Sunday, October 21, 2018

Surebridge Mountain Loop

Harriman State Park,
Orange Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Crooked Road: Unblazed
Arden-Surebridge Trail: Red blaze
White Bar Trail: White blaze
Dunning Trail: Yellow blaze
Surebridge Mountain Trail: Unblazed
Lichen Trail: Blue blaze
Long Path: Green blaze
Appalachian Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 2:00 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.2 Miles

Pros: Great views, scrambles, and interesting rock formations
Cons: None

I had hiked nearby this area the previous week, and had wanted to go back to the higher terrain of Harriman between Kanawauke Road and Arden Valley Road that is highly exposed with large, barren rock faces. This area is exceptionally scenic, especially during the fall with the bright foliage.

I parked on Arden Valley Road at Crooked Road, and took the Crooked Road path past the Appalachian Trail and to the Arden-Surebridge Trail. I then took the Arden-Surebridge Trail for a short distance, and then cut across to the White Bar Trail, which I took south until the Dunning Trail.

I took the Dunning Trail west, as it climbed up Surebridge Mountain. I then cut across on a bushwack on a somewhat used route to the rocky exposed area where there is an outstanding view facing west. Most of the area of Surebridge Mountain from this point is formed of large, exposed bedrock and short shrubs, with continuos views to the west. I noticed an informal path at this point going North near the escarpment of Surebridge Mountain. The path has red strings tied to strings and cairns (rock piles) along the route. I took this newly discovered trail north until right before it ends, where I bushwacked over to the Lichen Trail.

I took the Lichen Trail to north to the big rock exposure on that trail, and the view overlooking Island Pond. I continued along this short trail to it terminus at the combined Arden-Surebridge Trail and the Long Path, going west towards Island Pond. I continued along the Arden-Surebridge Trail where it split with the Long Path, and then went passed the Lemon Squeezer, where I met up with the Appalachian Trail. I took the Appalachian Trail for a short distance back to Crooked Road, which I took back to my car.

Map of the Route

Crossing a Saturated Brook on the Arden-Surebridge Trail

Surebridge Mountain Summit

Rocky Area along the Surebridge Mountain Summit

View from Surebridge Mountain Facing Southwest

View from Surebridge Mountain Facing Northwest

Same View, Zoomed in to Island Pond

View Facing West

Large Pine Tree on Surebridge Mountain

Cairns along the Unofficial Surebridge Trail

Large Rock on Surebridge Mountain

More Rocks on Surebridge Trail

Fall Foliage Colors along the Rocks

Me at the Ramapo-Dunderberg and Lichen Trail Intersection

Me at the Same Location Above

Lichen Trail

Island Pond from the Lichen Trail

Zoomed into Island Pond

Large Rock Approaching the View on the Lichen Trail

Lichen Trail Rock

Lemon Squeezer Entrance that I Passed

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