Harriman Hiker: Harriman State Park and Beyond: Cascade Lake Park

Sunday, November 29, 2020

Appalachian Trail to Cascade Lake Park

Appalachian Trail Natural Scenic Area /
Cascade Lake Park /
Passaic Co., New Jersey &
Orange Co., New York

Hiking Trails:
Appalachian Trail: White blaze
Red Trail: Red blaze
Green Trail: Green blaze
Blue Trail: Blue blaze

Total Time: 2:10 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.6 Miles
Hike Type: Lollipop Loop

Pros: Quiet area with nice scenery
Cons: Cascade Lake Park trails are not well marked

Google Map of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/cr7CvvqnHgSjdano6

Two weeks prior was my first visit to Cascade Lake Park. I wanted to reach the westernmost contiguous end of the my Appalachian Trail visit, and it involved Cascade Lake Park and the beautiful area of Prospect Rock along Bellvale/Bearfort Mountain. On my trip two weeks prior I determined to come back and explore the area more. So this trip involved a further west approach on the Appalachian Trail, and then exploring more trails in Cascade Lake Park.

I parked on Longhouse Drive, in New Jersey, just a short distance from from the New York State Line. I took the Appalachian Trail from the roadside parking east, heading along some small ridges and then alongside the marsh at Long House Creek. I crossed the creek on the bridge, then climbed the hill to the connector trail to the Red Trail of Cascade Lake Park. This trail is not on the map, but is a wide unmarked trail that connects the Cascade Lake Park Red Trail to the Appalachian Trail.

I took this trail to the Red Trail, taking it north alongside the western side of Cascade Lake. There is a vast range of wide trails in Cascade Lake Park, some marked and many unmarked, and it can be confusing. I veered off the Green Trail at an intersection, and took this trail to the Blue Trail. I did not see any markers on the Green Trail, but it is listed on the map as such.

I then walked past the lake dam, which is quite an impressive cascade, and then climbed up to the northern end of the dam, walking along an unmarked trail alongside the trail and up the hill, and then intersecting another trail which I took which goes alongside the creek back to the Red Trail. I then took the Connector Trail back to the Appalachian Trail, and went back along the Appalachian Trail on the same route as I came heading back to my car.

Map of the Route

Sign for Ride Help at the AT at the Beginning of the Hike

Appalachian Trail at the Beginning of the Hike

Small Newly Constructed Bridge on the AT

Large Swamp Alongside the Appalachian Trail

Bridge Across the Long House Creek on the Appalachian Trail

Long House Creek

Cascade at the Cascade Lake Dam

Waterfall over the Cascade Lake Dam

Dam Waterfall Low Shutter Speed

Me at the Cascade Lake Dam Waterfalls

View of the Cascade Lake Dam and Waterfalls from Above

View of Cascade Lake from the Dam

Me at the Cascade Lake Dam View of the Lake

View of Cascade Lake from the Overlook at the Swinging Rope

Swinging Rope with Platform to Swing into the Lake

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Cascade Lake Park and Prospect Rock

Cascade Lake Park /
Abraham Hewitt State Forest /
Appalachian Trail National Scenic Trail Area
Passaic Co., New Jersey & Orange Co., New York

Hiking Trails:
Red Trail: Red blaze
Appalachian Trail: White blaze
Blue Trail: Blue blaze

Total Time: 1:45 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.6 Miles
Hike Type: Loop

Pros: Great Scenery and Good Climb
Cons: Cascade Lake Park trails are not well marked

Google Map of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/hkdVs4iXgKQFRzD8A

This trail was a continuation of my completion of all the segments of the Appalachian Trail in my area. My furthest contiguous point to the west was at the State Line Trail at Prospect Park. This hike continued a further segment from the Cascade Lake Park area and picking up the trail from that vantage point. I was in the area in the late spring, where I went to the top from the other side from the State Line Trail at Greenwood Lake.

I had seen the Blue Trail coming out from Prospect Rock and intended to come back here and explore the area. This was that opportunity. The weather was cold and windy, and my first real taste of wintry-like weather. I parked at the Cascade Lake Park parking area, and took the Red Trail going along the side of the lake and heading south.

Cascade Lake Park is a local park adjacent to Bellvale/Bearfort Mountain with many wide trails. It is generally not a very scenic area, except for the lake and dam and last stretch of the Blue Trail up Bellvale Mountain.

I continued on the Red Trail until its hard bend, but went ahead straight on the unmarked woods road that connected directly to the Appalachian Trail. I took the Appalachian Trail east up the mountain all the way up to the Surprise Lake Trail, and then continued to the intersection of the State Line Trail. I then crossed the state line from New Jersey to New York, where the marker indicates the state line crossing. I then continued to Prospect Rock, a large rocky outcrop on Bellvale Mountain with sweeping views of the Greenwood Lake area.

I then took the Blue Trail to the west from near the top down descending on the path to where it widens and continues its descent down the mountain. I then went past the dam of Cascade Lake taking some pictures of the dam, and then walking along the side of the lake back to my car.