Suffern To Kakiat

Harriman State Park/
Kakiat County Park,
Rockland Co,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail Trail: Yellow blaze
Kakiat Trail: White blaze
Old Mill Trail: Blue blaze

Total Time: 2:10 hours
Estimated Distance: 6.0 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Recommended

Points of Interest: Good views, Off Beaten Path
Cons: Lots of man-made obstructions such as built-up views, power lines, gas lines, etc.

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

The weather had been very hot, and this late summer day in September was probably in the 90's. It had been many years since I hiked along this lonely stretch of trail from Suffern to Kakiat along the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail. We took two cars on this hike. We parked the first one on Chestnut Street in Suffern, about a block from downtown, and we parked the second car in Kakiat.

We walked through Suffern and crossed under the wide Thruway overpass on Route 59. The Suffern-Bear Mountain Trailhead is here. We climbed up the steep climb where there is a great view on top of Suffern and the Manhattan skyline. We continued along the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail along its long and windy route past the power and gas lines which also afforded some views. At the intersection with the Kakiat Trail we headed down all the way to the bottom part of Kakiat Park and took the Old Mill Trail for a very short distance at the end. We then crossed the Mahwah River on the new bridge and found our car in the parking lot.

Map of the Route.
Harriman/Bear Mountain Southern Trails Map

View of the Thruway/I-287 Crossover in Suffern

Looking South to the Sheraton Crossroads

View with Suffern in the Foreground and the Manhattan Skyline in the Distance

Me at the View

Beech Tree Showing Early Autumn Foliage Color Change

Leaves from the Above Tree

View of Suffern from the View

Zoom into Suffern and Mahwah.
Note the Manhattan Skyline in the Distance.

View from the Power Lines

The Trail at the Kitchen Stairs Formation

A View at the 2nd Power Lines of Ramapo Torne

View Facing East from the 2nd Power Lines

Grandpa & Grandma Rocks.
I wasn't sure Exactly Which Rocks were the Large Rocks Labelled as Such.
There are Several Rocks in this Rocky Area than may Qualify for this Designation.
I think These Fit the Best Description.