Popolopen Brook to Queensboro Lake

Bear Mountain / Harriman State Park
Orange Co.,
New York

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


Total Time: 1:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 3 miles
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Level of Recommendation: Slightly recommended
Points Of Interest: Popolopen Brook and bridges
Pros: Scenic area
Cons: Noise from Palisades Parkway, Proximity to gun range

Google Map of Parking:

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I have hiked up Popolopen Torne many times, and its a great hike. I have also hike along the Popolopen Brook many times, but only ventured from Popolopen to Queensboro Lake once in my recent memory. So I decided to revisit this area along the scenic brook surrounded by a deep gorge.

I parked at the Popolopen Parking area right below the mountain, and noticed several new things. First of all, Mine Road is now closed to traffic after Popolopen where it enters West Point Property. I also noticed a new information kiosk at the foot of the trail where it goes up the mountain, as well as some interesting woodwork projects and signs from trail volunteers. I hiked the Timp-Torne Trail down and then made my way to the gorge, where there is a brand new, solid bridge crossing the Popolopen Brook. This crossing had been out for a while and was destroyed by one of the recent storms (I think Hurricane Irene.)

I crossed the bridge, and the trail meets up with the Popolopen Gorge, 1777, and 1779 Trails to confluence four trails. I continued along the path, crossing the next interesting bridge, making my way towards Queensboro Lake. However, I heard gunshots in the distance, and they got closer and closer as I approached the Police Training Range by Queensboro Lake. There is a warning sign about this, but hearing the constant gunshots so close made me uneasy so I turned around at the trail split near the shooting range instead of going all the way the Queensboro Lake.

I took the same return route back, but went up the western flank of the Timp-Torne Trail instead and then walked a short distance on the road back to my car. I had noticed some Magnetite on the ground near the parking lot, and know the distance is very close to the old Forest of Dean Mine and Queensboro Furnace, but upon exploring the area I noticed a large dump of iron ore with lots of magnetite right near the parking area. Its interesting to explore this area and notice the unique rock types present there.

Please note my camera is out of commission; these pictures were taken with my cell phone.

Map of the Route.
Harriman/Bear Mountain Trails Northern Map

Road Closure of Mine Road

Interesting New Artifacts near the Parking Area

Interesting Sign Posted at the Trailhead Parking Area

Sign Posting Restricted Area of West Point Off the Trail

Descending Towards the New Bridge

At the New Bridge Prior to Crossing

Overnight Camper in a Tent on the Trail

Confluence of all 4 Trails

Interesting Bridge Crossing the Queensboro Brook

Another View of the Bridge

Queensboro Brook from Atop the Bridge

Pistol Range Sign at the Split Between the
Popolopen Gorge and Timp-Torne Trails

The Other Side of the Bridge on the Return Route Home

New Kiosk at the Foot of Popolopen

Popolopen Gorge Loop And Brooks Lake

Fort Montgomery,
Bear Mountain State Park,
Orange County,
New York
Hiking Trails:
Timp-Torne Trail: Blue blaze
combined together with the:
1777-1779 Trails: Red blaze
Brooks Lake Trail: Red blaze
Popolopen Gorge Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 2:15 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.2 miles
Level of Difficulty: Slightly Difficult
Points Of Interest: Beautiful gorge and lake in historic area
Pros: Beautiful terrain, deep scenic gorge, pretty lake
Cons: Close to homes and right near highway, making hike loud and not as natural

Google Map of Parking:

View 2013 Hiking Locations in a larger map

This hike is in the deepest gorge in the area. Unfortunately it is right near the busy Palisades Parkway and goes along the road and behind houses for part of the hike, which takes away from the scenic nature. However, the area is indeed beautiful and worthwhile of an excellent hike.

I parked in the Fort Montgomery Historical Site parking area off Route 9W, right after the Bear Mountain Traffic Circle. The Timp-Torne Trail and historic 1777-1779 Trails start here, and  go in conjunction for much of the way eastward on this hike. The trail goes underneath the Route 9W bridge that spans across the gorge. It then hits Mine Road, crosses it, and meets up with the Brooks Lake Path.

The Brooks Lake Path is a small trail fully encircling the natural and scenic Brooks Lake. I took the loop around the lake, and then back to the Timp-Torne Trail and 1777-1779 Trails. I took this until the Timp-Torne Trail veers up to climb Popolopen Torne, and the comes right back down a few hundred feet down the trail. At this point trail crosses the brook on a brand new bridge. From here I took the Popoplopen Brook Trail all the way back, and cross the brook over Route 9W.

Map of the Route

Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthony's Nose
at the Fort Montgomery Parking  Area

Beginning of the Timp-Torne and 1777-79 Trails

 

Route  9W Bridge over Popolopen Creek

The hiking trail going underneath the bridge

Abandoned Structure near Brooks Lake

Brooks Lake, facing west.

