Dunderberg Spiral Railway and Loop

Bear Mountain State Park
Rockland County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail: Red blaze
Timp-Torne Trail: Blue blaze

Total Time: 3:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 6.15 miles
Level of Difficulty: Very Difficult (though easier on a direct route)
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended (though not the exact route that I took)
Points Of Interest: Historic railway, outstanding views
Pros: Good climb, several excellent views
Cons: Trails a bit confusing, views are of built-up areas

Google Map of Parking:

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I am usually good at planning a route, even if it involves a slight bushwack or using unofficial trails. This hike was definitely a challenge for me, having veered off base two separate times, as well as losing my camera. I had attempted to do some new routes on the Dunderberg spiral Railway track, but miscalculated and  ended up in a totally different place then planned on two different occasions on this hike.

The Dunderberg Spiral Railway was a project started in the late 1800's that was supposed to bring a trail up and down the mountain with a hotel on top. This project was never completed, though much of the path for the railway and several tunnels remain. Several of the trails go together with different parts of the unfinished railway, and other parts are very overgrown.

I had done Dunderberg the week before, but was out of time to complete the full route. There was one section of the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail I wanted to complete, and I resolved to complete it on this hike. I parked on Route 9W at the Ramapo-Dunderberg and Timp-Torne Trailheads. There is a flat thicket area with many thorns vines prior to the steep face of the mountain. There is a small parallel trail directly from the parking area to the other trails, and I took this to start. I then started climbing the joint trails until the split.

At the split, I continued on the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail along the steep cable include, and tried contining along the cable incline after the trail departed, and I got lost here since the cable track is totally overgrown at this point and indiscernible. I ended up bushwacking north-northwest, and then reached a different railroad trail which led me back to the blue Timp-Torne Trail instead of the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail. I continued along the Timp-Torne Trail across the stream, and up the mountain. At this point there is an excellent view high up above the Hudson River. It also overlooks the Indian Point nuclear power plant right across the river. I had left my camera at this point without realizing it.

After the view my plan was to bushwack and cut across to the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail and then take this trail as the return route. However, I ended veering more to the east then the north, and my GPS stopped working so I couldn't verify the bushwack on its proper eat. I ended up well west of where I was supposed to go, and was at a different spot in the notch between Bald Mountain and The Timp. Once I got my bearings straight, I climbed up the trail to Bald Mountain, (which has one of the best views in the park.) I then continued west along the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail to where it meets with a dirt path which is probably part of the railway. It was too hard to retrace my steps back through the bushwack I got lost in, so I cut across the dirt path and then did a short bushwack back to the main view on the Timp-Torne Trail. Thank God my camera was here on the rock where I must have left it, untouched. After breathing a sigh of relief, I continued down the Timp Torne Trail back to the trailhead.

Map of the Route

Railway Tunnel near the beginning of the hike

View right near the first tunnel, at the beginning of the steep ascent.
Looking towards Indian Point on the other side of the Hudson River.
Note the trail in the thicket area below.

Green frog resting on a log on the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

Part of the railroad bed

Beautiful flowering dogwood tree

View of the Hudson from the Bushwack Part.
Facing South.

A very overgrown portion of the railway

Another view from one of the railway bushwacks. Facing south.

Railway tunnel

This bird is called a scarlet tanager.
It has an orange-red head and body and black wings and tail.
It has an amazing color and is even stronger than a cardinal.
This bird was right near the view on the R-D Trail (below)

View from the Ramapo-Dundeberg Trail
Facing east across the Hudson River to Indian Point.
This is where I lost my camera.

Another  view, facing south along the Hudson River.

Same view, zoomed in.

Same view  facing  northeast, towards Peekskill

View from Bald Mountain, facing North to Bear Mountain.
Taken from my cell phone camera.

View from Bald Mountain, facing south towards the Timp Pass
Taken from my cell phone camera.

View from Bald Mountain, facing west to West Mountain.
Taken from my cell phone camera.

View of the Thicket Area at the end of the hike

Dunderberg Via Cornell Mountain

Bear Mountain State Park
Rockland County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Cornell Mine Trail: Blue blaze
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 2:45 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.3 miles
Level of Difficulty: Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points Of Interest: Great view atop Dunderberg
Pros: Excellent view, good climb, and overall scenic area
Cons: None

Hiking Partner:
Zev Feder

Google Map of Parking:

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Dunderberg Mountain is one of the most prominent mountains in the Highlands Region. It juts out into the Hudson River with very steep sides all around. This hike featured climbing up Dunderberg from the northern approach of the mountain on the Cornell Mine Trail. The first part of this hike is moderate and very scenic, passing some small waterfalls on the side of the cascading brook. It then hits a very steep point where it climbs to the top of the mountain. Near the top the trail ends at the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail.

We took the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail east for about 600 feet, where there is really nice view. The view faces north with the entire Bear Mountain in view, part of West Mountain, and Anthony's Nose across the river. We then continued on the Ramapo-Dunderberg a little bit more until we realized we were out of time and had to turn back. We returned along the same route.

Map of the Route

Zev walking along the R-D Trail near the summit

 

View from the Summit of Dunderberg. Facing northwest.

Another view from the summit facing north.
Looking towards the Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson River.
Note the vulture soaring above.

