Harriman Hiker: Harriman State Park and Beyond: Dunning

Showing posts with label Dunning. Show all posts

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Hogencamp Mountain

Harriman State Park
Orange County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Hogencamp Road (unmarked blaze)
Dunning Trail (Yellow blaze)

Total Time: 2 hours
Estimated Distance: 3 miles
Level of Difficulty: Slightly Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Recommended for a good bushwack
Points Of Interest: Good bushwack, good views, historical mine

Google Maps of Parking:

View 2012 Hiking in a larger map

This hike is mostly a bushwack - and a very scenic one. I parked on County Route 106 right after the bend by Lake Kanawauke, to take the old road to Hogencamp. I took this for a short while passing some of the abandoned structures along the way from this old mining ghost town. Right before the bend in the old overgrown road there is a large clearing on the right, with the foundation of a large unknown structure. There is a cliff behind here which has a very good bushwack route up. I climbed the cliff, to where there is an excellent east-facing view of Lake Kanawauke, and this leads to an unmarked short trail to the Dunning Trail.

I took the Dunning Trail for a very short while, and then cut across up the Rocky area right after the stream to the summit of Hogencamp Mountain. The summit is covered by brush and rocky exposures, and lacks significant tree cover. This is due to the area once being the site of a huge forest fire. The summit of Hogencamp, along the ridge, is an incredibly scenic area with beautiful plants and a consistent view to the east. I strongly advocate the creation of a trail along this ridge.

Coming towards the Long Path, I descended in a valley that had a good cut-through route, and this led me to the northen point of the Hogencamp workings. I explored some of the many mine cuts and shafts in the area, and headed back south along the Dunning Trail. The Hogencamp Mine consists of many mining cuts and pits and is the most extensive of the ancient iron mine workings in the entire Harriman State Park. I always enjoy exploring this area. Headed back along the Dunning Trail, cutting off by the old Hogencamp Road towards Route 106, and then back to my car.

Map of the route

Old Foundation - Looking behind while ascending the bushwack cliff

View atop the bushwack.

View with the Little Long Pond in the distance.

Looking up to the dense brush climbing Hogencamp Mountain

View from the south summit of Hogencamp - Facing south.

Facing southeast.

Facing east with the traffic circle in the distance.

Large mine adit at Hogencamp Mine.

The big dangerous hole at Hogencamp Mine.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Black Rock Mountain

Harriman State Park
Orange County, NY

Trails:
Ramapo Dunderberg Trail: Red blaze

Dunning Trail: Yellow blaze
Nurian Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 2 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.88 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points Of Interest: Amazing Scenery and views, good climb

Google Maps of Parking:

View 2012 Winter in a larger map

This is one of my favorite hikes in Harriman! The scenery and terrain is incredible and the climb is also excellent. I I parked on the trailhead on Lake Kanawauke Rd (County Route 106 - the same trailhead as last week's hike) and went north on the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail snaking up Black Rock Mountain. There is a beautiful view up on the top here. Once at the top continued along the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail through the interesting scenery or large bedrock exposures and stunted trees. From there headed west on the Dunning Trail, down past Surebridge Mountain, and then to the Nurian Trail. Took the Nurian Trail south, continuing alongs its combination with the White Bar Trail, and then back up Black Rock Mountain and down again back to the car.

Map of the Route

View Near the top of Black Rock Mountain.
Facing east towards Jackie Jones.

View from Black Rock near view.
Facing south looking at Tom Jones Mountain.

View from Black Rock facing southwest.

Hikers atop Black Rock, at the R-D and Nurian Trail crossing.

Black Rock.

Another view at Black Rock. Facing west.

View continuing north atop Black Rock.
Facing northwest.

Another view continuing north.
Facing northwest, with Schunnemunk in the distance.

Ascending the treeless true summit of Black Rock Mnt.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Black Rock Mountain and Surebridge Mountain

Black Rock Mountain & Surebridge Mountain
Harriman State Park
Orange County,
New York

Total Time: 2:30 Hour
Total Distance: 3.5 Miles

Trails:
Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail: Red Blaze
Nurian Trail: Yellow Blaze
White Bar (WB) Trail: (white Blaze)

Hiking Partner:
Feige Koegel (My sister)

This was a gorgeous early spring hike. The hike was gorgeous and the weather was gorgeous. The sky was bright blue and the trees were just beginning to bud. We started the hike on Co. Rt. 106 (Lake Kanawauke Rd) at the R-D trailhead by the road, and headed north up Black Rock Mountain. Its a nice climb of a few hundred feet, with a good view at the top. At the view is the intersection with the Nurian Trail, which we took due west climbing back down the mountain until the intersection with the WB Trail. The WB and Nurian Trail join together here for several hundred feet. Then took the WB back up the edge of southern end of Surebridge Mountain.

The top of Surebridge Mountain was totally destroyed by a forest fire years ago, and the tree cover is very sparse, making the top full of exposed bedrock and excellent views throughout. We decided to bushwack up the top of the end of this ridge, as we could observer the panoramic views it beheld from below it. We found an old deerpath and bushwacked through to the rocky viewpoint for some excellent photos of a 360 degree view.

We then returned back to the WB Trail, where it shortly met the R-D Trail, which took south back to the Black Rock viewpoint. The back end of Black Rock Mountain is also very pretty with its fire-burned summit full of rocky points and rock scrambles. From there headed back down the mountain and back to our car.

Map of the Route