Surebridge Mountain Loop

Harriman State Park,
Orange Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Crooked Road: Unblazed
Arden-Surebridge Trail: Red blaze
White Bar Trail: White blaze
Dunning Trail: Yellow blaze
Surebridge Mountain Trail: Unblazed
Lichen Trail: Blue blaze
Long Path: Green blaze
Appalachian Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 2:00 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.2 Miles

Pros: Great views, scrambles, and interesting rock formations
Cons: None

I had hiked nearby this area the previous week, and had wanted to go back to the higher terrain of Harriman between Kanawauke Road and Arden Valley Road that is highly exposed with large, barren rock faces. This area is exceptionally scenic, especially during the fall with the bright foliage.

I parked on Arden Valley Road at Crooked Road, and took the Crooked Road path past the Appalachian Trail and to the Arden-Surebridge Trail. I then took the Arden-Surebridge Trail for a short distance, and then cut across to the White Bar Trail, which I took south until the Dunning Trail.

I took the Dunning Trail west, as it climbed up Surebridge Mountain. I then cut across on a bushwack on a somewhat used route to the rocky exposed area where there is an outstanding view facing west. Most of the area of Surebridge Mountain from this point is formed of large, exposed bedrock and short shrubs, with continuos views to the west. I noticed an informal path at this point going North near the escarpment of Surebridge Mountain. The path has red strings tied to strings and cairns (rock piles) along the route. I took this newly discovered trail north until right before it ends, where I bushwacked over to the Lichen Trail.

I took the Lichen Trail to north to the big rock exposure on that trail, and the view overlooking Island Pond. I continued along this short trail to it terminus at the combined Arden-Surebridge Trail and the Long Path, going west towards Island Pond. I continued along the Arden-Surebridge Trail where it split with the Long Path, and then went passed the Lemon Squeezer, where I met up with the Appalachian Trail. I took the Appalachian Trail for a short distance back to Crooked Road, which I took back to my car.

Map of the Route

Crossing a Saturated Brook on the Arden-Surebridge Trail

Surebridge Mountain Summit

Rocky Area along the Surebridge Mountain Summit

View from Surebridge Mountain Facing Southwest

View from Surebridge Mountain Facing Northwest

Same View, Zoomed in to Island Pond

View Facing West

Large Pine Tree on Surebridge Mountain

Cairns along the Unofficial Surebridge Trail

Large Rock on Surebridge Mountain

More Rocks on Surebridge Trail

Fall Foliage Colors along the Rocks

Me at the Ramapo-Dunderberg and Lichen Trail Intersection

Me at the Same Location Above

Lichen Trail

Island Pond from the Lichen Trail

Zoomed into Island Pond

Large Rock Approaching the View on the Lichen Trail

Lichen Trail Rock

Lemon Squeezer Entrance that I Passed

Lemon Squeezer to Lichen Trail

Harriman State Park
Orange Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Crooked Road: Unblazed
Appalachian Trail: White blaze
Arden-Surebridge Trail: Red Blaze
Lichen Trail: Blue Blaze
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail: Red Blaze
Dunning Trail: Yellow Blaze
White Bar Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 2:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.3 miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Level of Recommendation: Highly recommended
Points Of Interest: Lemon Squeezer, Lichen Trail, Unique Scenery
Pros: Lemon squeezer formation, beatiful scenery and view by Surebridge Mountain
Cons: Difficulty parking

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

Google Map of Parking:

View 2014 Hiking Locations in a larger map

This is one of the most scenic areas in Harriman State Park. The parking proved more difficult than usual, as my usual spot on Arden Valley Road was blocked off. Arden Valley Road was recently refurbished, and the spot where I had usually parked in after the bend on the north side was blocked off by large boulders. I don't have an Island Pond parking pass, so I turned around and luckily found a small roadside spot on the south side right by the Crooked Road path.

We took took Crooked Road to the Appalachian Trail, and took the Appalachian Trail to the Lemon Squeezer, which is a pile of boulders and crevice that the trail goes through with some tight spots. We then took the blue-blazed Appalachian bypass route down and along the side back to the intersection of the Arden-Surebridge Trail, which meets the Appalachian at the Lemon Squeezer.

