Sunday, November 8, 2009

Mianus River Gorge

Mianus River Gorge Wildlife Refuge,
Bedford,
Westchester County
New York


Trails:
Brink of Gorge Trail - Red Blaze
Fringe of Forest Trail - Blue Blaze
Bank of River Trail - Green Blaze

Total Time: 2.5 Hours
Total Distance: 4 Miles

This was a really nice and warm day in late fall. All the leaves had already fallen, with justa few remaining colorful trees, and the temperature was in the 60's. Started the hike at the beginning parking lot, and for the most part hiked along the river path the way down and hiked on the upper path on the return route. I was not familar with the trail names and their markings so I can't tell you which trail I hiked at each point - I just followed the closest one to the river there and the upper one the way back.

I took the offshoot to the Hobby Hill Quarry, which is a pegmatite quarry in the cliff of the
gorge. It contains shiny muscovite, crystallized feldspar, and large hunks of quartz including
rose quartz. I thought the trail continues here but it's a dead end, so I had to turn around
to get back to the trail. Continued along to the Resivoir view spur and then headed down to
the Havemeyer falls. Took some pictures by the falls and continued to the foot of the river where it empties into the Mianus Reservoir. Then turned around and went back, this time on the upper trail passing through many stone walls and old farmland.




Map of the route


Map at the trailhead


The Mianus River at the beginning of the hike


Along the river trail


The Hobby Hill Quarry


Rose Quartz wall in the Quarry


Autumn leaves on the trail



A random shot in the middle of the hike


The reservoir view. Looking south.


Havemeyer Falls.


Another view of the waterfall.


At the beginning of the reservoir. Facing south.


 Ditto.


Ditto. Facing southeast.


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