in several places as “RF” which are the Rockefeller Family trails. They are connector trails that run through or by private property and hikers are permitted to use them. Off to the right was a private home with a few barking dogs. They also had a teepee sitting close to the trail.

teepee

We walked past a gate and enjoyed a nice western view towards the Hudson River Palisades and beyond.

western view

We then turned left where the Buttermilk Hill trail and Lucy’s Loop connect and now we began to retrace our steps, for the time being.

Lucy’s Loop

As we were retracing our steps, we came to a y-intersection where Lucy’s Loop veered left and right. We originally came from the right at the beginning of our hike so we veered left to avoid walking back the same way. As the name implies, it looped us around and brought us back to the parking area where our hike began. It was a pleasant hike in the woods, but now it was time for some chow. Back at the homestead we had a Trader Joe’s Carne Asada in the slow cooker and we enjoyed some shredded beef tacos. For dessert we had some Chocolate Flan and Mexican Cheesecake. All was delicious and we feasted to our hearts content. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog and stay up to date on all my journeys. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: ample parking, secluded trails, scenic carriage roads

Cons: partially obstructed views

Take a hike!

Cranberry Mine – Harriman State Park

Posted on February 26, 2017

February 26, 2017 – Woodbury, NY

Difficulty: easy

Length: approximately 2.5 miles

Route type: circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map

There are numerous mines all throughout Harriman State Park. I have visited a few of them and some are easier to get to than others. Cranberry Mine is located near the Silver Mine Picnic Area along Seven Lakes Drive in Harriman State Park. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, extensive iron mining and exploration activity took place along the southeast side of Cranberry Hill in present-day Woodbury Township, New York.

Silver Mine Picnic Area

It was a frigid Sunday morning with temps in the low 20’s and windy. We felt the chill as soon as we got out of the car. I had Bronchitis which had sapped my strength, but I was determined to get a hike in on this day. The hike I had originally planned was longer and included Black Mountain and Letterrock Mountain. My intention was to play it by ear and see how far I could go in my condition. We crossed the road and headed for the brown wooden sign just across Seven Lakes Drive. Just a few feet past the sign, in the woods, is an old woods road, where we turned right and began to head east.

old woods road

This road was lined with telephone poles, which gave me the impression that at one time it was a main road, possibly used for transporting mining materials. This road is not maintained by the park and it appeared to be seldom traveled. It was swampy in some sections, with standing water about 6 inches deep in some other areas. We also saw fresh bear scat along the trail twice, which caused some apprehension. Black bears often travel along the same trails that hikers use and seeing the scat on the trail, we did not know if it was traveling in the same direction as us. Nevertheless, I try to always stay on point, but not being at full strength, I was hoping not to run into any critters. When we arrived at a small stream that ran from North to South, we turned left and headed North uphill along the stream.

stream

From here we had to bushwack along the stream about .3 miles, although it seemed like more. There were plenty of obstacles along the way, but we kept on huffing and puffing up the hill.

bushwacking

We stopped frequently, not only so I could catch my breath, but also to keep an eye out for any bears. Yes, I was a little uneasy about meeting up with one in my weakened state. We tried to stay as close to the stream as possible as we bushwacked through the woods.

bushwacking

Then I saw what appeared to be an old woods road that ran West to East. I looked to my left and saw the mine adit.

Cranberry Mine

It was a short walk to the mine, but I was running out of gas. We walked up the hill towards the opening and then took a rest as we captured some images.

Cranberry Mine

The principal feature of this complex is a horizontal shaft that extends into the hillside for about 200 feet. This mine opening or adit is twenty-two feet wide and about twelve feet high, while the interior shaft is twelve feet wide. A cut stone wall, bonded with cement and containing an iron plate door, was built across the entrance to the mine around 1920. The mine was used to store dynamite by park officials until the 1930s. The iron door at the mine entrance has been torn open. The horizontal shaft extends into the hillside as a level passage for about 100 feet. Here, there is a branch shaft which goes off to the right for about 30 feet.

Lenik, Edward J.. Iron Mine Trails (Kindle Locations 1578-1583). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference.

Cranberry Mine

The steel door has been replaced with a bat gate. Due to declining bat populations over the years caused by a disease known as WNS or White Nose Syndrome, some mines have been closed to visitors during hibernating months. We did not attempt to enter the mine. There are other remnants of mining activity in the area, but we did not seek them out as I was feeling worn down and decided it was best to head back. We retraced our steps along the stream and came out onto Seven Lakes Drive. We crossed the road and walked past the cable barrier onto Silver Mine Road which was built in 1934 by workers of the Temporary Emergency Relief Administration. We walked to the edge of Queensboro Brook and rested briefly. At this point I knew that I didn’t have much left in the tank and decided it was best to head back to the vehicle.

