Appalachian National Scenic Trail Land,
Sterling Forest State Park Area
Orange Co.,
New York
Hiking Trails:
Appalachian Trail: White blaze
Total Time: 1:50 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.8 Miles
Pros: Scenic and quiet area, very green in winter
Cons: No vista views
I am going to make an effort to cover more of the trails in Sterling Forest State Park. I have been to many of the trails, but there are many more I have never gotten to. Furthermore, I recently picked up a new Trail Conference map, which has several new trails I have never seen before on my previous 2005 map edition.
I parked on Orange Turnpike where it intersects the Appalachian Trail. There is a small pull-off on the side of the road, about 100 feet south of the trail, on the southbound lane. I climbed up the incline to the top of the hill, but there isn't really a view here. I then climbed down contining past Little Dam Lake, which this trail follows alongside for a good part of the way. This is an irregular shaped lake that is quite swampy in some areas, and has some nice rock formations alongside its western spur. I then continued along the trail to East Mombasha Road, where I turned around and went back along the same route.
My camera lens got stuck during this hike, so these pictures were taken off my cell phone camera.
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X8yYukVZHlw/WkmZlFC9NiI/AAAAAAACkoo/jm2ewrpl9KcepSEiReaCFrJjxxD4fQaPgCLcBGAs/s400/2017-12-24-Little-Dam-Lake-at-Sterling-Forest.jpg) |
Map of the Route |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B1DcmYhaHUc/WkmZlBU1KgI/AAAAAAACkog/L0uZTFAfq-wpCfZOiP4wesVI97nfeXCxwCLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-01.jpg) |
Appalachian Trail Descending Towards Little Dam Lake |
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ByHpWmrVk_Q/WkmZlN_jF4I/AAAAAAACkok/mSdrScnHWcAIYT9eAw4PnZIAlmgozXBUACLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-02.jpg) |
Little Dam Lake, Facing Northeast |
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zi_nMX3MNNQ/WkmZmAnlRRI/AAAAAAACkos/iR9pST2zhIM7eNSGHt6Kp8tgSwDBY_m3QCLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-03.jpg) |
Little Dam Lake, Partially Frozen |
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CLB5qlukDWI/WkmZmiOVMII/AAAAAAACkow/HjzMKFNwz6oxavVHNvdQqjxoIYRNC6LXACLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-04.jpg) |
Little Dam Lake Inlet |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-crB0nJYA72o/WkmZnB5NS9I/AAAAAAACko0/biYUdlhnztYUJ5eLkwpC_gtRuN5jD7GxQCLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-05.jpg) |
Rock Formations at the Little Dam Lake Inlet |
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-prGwrOsI48Q/WkmZnkAK5II/AAAAAAACko4/HowFYXpgaCA0jwGPugay2diErlVLWahRwCLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-06.jpg) |
Trail Crossing Over Rocks at the Little Dam Lake Inlet |
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ZRb-PO0E1E/WkmZoOcCjaI/AAAAAAACko8/W3s7zW5j7rIEygYDQHf5GtAIBb3hLg5bQCLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-07.jpg) |
Little Dam Lake Inlet Looking Towards Little Dam Lake |
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sIV62bIWyic/WkmZoqp9YVI/AAAAAAACkpA/F31OEBdn-ecVmvH2taaa6XKEL78-WQXdgCLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-08.jpg) |
Appalachian Trail at East Mombasha Road |
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uMQgF8lyffU/WkmZpOXUdbI/AAAAAAACkpE/Jg7TdBiGnxUWnONZXF8EcCJOKx0bDKAfACLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-09.jpg) |
Winter Greenery in Hemlock Forest |
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tx2MqkU63LE/WkmZpsojlwI/AAAAAAACkpI/qzGgTB3eU2U-WztfgapPjN2giupESWv1wCLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-10.jpg) |
Little Dam Lake on the Return Route |
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tVTJpVWMlW4/WkmZqD2FvMI/AAAAAAACkpM/ng7LFBlXpk8qi1TYwHV0KKIy3kOKyjhBQCLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-11.jpg) |
Appalachian Trail Crossing on the Orange Turnpike |
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QWrfK4X6ZYA/WkmZqqR2g-I/AAAAAAACkpQ/ma0VsMQU6qU6co_Y36JmZXeNqwwEWDM8gCLcBGAs/s400/appalachian-trail-sterling-forest-ny-12.jpg) |
Me at the AT Trail Crossing Sign |
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