Kakiat Lower Lookout Loop

Kakiat County Park
Rockland County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Old Mill Trail: Blue blaze
Kakiat Trail: White blaze
Mountain Trail: Orange blaze

Total Time: 0:45 hours
Estimated Distance: 1.5 miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points Of Interest: Nice view for a short hike
Pros: Good bushwack, excellent view
Cons: Bushwack part is more difficult since Hurricane Sandy

Google Map of Parking:

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My time has been very tight during the month of September this year, so I had to keep this hike close to home and short. I parked at the Kakiat Trailhead, and took the Old Mill Trail for a very short distance to the shortcut to the Kakiat Trail. Took the Kakiat Trail past the gas line and up the steep ascent, and then cut across on a bushwack to the south while still climbing. This area once provided a very easy bushwack to the Kakiat Lower Viewpoint. However, many downed trees since Hurricane Sandy have made it slightly more difficult to follow, though it is still a good bushwack. I bushwacked this route to the Lower Viewpoint, and then took the Mountain Trail back down to the trailhead.

Map of the Route

Rockface Climb on the Bushwack Part

Approaching the Viewpoint.
Looking South/Southeast to the Suffern School and Manhattan Skyline in Distance

Zoomed in View of Above Picture

View at the Kakiat Lower Viewpoint.
Facing South/Southeast toward Midtown and Downtown Manhattan

From the View Facing South

From the View Facing East Towards Rockland Community College

Nordkop Mountain,Suffern,

Harriman State Park,
Rockland County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail: Yellow blaze

Total Time: 0:45 hours
Estimated Distance: 1.7 miles
Level of Difficulty: Slightly Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Recommended for a short but solid hike with good views, but views are urban with built up villages and highways
Points Of Interest: Short but strenuous hike, nice view

Google Maps of Parking:

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This hike was within a few days of the disappearance of murderer Eugene Palmer in the wilderness of Harriman. This fugitive had killed his daughter-in-law and then fled into hiding in the vast Harriman State Park, and as I write this blog entry three weeks later, he is still missing. Parts of Harriman State Park were closed because of this - specifically the area where they found his car near Lake Welch. In order to stay safe, I had to hike in a totally different area of the park where I would be. I figured that the beginning if the Suffern-Bear Mountain trail is far enough and feels distant enough for Palmer not to interfere with my hike.

I was short on time, and this makes for a good and short hike - walking up the mountain for a relatively short distance. There are two views, a lower view on a rock outcrop that faces east, and another view several hundred feet further facing south. I parked at the end of Chestnut Street right near 202, as this is the closest public parking area from the hike. (I once parked in the Commutor Lot underneath the highway overpass, and received a ticket.) In order to dot his hike, you need to do a little bit of walking through Suffern on 202, for about 10 minutes. I climbed up to the top, snapped pictures, and then came down the same way.

Map of the Route

Steep Ascent Part Heading Toward the First View

Rocky Area at the First View

Looking South from the First View,
Toward the Interstate 287 Ramp Bridge and Sheraton Crossroads.

Another View Facing Southwest. A view of both Highway Ram Bridges.
The mountain behind the ramp is "Hoodge Kop".

View Facing West from the First View.
Note the Early Fall Foliage.

View From the Second View.
Facing South to Suffern.

View South to Sheraton Crossroads.

View South Past Suffern Zoomed Into the Manhattan Skyline.
The right side is Lower Manhattan with the Word Trade Center dominating,
and the left is Midtown with the Empire State Building Dominating.

Slide Mountain

Catskill Park Preserve
Catskill Mountains,
Ulster County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Phoenicia-East Branch Trail: Yellow blaze
Curtis-Ornsbee Trail: Blue blaze
Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide (WCS) Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 4:00 hours
Estimated Distance: 7.6 miles
Level of Difficulty: Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Recommended
Points Of Interest: Good Climb, Views, Famous Mountain

Hiking Partners:
Shimmy and Mordy Rosenberg

Google Maps of Parking:

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Slide Mountain is the tallest peak in the Catskill Mountains, at 4,180 feet. Though it lacks the dramatic view from its peak as some of the lower Catskill Mountains have, it is still an impressive climb and does have views along the ascent. We parked at the Slide Mountain Road trailhead, crossed the mostly dry branch of the Neversink River, and started climbing up the Phoenicia-East Branch Trail. From there we continued on the Curtis-Ornsbee Trail, taking a lollipop loop around the Curtis Monument and up the mountain. The Curtis-Ornsbee Trail is a longer route, but is more scenic, with two additional views along the way as well as some nice rock formations and climbs. The WCS Trail in its place lacks good points of interest. The Curtis-Ornsbee Trail ends at the OCS Trail, and at this point enters coniferous forest at about 3800 feet. A beautiful-north facing view comes out on the left near the summit. There actually is not much of a view left at the summit, as it has been overgrown and the old tower that used to be at the top is long since removed. We hiked down a little bit further, about 600 feet, to get to a different view facing east towards the Ashokan Reservoir. After that we turned around and headed down the WCS Trail all the way down back to the Phoenicia-East Branch Trail and then back to our car.