Zev at the summit, with Bear Mountain behind him

Me at the summit, with Bear Mountain behind me

A very large black rat snake slithering across the R-D Trail

Waterfall along the side of the Cornell Mine Trail

Kakiat Spring Hike

Kakiat County Park
Rockland County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Kakiat Trail: White blaze
Mountain Trail: Orange blaze

Total Time: 1:00 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.2 miles
Level of Difficulty: Slightly Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points Of Interest: View on top
Pros: Excellent view, good climb
Cons: None

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

Google Map of Parking:

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Kakiat is a great hiking area. Though a separate park from Harriman, it is adjacent on all three sides and shares the same mountain range and some of the same trails. The trees had just started to turn green, and this was really the first hike with everything in full bloom. We parked in the Kakiat Trailhead parking area, crossed the bridge over the Mahwah River, and took the Kakiat trail up the mountain. Near the end of its ascent we veered off to the Mountain Trail, which we took to the upper view, and then took continued along the Mountain Trail down in its entirety back to the entrance of the park and our car.

Map of the Route

Bridge Crossing the Mahwah River, from the parking area

Crossing the Bridge

Freshly Sprouted Plants on a rock with a trail marker

View from the top. Facing southeast.

View from the top, facing southeast.

View from the top facing east.
Grandview Ave is the line in the middle.

View facing northeast, towards South Mountain

Zoomed in towards lower Manhattan with the
new Freedom Tower in the haze

View Starting the Descent

Sprouting Plants on the Mountain  Trail near the bottom

Carr Pond Mountain to Parker Cabin Mountain, Harriman State Park

Orange County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
White Bar Trail: White blaze
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail: Red blaze
Victory Trail: Blue blaze

Total Time: 2:00 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.85 miles
Level of Difficulty: Slightly Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points Of Interest: Two important Harriman peaks, scramble up Parker Cabin Mnt
Pros: Two excellent views, quiet area of park, fun scramble
Cons: Last part of hike is walking along road

Google Map of Parking:

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During my previous hike I realized that I wanted to explore the surrounding area some more, namely take the White Bar Trail in a remote area up Parker Cabin Mountain, which I had never done before. I had already climbed Carr Pond Mountain the previous week, and while this hike was an entirely different hike, it did involve the same view and route down Carr Pond Mountain as the previous hike. However, this time all the trees were starting to bloom and everything was much greener, and the contrast was well-noted, including in my photographs.

I started at the parking trailhead around the bend of Kanawauke Road (County Route 106), and took the White Bar Trail south, up the mountain to the shelter, through the valley, and then up to the Carr Pond Mountain view. I then continued along the trail steeply down to the Parker Cabin Hollow, and then up the gradual rise on the White Bar Trail up Parker Cabin Mountain until meeting up with the Triangle Trail. I continued along to the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail, and then took this trail north. Before climbing to the view of Parker Cabin Mountain, there is a very good scramble ascending to the view. This view is outstanding and is one of the best in Harriman. Continued along the Ramapo-Dunderberg gradually down to the intersection of the Victory Trail, and then took the Victory Trail to its terminus at the road. I continued along road for the rest of the hike to the trailhead.

Map of the Route

 

Shelter at Carr Pond Mountain with
Lake Stahahe in the Background

 

View from Carr Pond Mountain

Another View from Carr Pond Mountain

Bridge at Parker Cabin Hollow.
Note how much greener this exact spot is than in the previous hike

View Ascending the Parker Cabin Scramble.
Lake Sebago is in the distance.

Parker Cabin Mountain Summit View

View from Parker Cabin Mountain.
Facing south  toward Blauvelt Mountain

View from Parker Cabin Mountain.
Facing West.

Stunted Pine Trees along the smooth, rocky northern
part of Parker Cabin Mountain

Parker Cabin Hollow to Carr Pond Mountain Harriman State Park

Orange County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Parker Cabin Hollow: Orange blaze
White Bar Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 1:45 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.75 miles
Level of Difficulty: Slightly Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points Of Interest: Scenic, tranquil area, beaver dam, nice view
Pros: Very remote and tranquil area of park, very scenic, good view at the end
Cons: Beginning of hike starts close to the Thruway and you can hear highway for first few minutes

Google Map of Parking:

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The Parker Cabin Hollow Trail is a relatively new trail that starts  right near the Thruway and goes through a scenic valley called Parker Cabin Hollow. I parked at the trailhead on County 106 right near the Thruway, and took the trail east from its beginning. The trail goes through a nice evergreen grove near the beginning. I continued along the trail, where it flanks a large swamp on the north which has lots of beaver activity, including felled trees, a beaver dam, and beaver home in the middle of the swamp. I continued to the end of the trail at the White Bar Trail, where there is a nice meadow where the trail crosses the brook over a shaky bridge. I took the White Bar north to the steep but short ascent to the view of Carr Pond Mountain. Carr Pond Mountain has a nice view towards the east. I then turned around and returned the same way back.

Map of the Route

Beginning of the Parker Cabin Hollow Trail

Evergreen Hemlock Forest the Trail Passes Through

The Brook Through Parker Cabin Hollow

Swamp with a Beaver Dam and Felled Trees.
Carr Pond Mountain is in the Background.

A Closer Look at the Beaver Dam

The Swamp Again with Carr Pond Mountain

Tree Taken Down By A Beaver

The Bridge at the end of the Parker Cabin Hollow

View Atop Parker Cabin Hollow. Facing West.

The Same View Zoomed In