Harriman Hiker: Harriman State Park and Beyond: Bearfort Ridge

Sunday, October 24, 2021

Bearfort Ridge West Ridge and West Loop

Abraham Hewitt State Forest
West Milford
Passaic Co.,
New Jersey

Hiking Trails:
Bearfort Ridge Connector Trail: Blue-green blaze
Bearfort Ridge Loop Trail: Green blaze
West Ridge Trail: Pink blaze
Ernest Walter Trail: Yellow blaze

Total Time: 3:15 hour
Estimated Distance: 5.3 Miles

Pros: Good climb, multiple views, rock formations, and scenic lake
Cons: Non
Hike Type: Lollipop Loop
Level of Difficulty: Difficult

Hiking Partners:
Yehudah Koblick
Shimmy Rosenberg

Google Maps of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/tJwT7L2p84vKAiaX6

I had been in the area the previous Sunday, and it was amazing scenery with the fall foliage. I decided to come back and explore the new West Ridge Trail which goes along the western ridge of Bearfort Mountain in Abraham Hewitt State Forest along rocky outcrops and views.

We parked on Warwick Turnpike and took the Bearfort Ridge Connector Trail from the road, crossing over the bridge over Green Brook and then through a rhododendron forest. We then took the took the Bearfort Ridge Loop Trail trail up the mountain, passing rock outcrops and a nice view, and then took the West Ridge Trail down and across the rocky ridge to the trail end at the Ernest Walter Trail. We took the Ernest Walter Trail to the spur trail that overlooks West Pond, with beautiful scenery and foliage, and then continued to the Bearfort Ridge Loop Trail.

We took the trail along some ups and downs and views, and then took the trail back down the mountain and back to the Bearfort Ridge Connector Trail back to our car.

Map of the Route

Signs at the Trailhead

Bridge Over Green Brook

Small Waterfall Over Green Brook

Shimmy at a Rocky Outcrop on Bearfort Ridge

View on Bearfort Ridge

Yehudah at Bearfort Ridge

Manhattan Skyline in the Distance

Views from West Ridge

Yehudah and Shimmy on West Ridge

West Ridge Trail Terminus

Foliage on the Earnest Walter Trail

Ernest Walter Rock Scramble near West Pond

Ascending the Ernest Walter Rock Scramble near West Pond

West Pond

Foliage View from West Pond

View at the Ernest Walter / Bearfort Ridge Trail Intersections

Swamp with Rocky Outcrop Along the Bearfort Ridge Loop

Rhododendron Trail at the End of the Hike

Green Brook and Bridge Near the End of the Hike

Sunday, September 12, 2021

Bearfort Ridge Loop

Bearfort Mountain,
Abraham Hewitt State Forest
West Milford
Passaic Co.,
New Jersey

Hiking Trails:
Bearfort Ridge Spur: Green/black blaze
Bearfort Ridge Loop: Green blaze

Total Time: 1:50 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.5 Miles

Pros: Scenic and quiet area with interesting geology
Cons: None
Hike Type: Loop
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Google Maps of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/qMgxgwphJv4to2nd8

Bearfort Ridge is one of the most scenic areas of New Jersey. It is a long mountain with interesting conglomerate stone and quartz veins rising up from above Greenwood Lake and the valley to the south of it. This was one portion of the ridge I had not yet hiked, and decided it was a good time to do so. The trails were recently renamed, with the Bearfort Ridge Trail now a Loop Trail replacing the Quail Trail.

I parked at the Lower parking roadside pull-off on Warwick Turnpike, and took the Bearfort Ridge Spur Trail, a short connector trail, to the Bearfort Ridge Loop (formerly the Quail Trail.) This is an easy and wide trail that gradually ascends along the side of the ridge. Being that I was short on time, about a mile into the trail I took an unofficial connector trail that connects the lower trail to the upper trail. The trail is easy to follow as it climbs up the remainder of the ridge. It has metal can cover blazes nailed into the trees. Once I reached the upper part of the loop trail, the scenery dramatically changed, with a craggy area with giant rock boulders overlooking a swamp with sweeping views and pre-season foliage colors.

Continuing south along the trail leads to more views and rocky areas with distinctive pitch pine, until the final descent. I had missed the upper connector trail and decided to bushwhack down, but being steep terrain I tripped on a root on my descent and tumbled down a bit. I got banged and bruised, but thankfully it was mild, but then I had trouble crossing the stream, which was wetter than usual after all the rains, and then at the final stretch before the road was a dense patch of poison ivy which took much maneuvering to avoid.