Brooks Lake, facing south with Bear Mountain  Rising in the Rear

Boardwalk at the inlet of Brooks Lake

Sturdy bridge over Popolopen Creek

Large Waterfall over the dam at the end of Popolopen Creek
This waterfall is much more impressive than it appears in the picture

At the end of the hike, view on top of the Popolopen Bridge on Rt. 9W.
Facing  east where the Popoplopen Brook enters the Hudson River.
The Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthony's Nose are in the distance,
with the active railroad bridge and Twin Forts trail bridge.

Buttermilk Falls State Park

Buttermilk Falls State Park,
Ithaca
Tompkins County,
New York


Total Time: 1:30 hr (including several stops)
Estimated Distance: 1.7 miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Level of Interest: Very interesting with beautiful waterfalls along the way, highly recommended.
Points Of Interest: Gorge Trail through the gorge with continuous waterfalls, Pinnacle Rock, Main Waterfall at the end.

Google Map of Parking:

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This trip was part of our family camping trip. Its a beautiful hike through a gorge with one waterfall after another, and the trail that goes through the gorge is especially scenic and well-designed. We parked in the upper area by West King Road and hiked down. This part of the park is much quieter and natural then the lower more popular entrance to the park. It is also free, as opposed to the main park entrance where they charge about $8.

We took the gorge trail down the west side of the gorge, passing many pretty waterwalls along the way. The trail goes down to the bottom where the final main waterfall cascades down a thick rock face. On the way back I took the Rim Trail which goes along the eastern flank above the gorge. This trail is alot less dramatic then the gorge trail, but its a change of scenery.

Map of the Route

The First Falls Along the Gorge Trail

Pinnacle Rock.
This is a really odd standalone rock formation
sticking out right in middle of the gorge.

Another Falls Along the Gorge Trail

A multi-tiered falls.

Yet Another Falls

The Top Part of the Drop at the Main Lower Falls

The Main Lower Falls.

Mianus River Gorge Preserve

Westchester County,
New York

Trails:
River Trail: Green blaze
Old Growth Forest Trail: Red blaze
Old Farmland Trail: Blue blaze

Total Time: 1:40 hr
Estimated Distance: 3.4 Miles

This was already late fall, and most of the foliage was gone. There were still a few sporadic pretty trees left though. The weather was quite chilly which made it really feel like winter was coming. I had gone here exactly a year earlier, so this hike was very nostalgic.

I started at the parking area, and started with the green trail along the river bank, and then along the red. Took the spur to the Hobby Hill pegmatite quarry, and then continued back to Reservoir view, which was very unimpressive, and down to the waterfall at beginning of the reservoir. Then turned around, and took the blue trail where I was able to back to the parking area.

Map of the route.

Mianus River, near the beginning of the hike.

Spur on the trail to the Hobby Hill Quarry.

Hobby Hill Quarry Wall.

Beautiful colors along the hike.
I have a picture of this same tree
from last years hike here.

The Reservoir lookout. Not much too see here.

Havemeyer Falls.

The beginning of the reservoir.
Note the low water level. It looks like
they unplugged the outlet.
Compare to last years shot of this.

Mianus River Gorge

Mianus River Gorge Wildlife Refuge,
Bedford,
Westchester County
New York

Trails:
Brink of Gorge Trail - Red Blaze
Fringe of Forest Trail - Blue Blaze
Bank of River Trail - Green Blaze

Total Time: 2.5 Hours
Total Distance: 4 Miles

This was a really nice and warm day in late fall. All the leaves had already fallen, with justa few remaining colorful trees, and the temperature was in the 60's. Started the hike at the beginning parking lot, and for the most part hiked along the river path the way down and hiked on the upper path on the return route. I was not familar with the trail names and their markings so I can't tell you which trail I hiked at each point - I just followed the closest one to the river there and the upper one the way back.

I took the offshoot to the Hobby Hill Quarry, which is a pegmatite quarry in the cliff of the
gorge. It contains shiny muscovite, crystallized feldspar, and large hunks of quartz including
rose quartz. I thought the trail continues here but it's a dead end, so I had to turn around
to get back to the trail. Continued along to the Resivoir view spur and then headed down to
the Havemeyer falls. Took some pictures by the falls and continued to the foot of the river where it empties into the Mianus Reservoir. Then turned around and went back, this time on the upper trail passing through many stone walls and old farmland.

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Map of the route

Map at the trailhead

The Mianus River at the beginning of the hike

Along the river trail

The Hobby Hill Quarry

Rose Quartz wall in the Quarry

Autumn leaves on the trail

A random shot in the middle of the hike

The reservoir view. Looking south.

Havemeyer Falls.

Another view of the waterfall.

At the beginning of the reservoir. Facing south.

 Ditto.

Ditto. Facing southeast.