We took the Arden Surebridge to the Lichen Trail, and climbed up Surebridge Mountain from the Lichen Trail. This part of the area is very scenic with unique terrain that is full of large rocks and has sparse tree cover. It is also among the highest terrain in the park. There is also a very good view here on the Lichen Trail towards the west including Island Pond.

At the end of the Lichen Trail, which is very short, we took the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail to the Dunning Trail, down the mountain, to the White Bar Trail. This trail skirts along swampy area and eventually heads back to the Arden-Surebrige Trail. We took this trail back to the Appalachian Trail and then towards Crooked Road back to our car.

Map of the Route.
Harriman/Bear Mountain State Parks Northern Map

Me at the Entrance to the Lemon Squeezer

Going Through the Lemon Squeezer

Narrow Crevice in the Lemon Squeezer

Shimmy Ascending Surebridge Mountain at the
Beginning of the Lichen Trail

Dead Tree at the Beginning of the Lichen Trail

Me at the View on the Lichen Trail

Interesting Rocks and Colors Along the Lichen Trail

View from the Lichen Trail, Facing West.
Very Early Foliage is Apparent.

View on the Lichen Trail, Facing Southwest.

Large Rock Faces with Striations on the Lichen Trail

Island Pond from the Lichen Trail View

Beautiful Colors

Foliage Atop Surebridge Mountain

Shimmy on a Large Rock Face on Surebridge Mountain

More Beautiful Scenery Along Surebridge Mountain, on the R-D Trail

The Same View, Zoomed In

Shimmy Walking Across Giant Rock on the R-D Trail

Me at a Giant Rock Face on the R-D Trail

Hogencamp Mine /Surebridge Mnt

Harriman State Park,
Orange County, NY

Trails:
Hogencamp Road: Unmarked
Dunning Trail: Yellow Blaze
Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D): Red Blaze
Lichen Trail: Blue Blaze
Arden-Surebridge Trail (A-SB): Red Blaze
Long Path: Blue blaze

Total Time: 2:30 min
Estimated Distance: 4.5 Miles

This hike traverses the "bald" area of Harriman, which is a rocky area devoid of large trees which were presumably burnt during a large forest fire many years ago. It also goes through one of the most extensive iron mines in the park with numerous cuts and pits.

I started on County Route 106 after it crosses the connector between Lake Kanawauke and the Little Long Pond. There is a small parking area immediately on the right side. From there took the old Hogencamp Road trail which was once a road that went through the mining village that existed here during the heyday of the Hogencamp Mine. There are still many ruins and foundations present over here. Continued along to the intersection of the Dunning Trail, where I went ahead and explored some of the upper mine workings closer to the top of the mountain, which are long cuts through the rock.

Continued along the Dunning Trail and took a short spur to the south for the view of Little LOng Pond and Tom Jones Mountain. Then continued back on the Dunning past the Bowling Rocks until the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail, where I headed north and took the Lichen Trail for its entire short duration. This area is of exceptional beauty with the dense overgrowth of fern and blueberries and very limited tree cover. Towards the end of the Lichen Trail is a beautiful view of Island Pond and Sterling Forest.

At the end of the Lichen Trail took the A-SB towards Times Square, a famous trail intersection, and then headed along the Long Path the Hogencamp Mine. I explored the lower pits this time and walked along the old mine dumps, and then headed along a different parallel old road trail back to Route 106 and walked from there towards the car.

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Map of the Route
Harriman/Bear Mountain State Park Northern Map

In one of the notches in the Hogencamp Mine.
This is usually all muddy and impassable,
but due to the dry conditions it was totally dry.

View off the Dunning Trail looking south
towards the Little Long Pond

"Bowling Rocks" on the Dunning Trail

Solid rockface on the R-D Trail
before the Lichen Trail

Beautiful Flora on the Lichen Trail.

Ditto.

Island Pond from the Lichen Trail view.
Looking west.

Looking north from the Lichen Trail right before its descent.

Ditto.

"Times Square"

Deep cut into the mountain in the Hogencamp Mine