Queensboro Brook

We walked west on Silver Mine Road which runs parallel to Seven Lakes Drive in this area. We passed a boarded up stone comfort station which sits alongside the road.

stone comfort station

When Silver Mine Road began to veer away from Seven Lakes Drive, we bushwacked up towards the road and walked about .4 miles back to the parking area.

Seven Lakes Drive

I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t do a longer hike, but I still enjoyed myself and we didn’t run into any bears. I hope that you enjoyed the hike and please don’t forget to follow my blog. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Harriman State Park, abandoned mine, bushwacking, secluded, ample parking.

Cons: bushwacking, no marked trails, short road walk.

Take a hike!

Lewis Mine and Stockbridge Mountain – Harriman State Park

Posted on February 19, 2017

February 19, 2017 – Woodbury, NY

Difficulty: Moderate

Length: Approximately 5 miles

Max elevation: 1,320 ft.– total elevation gain 730 ft.

Route type: Circuit

Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map

Hike route

This hike was on my calendar for quite some time, but somehow got pushed to the back burner due to weather and other priorities. With an unusually warm President’s Day weekend upon us, I decided to tackle this hike on Sunday morning. I was hoping the warm temperatures would melt away some of the snow from the previous week.

Harriman State Park covers almost 52,000 acres in Rockland and Orange Counties. The network of virtually infinite trail combinations is unrivaled in the New York metropolitan area. It offers hikers more than 235 miles of trails, which include approximately fifty marked trails, more than three dozen woods roads and numerous unmarked trails. It also has a lot of history tucked away in the woods. From its cool rock formations and glacial erratics to the abandoned mines and ruins that dot the landscape, you can always find thought-provoking and visually stimulating sights along the trails.

I love exploring the lesser used areas of the park and tend to avoid crowds whenever possible. This turned out to be one of those hikes, at least on this day. We arrived at the Old Silver Mine Ski Center on Seven Lakes Drive at around 9am. The huge parking lot had plenty of spots available, on our arrival and upon our return. We brought along our microspikes and put them on as we began our hike. They came in handy because the trails were either covered with snow and/or slush or muddy and swampy.

We began by heading west, following the yellow-blazed Menomine Trail which led us through a picnic area with Lewis Brook on the left and Seven Lakes Drive to our right.

yellow-blazed Menomine Trail

Just past a cable barrier, the trail turns right and climbs a slope then crosses the paved entrance road to the abandoned parking area for the former Silvermine Ski Area and enters a pine grove. To the right is the gravestone of James H. (“Scobie Jim”) Lewis and other family members, who once farmed the area now covered by Lake Nawahunta. We missed the stone, which lays toppled, but viewed it at the end of the hike. I am curious as to why the tombstone was never placed back on its base.

gravestone

The yellow-blazed Menomine Trail crosses Seven Lakes Drive and continues north on a woods road, known as the Nawahunta Fire Road with Lake Nawahunta on our left.

Lake Nawahunta

In a short distance, we came to a fork where the Menomine Trail bears left and the Nawahunta Fire Road splits to the right. We stayed right on the unmarked woods road which was built by the park in 1954. About 750 feet up the trail is the Lewis Mine. The hike description that we were following stated that there was a cairn (pile of stones used as a marker) on the right side of the trail. Well, we walked right by it and the mine opening was not visible from the direction we were coming from. I had my eyes wide open as I searched for the rock cut that led to the mine, but somehow missed it. We stopped and decided to double back to search for the mine. As we retraced our steps we could see the adit of the mine as we got closer. It turns out the cairn was knocked over (we added several stones to make it recognizable) and why we walked right past it. Nevertheless, we found Lewis Mine which is an open cut that is 28 feet long and 8 feet wide. The mine extends into the rock hillside.

Lewis Mine

No information has come to light regarding the ownership and operation of this mine. An 1875 map of this area showing two structures indicates that the property was owned by J.H. Lewis. A subsequent 1909 map also shows the J.H. Lewis holdings, which consisted of 220.5 acres, two structures, and a road. The surface indications at the Lewis Mine suggest that very little ore was removed from this site. Source: Lenik, Edward J. (2013-09-09). Iron Mine Trails (Kindle Locations 1615-1616). New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. Kindle Edition.

