Popolopen Loop Bear Mountain State Park

Orange County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Timp-Torne Trail: Blue blaze
1777-1779 Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 1:30 hours
Estimated Distance: 2.7 miles
Level of Difficulty: Difficult but short
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points Of Interest: Good scramble and outstanding views 
Pros: Good scramble up mountain, panoramic views
Cons: You can hear the noise from the Palisades Parkway the whole time.

Hiking Partner:
Avigael Friedman

Google Map of Parking:

View 2013 Hiking Locations in a larger map

Popolopen is one of the best short hikes in the area. It climbs steeply up a rocky scramble to an outstanding view, but its a pretty quick round trip hike. The whole hike can be done in about 45 minutes. We had planned to park on Mine Road at the trailhead where Popolopen climbs the mountain, but there was a truck with a modular house on it making a delivery blocking the entire road. It didn't look like they were moving any time soon, so I just parked my car on the side of the road right there and took the combined Timp-Torne/1777-9 Trail where it emerges from the road. This more then doubled the length of the hike, but this part is very easy. We took the trail to the western spur of the trail, which is the better loop to climb up Popolopen. We then took the other route down, and went along the trail confluences back to the car.

Map of the Route.
Harriman/Bear Mountain State Park - Northern Map

View While Ascending

Ditto

View from the top facing the Bear Mountain Plateau.
Facing South.

View Facing Southwest Towards the Palisades Parkway

Me at the Top

View Facing North

View Facing Southeast Towards the Hudson River,
The Bear Mountain Bridge, and Anthony's Nose

Over the Mighty  Hudson

Classic Popolopen View of the Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthony's Nose

Doodletown Ghost Town

Bear Mountain State Park
Rockland County,
New York

Trails:
Cornell Mine Trail: Blue blaze
1777 E Trail: Red blaze
Doodletown Road (unmarked)
Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail: Yellow Blaze
Doodletown Bridle Path (unmarked)

Total Time: 1:45 min
Estimated Distance: 3.3 Miles

The temperature was above freezing and the snow had been melting. It had rained in the morning and the melting snow had given a strong fog which made visibility very poor. I figured this was a good circumstance to visit the famous ghost town of Doodletown. I had not been to Doodletown in over 3 years, so this seemed like the perfect day. Plenty of wet snow around, and an eerie fog to complement this ghost town of abandoned foundations.

I parked the car on Route 9W right near the entrance to Iona Island. Took the Cornell Mine Trail along the side of the brook, past the waterfall which the locals used to call "The 10 Footer", and then veered off towards the 1777E Trail and Doodletown Road. Continued along Doodletown Road walking past the abandoned foundations and their placards, and then went off to the Suffern Bear Mountain Trail and then along the Doodletown Bride Path heading back. Went through some more Doodletown Historical Sites, and zigzagged back to Doodletown road and back to Route 9W.

Map of the Route

Dam along the brook on the Cornell Trail

Cornell Trail in the snow and fog.

The "10 Footer" Waterfall.
Hard to capture the prettiness with the monotone colors.

The main fall of the "10 footer"

Foundation in Doodletown with placard.

Doodletown Reservoir

Another view of the Doodletown Reservoir

The Montville Schoolhouse site.
This was one of the last structures of Doodletown to be demolished.

Sign explaining the Doodletown historical sites
by Doodletown Road and the Suffern-Bear Mnt Trail

West Mountain - AT Approach

Hudson Highlands
Orange County, New York

Hike up West Mountain on the Appalachian Trail on a nice, but cold, winter day. Started on hiker's trailhead off 7 Lakes Drive near Perkins Drive, and went west on 1777 W Trail to the Appalachian Trail. Took the Appalachian up West Mountain, to the junction of the Timp Torne trail, with some awesome views along the steep ridge. Then took Timp Torne trail north down the mountain, and towards the bottom bushwacked towards a strange quarry. I have seen this "quarry" from afar previously, but didn't know exactly know what it is so I decided to explore. After visual following towards the quarry, I climbed up a steep, almost perpendicular cliff of dumped rock tailings at the quarry edge. I explored the area and still have no idea what this area is. There are huge, freshly crushed boulders in middle of nowhere, and the area is quite large. I snooped around and found a few rough Chondrodite crystals. Then headed on the service road that leads to the quarry back to the trailhead.

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The Appalachian Trail before the ascent

At first lookout on West Mnt. looking north towards Military Lands

On top of West Mountain looking east.

Dunderberg Mountain, Hudson River, and Peekskill

Looking Northeast at Anthony's Nose

Looking north towards the great Bear Mountain

Fresh Tailings at "The Quarry"