Harriman State Park /
Sterling Forest State Park
Orange Co.,
New York
Hiking Trails:
Sapphire Trail: Blue blaze
Total Time: 2:45 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.6 miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Level of Recommendation: Not recommended
Points of Interest: Rock Formation on top
Pros: Remote part of the park off the beaten path
Cons: No views or interesting sites to see, far out from other Harriman trails
Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg
Google Map of Parking:
View 2014 Hiking Locations in a larger map
This was my first hike since surgery. I have been doing light biking over the last few weeks, but after several weeks of physical therapy was finally ready for a hike. This trail ended up being longer than I expected, but the gradual climb up and down was very doable.
The Sapphire Trail is probably the most isolated trail in Harriman, in the northwestern corner of Harriman State Park near Monroe and Sterling Forest. Its also a very quiet trail with very little traffic. A small part of the trail goes into Sterling Forest State Park.
We parked in the Park and Ride parking lot on Route 17, south of Monroe, which acts as overflow parking for Woodbury Commons on weekends. Parking for hikers is only available at this lot on weekends and Holidays. We took the Sapphire Trail up the gradual climb until its intersection with the Appalachian Trail at the top. At the top we took a break at the interesting rock formation, and then returned down the same route.
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| Map of the Route. Harriman/Bear Mountain State Park Northern Map |
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| Beginning of the Sapphire Trail |
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| Me Walking Through a Fern Forest |
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| Interesting Rock Formation Where the Sapphire Trail Meets the Appalachian Trail |
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| Me in the Above Rock Formation |
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| Me at the end of the Sapphire Trail |
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