Sunday, July 17, 2016

North Point Storm King Loop

Storm King State Park
Orange Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Bobcat Trai: White blaze
Howell Trail: Blue blaze
Stillman Trail: Yellow blaze

Total Time: 3:45 Hours
Estimated Distance: 5.1 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Very difficult, especially due to heat
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended

Points of Interest: Great views

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

This was a brutally hot and humid day. In hindsight this strenuous hike was not the best choice for a day like this one. We did want a good workout, but this really pushed us to the limit. We parked at the Bobcat Trail trailhead parking off Route 9W near North Point. We took the short Bobcat Trail to the end at the Howell Trail, and climbed up to North Point. This area is full of good views, and lacks tree cover. Instead, there is a huge blueberry patch here in this was just the beginning of the blueberry season.

After reaching the top of North Point and the view before the descent, we turned around and went back down from where we came from, descending along the Howell Trail into the valley, crossing it over, and then ascending up Storm King. This part up climbs the mountain and is quite difficult. We went off the Howell Trail to the Stillman trail, which kind of plateaus at a certain with only minimal climbing remaining, this giving us some good relief. We continued along the Stillman Trail to the summit view, which faces north towards the Hudson River and the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. We then met up with the Stillman Trail again, took it down towards the valley, and continued back along the same route we came, via the Bobcat Trail to the parking area.

Map of the Route.
West Hudson Trails - Eastern Map 
Me Picking Blueberries Along North Point

Man Relaxing and Reading Atop North Point

Me at North Point

Storm King, the Hudson River, and Breakneck from North Point

Butter Hill as Seen from North Point

Storm King from North Point

Butter Hill from North POint

The Same Man from Above

Ripe Blueberries at  North Point

North Point Blueberry Fields and Butter Hill

Summit at Storm King

Beacon Mountain from Storm King Summer

View of Hudson River from Storm King.
Newburgh-Beacon Bridge in the Distance

View of Newburgh from Storm King Summit

Me at Storm King Summit

Beautiful, Unobstructed View of the Hudson Facing North at Storm King

Newburgh and Newburgh-Beacon Bridge

View of Hudson River Facing South

Shimmy at the Above View

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