Lewis Mine

We did not enter the mine, but did peer inside. I was a little wary that a bear may be hibernating inside. We then continued on the fire road which climbs gradually for about a mile, then descends for a quarter of a mile. In the image below Stockbridge Mountain is visible through the trees.

Nawahunta Fire Road

When we came to a t-intersection, we turned left onto the Aqua-blazed Long Path. As the trail descended a bit, it was somewhat swampy.

Aqua-blazed Long Path

The Long Path began its ascent gradually then became steeper as we neared the summit.

Long Path – Stockbridge Mountain

Just before reaching the summit, we arrived at the Stockbridge Cave Shelter.

Stockbridge Cave Shelter

In 1922 while scouting a route for the Long Path, a 356-mile trail that passes through Harriman State Park, J. Ashton Allis found Stockbridge Cave. It officially became the Stockbridge Cave Shelter in 1928. (Courtesy of NYNJTC)

Stockbridge Cave Shelter

This massive rock formation has several natural caves that can accommodate quite a few people……and a few bears as well.

Stockbridge Cave Shelter

It even has a stone fireplace.

stone fireplace

We relaxed here for a bit, all the while staring at our next steps on the Long Path which entailed climbing along the side of the Stockbridge Cave Shelter. We watched one couple descend, with the woman falling and another couple ascend while slipping and sliding on the way up. Luckily for us we were wearing our microspikes and that made all the difference getting the necessary traction during that short but steep climb.

Long Path

We continued up the Long Path, finally arriving at the summit of Stockbridge Mountain. We planted our weary selves on one of the many glacial erratics that were scattered about like lawn furniture and enjoyed the partial views at 1,320 feet.

Stockbridge Mountain summit

Within feet of the summit is the stone Stockbridge Shelter which was built in 1928.

Stockbridge Shelter

This stone shelter features two fireplaces with chimneys and a green tin roof.

Stockbridge Shelter

From there the Long Path descended steeply and then leveled off a little. We came to a junction with the yellow-blazed Menomine Trail and there we turned left. Hippo Rock, a huge glacial erratic was just ahead on the Long Path, but it involved a small climb up the hill and at this point we were all tired. We just trudged along the Menomine Trail which led us gently back down towards civilization.

yellow-blazed Menomine Trail

We followed the yellow blazes, coming to the section where the fork with the Nawahunta Fire Road is. From there we retraced our steps back to the Silver Mine Picnic Area. My partners in crime grabbed a picnic table at the edge of Lewis Brook while I went to get the vehicle. We then fired up the grill and enjoyed some skirt steak tacos, loaded with cheese, pico de gallo and guacamole. Homemade toasted coconut brownies and caramel chocolate cookie bars were on the menu for dessert. After an exhausting hike, we relaxed, ate and enjoyed the warm February weather while being serenaded by the sweet sounds of the brook.

Lewis Brook

Don’t forget to follow my blog and feel free to share my posts with your friends. As always, I welcome any comments or suggestions regarding past or future hikes. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Harriman State Park, abandoned mine, cool rock formations, cave shelter, stone shelter, seasonal views, ample parking.

Cons: seasonal views

take a hike!

State Line Lookout to Park Headquarters – Hudson River Palisades

Posted on February 11, 2017

February 11, 2017 – Alpine, NJ

Difficulty: easy – moderate

Length: approximately 7.25 miles

Route type: out and back

Map: Hudson Palisades Trails Map – Free map

Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey is about 12 miles long, a half-mile wide, and encompasses 2,500 acres of wild Hudson River shorefront, uplands, and cliffs. There are more than 30 miles of hiking and ski trails, a boat launching ramp, a scenic riverside drive, a cliff-top parkway and overlooks, riverfront picnic areas and playgrounds, a nature sanctuary, two boat basins, historic sites — and mile after mile of rugged woodlands and vistas just minutes from midtown Manhattan.

This is my go to place when I don’t feel like traveling too far. Just over the Tappan Zee Bridge lies a unique geological formation offering stunning views of Manhattan and the Hudson River. We had about a foot of snow just days prior to this hike and I wasn’t looking forward to postholing for an entire hike. When I looked up the snow totals, I saw that Rockland County only got about 8 inches of snow. That is still deep enough to make any hike a lot less fun without snow shoes. I wasn’t about to stay in so I came up with a hike that wouldn’t include much elevation gain. This hike was atop the Palisades cliffs and an out and back, which meant we hiked to a certain point and retraced our steps back. A loop hike here would involve a steep descent down towards the Hudson River and then an equally steep ascent from the Hudson River back up to the top of the cliffs. Not on this day, we kept it simple.

