Sterling Mine Ski Area/Lewis Mine

Harriman State Park
Orange County,
New York

Trails:
Ski Trail: Unmarked
Menomine Trail: Yellow blaze
Nawahunta Fire Road: Unmarked

Hiking Partner:
David Bernstein

Total Time: 2:00 hr
Estimated Distance: 3.25 Miles

I had scheduled to meet with David Bernstein and go explore the Lewis Mine (also known as the Dunn Mine). This is an old abandoned iron mine and it was a while since I was last there. I had gotten to the parking area a bit early so decided to climb the abandoned Ski Trail before David arrived. I climbed up the left Ski trail to the top of the mountain, and bushwacked down the side down towards the Menomine Trail on the shore of the lake, and then back to the parking area where I encountered David. From there David and I took the Menomine trail the other way, west, across 7 Lakes Drive and we veered off on the Nawahunta Fire Road.

The Lewis Mine is only about a 1000 feet from the start of the Nawahunta Fire Road, and its right off the trail on the right. We went in and explored a bit, then continued further along the Fire Road for a short while and then turned around and looked for the upper portion of the mine, which is a bit further off the trail and hard to find. From there we bushwacked up the top and then back down towards 7 Lakes Drive, and back to the parking area where we started.

Map of the route

The Ski Trail from the parking area.
There is about half inch of snow on the ground.

Looking down towards the parking area
while climbing the ski trail

Looking north towards Bear Mountain
from the Silvermine Summit

Descending Silvermine Mountain
bushwacking towards the lake

Silvermine Lake from the shore. The Lake is frozen.

Silvermine Lake from the Menomine Trail

The Lewis Mine

Strange Icicle Formations growing inside the mine.

The hidden upper part of the Lewis Mine.