Island Pond Mountain and the Lemon Squeezer

Island Pond Mountain and the Lemon Squeezer
Harriman State Park,
Orange Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Crooked Road: Unblazed
Appalachian Trail: White blaze
Appalachian Trail Bypass: Blue blaze
Island Pond Road: Unblazed

Total Time: 1:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.3 Miles

Pros: Great scramble and rock formation, nice views, and scenic lake
Cons: Parking can be challenging

Hiking Partners:
Rayzi Friedman
Joseph Friedman

The Island Pond area is one of my favorite areas in Harriman State Park. It's a remote and very scenic area of the park. We parked on Arden Valley Road on a small pull-out near Crooked Valley Road that I am familiar with. (There is official parking available directly by Island Pond if you purchase a key to the area from the State Park office at Lake Tiorati.)

We took Crooked Valley Road, which is an unmarked path that extends from Arden Valley Road to the Appalachian Trail. We then took the Appalachian Trail east, and at the intersection with the A-SB Trail, we went through the Lemon Squeezer and then climbed up Isand Pond Mountain. above the Lemon Squeezer. To the east of the trail there is a beautiful view towards Monroe and Island Pond to the south.

We then climbed back down through the Lemon Squeezer, took the Appalachian Trail towards Island Pond, and cut at one of the paths down to the lake for a nice view of the lake. We then cut back to the Appalachian Trail, took Island Pond Road back to Arden Valley Road, and walked along the side of Arden Valley Road back to our car.

Map of the Route

Approaching the Lemon Squeezer.
Note the People on the Trail in the Distance

Boulder Tunnel at the Entrance to the Lemon Squeezer

Me in the Lemon Squeezer

Rocks of the Lemon Squeezer

Narrow Path inside the Lemon Squeezer

Rock Overhangs in the Lemon Squeezer

Me under a Rock Overhand in the Lemon Squeezer

Steep Trail Ascent near the end of the Lemon Squeezer

View from Island Pond Mountain, Facing Northwest

Me on Island Pond Mountain

Island Pond in the Distance from Island Pond Mountain

Another view of Island Pond from Island Pond Mountain

View from Island Pond Mountain, facing Southwest

Rock Formation Jutting into Island Pond

Me at Island Pond

Island Pon d

Lemon Squeezer and Island Pond Mountain

Harriman State Park
Orange Co,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Appalachian Trail: White blaze
Long Path: Green blaze
Arden-Surebridge Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 2:20 hours
Estimated Distance: 3.5 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended

Points of Interest: Cool rock formations, nice view, pretty lake
Cons: Parking can be a bit tricky

Hiking Partner:
Rayzi Friedman

This was a beautiful early autumn day. The weather was very comfortable and the sky bright blue. I love this area of Harriman State Park for its scenic beauty and relative quietness. We parked in a tight spot off the side of Arden Valley Road, and took Crooked Road, an unmarked woods road north of Island Pond, to its intersection at the Appalachian Trail. We continued on the Appalachian Trail to the Lemon Squeezer, a rock formation where you can walk underneath and through a very cool scramble.

The Lemon Squeezer starts the climb from the Appalachian Trail up to Island Pond Pond Mountain. The Appalachian Trail up the mountain doesn't provide a view, but if you take a short bushwack about 100 feet to the left, there is a beautiful view of Island Pond and the mountains beyond. We detoured slightly to this view, and then went back to the Appalachian Trail and then descended the mountain.

At the bottom the trail intersects with the Long Path, with a very unique marker showing distances on each of the paths to distant locations. We then took the Long Path south along the side of the swamp to the A-SB Trail, back the Appalachian Trail. From there we cut across to the north shore of Island Pond to take some pictures, and then headed back up to the Appalachian Trail to the Island Pond Road (this road is open to fisherman who purchased a seasonal gate key to this parking area. We walked down Island Pond Road to Arden Valley Road, and walked along the side of the road back to our car.

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

Approaching the Lemon Squeezer

The Appalachian Trail Inside the Lemon Squeezer

The Appalachian Trail Going Through a Crevice at the Lemon Squeezer

Another View of the Lemon Squeezer

Ascending Up Island Pond Mountain by the Lemon Squeezer

View of Island Pond from the View at Island Pond Mountain

Me Atop Island Pond Mountain

View at Island Pond Mountain, Looking Northwest

Intersection of the 2 Most Famous Trails in New York State:
The Appalachian Trail and Long Path

Me at the Intersection of the The Appalachian Trail and Long Path

Island Pond

Another View of Island Pond

And One More View of Island Pond