We arrived just after 9am on this Saturday morning and the huge lot had a few cars in it. We made our way over to the scenic lookout and captured some images before we began our hike. First a look to the north……

view north up the Hudson

then a look to the south.

view south down the Hudson

We sat at a picnic table and put on our microspikes, which are essential for winter hiking. We then began our hike at northwest end of the parking area following the Aqua-blazed Long Path.

Aqua-blazed Long Path

We followed this footpath which paralleled the entrance road until we came to a junction where the Long Path turned left. We should have continued straight ahead on Trail B (skiing and hiking trail), but I failed to check my map. Nevertheless, the Long Path led us out onto the entrance road. The Long Path crosses the road and continues along the edge of the cliff then descends steeply on some stone steps. I wanted to avoid any steep sections so we continued along the side of the entrance road towards the Palisades Parkway (where we entered the park). There we turned onto an unmarked trail that began between a gap in the stone wall that lined the road.

gap in the stone wall

We were the first to hike this trail on this morning and the snow was deep in some spots. I was familiar with the trail so we just trudged along. This trail is short-lived and took us to the woods along the northbound lanes of the Palisades Interstate Parkway. There we took the Blue/White-blazed Forest View Trail which led us toward the Hudson River.

Blue/White-blazed Forest View Trail

In a short distance, we came to a t-intersection where the Forest View Trail turns left and joins the Long Path. We turned left to check out the Women’s Federation Monument which was built in 1929 to honor the role the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs played in preserving the Palisades.

Women’s Federation Monument

I’ve visited this spot several times, but never in the snow. Its design was meant to evoke the ancient watchtowers along the River Rhine in Europe: poets had called the Hudson “the Rhine of the New World” or “America’s Rhine” because of its scenic beauty.

Women’s Federation Monument

There’s not much better than visiting a castle perched high atop the cliffs overlooking the Hudson River.

view north from the Women’s Federation Monument

As we were checking out the castle, a large troop of Boy Scouts came along and were having some fun in the snow. We decided to get moving and retraced our steps back to the t-intersection and continued south, once again following the Aqua blazes of the Long Path.

Long Path

It was pretty much a straight walk along the cliffs from here on. I love the views from here as I can see Westchester County from a different perspective. The Yonkers Power Station just across the river is one of those sights.

Yonkers Power Station

Untermyer Park in Yonkers, NY was also visible from across the way.

Untermyer Park

Alongside the trail we came upon Gray Crag, a concrete bridge span, about thirty feet long and supported by a pair of steel I-beams. It crosses to a free-standing pillar of rock that forms a tabletop, about two hundred feet long, but only a dozen or so wide. John Ringling (yes that Ringling) and his wife Mable bought two big properties here and merged them into the hundred-acre estate they named Gray Crag. It would serve as their summer home through the 1920’s. Back in the day, the I-beams and concrete were covered in a wooden veneer to make it look and feel like a rustic bridge. On this day it was just covered with snow.

Gray Crag bridge

We walked as far as the Park Headquarters and decided to turn around there. We were wearing down at this point. Hiking in the semi-deep snow was laborious and we had to go back the way we came. We stopped at the castle on the way back before we made the final push to the parking area. There we relaxed on a picnic table and enjoyed some hot chocolate and sandwiches. Upon arriving back at the homestead, I whipped up some Coconut Chicken With Pina Colada Dip and then we had Brown Sugar Bacon Cheeseburgers with a delicious homemade German Chocolate cake for dessert. Another successful hike in the books along with some scrumptious culinary delights. It was a good day.

Don’t forget to follow my blog and feel free to share my posts with your friends. As always, I welcome any comments or suggestions regarding past or future hikes. Now get out there and take a hike!

Pros: Plenty of parking, Hudson River views, cliffs, castle.

Cons: popular in warm weather, trails travel alongside the parkway at times.

Take a hike!

Scenes From The Trail

Detailed hike reports, complete with images.

Author Archives: Outlaw_Hiker

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Cranberry Mine – Harriman State Park

Lewis Mine and Stockbridge Mountain – Harriman State Park

State Line Lookout to Park Headquarters – Hudson River Palisades

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