Map of the Route

Me at the Trailhead

Curtis Monument.

This rock looks like a whale.
On the Curtis-Ornsbee Trail

First View on the Curtis-Ornsbee Trail. Facing Southwest.

Me at the above lookout.

Second Lookout on the Curtis-Ornsbee Trail. Facing Table Mountain

View Approaching the Summit. Facing North.

Another View Facing North,
with the Devil's Path Mountains in the Distance.

Overgrown View at the Summit.
Facing east with the Ashokan Reservoir in the Middle.

Rock At the Summit with the Burrough's Plaque.

Shimmy and Mordy Above the Conglomerate Rock

Me and Mordy at the Summit.

Ditto.

Ashokan Reservoir in the Distance, from the lower view.

Cornell and Wittenberg Mountains. Facing northeast.

Hump of Cornell Mountain

Bear Mountain Major Welch

Bear Mountain State Park
Rockland and Orange Counties,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Major Welch Trail: Redblaze
Appalachian Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 2:00 hours
Estimated Distance: 4.2 miles
Level of Difficulty: Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points Of Interest: Excellent Climb, Amazing Views, Famous Mountain

Hiking Partner:
Yehuda Koblick

Google Maps of Parking:

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It was a brutally hot and humid day in August, and not a day to climb over 1000 in elevation. But this was my opportunity to take off the afternoon from work and hike one of my regional favorite hikes - the Major Welch Trail. Due to the steep yet smooth rocky outcrops, I usually hike down this trail rather than up, but Yehuda and I both needed a good working, so we took the steep Major Welch Trail up the mountain this time. We parked in the main Bear Mountain area (note: there is usually an $8 fee to park here), walked along the path along the west sure of Hessian Lake on the Major Welch, and then climbed the mountain on this trail on its northern side. We had a very difficult time climbing this trail due to the extreme heat and humidity.

As the trail evens out at the plateau-like top of the mountain, the trail had been recently refurbished with a gravel footing. A new trail with blue blazings has been routed on the top, and it forms part of the old Appalachian Trail which has also been rerouted along the top on the western side. I have to come back and explore this new trail. At the top we took a short break at the view, and then headed down. We took the newly created steps down, where we were graced with the annual antique car show which is every Wednesday evening in the late July and August. It's well worth a visit.

Map of the Route

Ascending Along the Major Welch Trail
on a Large Exposed Rock Face Climb

Popolopen Torne While Ascending Along the Major Welch

Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthony's Nose From the Major Welch Lookout

Looking North from the Major Welch Lookout

Yehuda Along the New Portion of the Trail on Top with a New Bridge

Trail Junction and New Blue Trail Signage on Top

Yehuda at the Summit Tower

 

Me at the Summit View. Facing Southwest.

View from the Summit, Facing South Towards West Mnt and Bald Mnt.

View from Summit Facing southeast toward Dunderberg Mnt

New Tuxedo-Mount Ivy Trail

New Tuxedo-Mount Ivy Trail
Harriman State Park
Rockland County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Tuxedo-Mount Ivy Trail: Red blaze
Red Arrow Trail: Red blaze
Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail: Yellow blaze

Total Time: 1:45 hours
Estimated Distance: 3.75 miles
Level of Difficulty: Slightly Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Slightly Recommended
Points Of Interest: Good climb and tranquil area of the park

Google Maps of Parking:

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I had not realized that almost the entire Tuxedo-Mount Ivy Trail climbing up the Ramapo Mountain Ridge was recently rerouted when starting this hike. The original route went through the deep notch on the side of the brook climbing the mountain. The trail was rocky and eroded, and presumably this was the reason for the rerouting. Or perhaps it was washed away in Hurricane Irene. Anyone who has information on the new trail reroute should please share this information in the comments below.

We parked at the Diltzes Road trailhead, and went through the power lines and then left the woods to start climbing the trail. The new trail starts about 250 feet after the trail enters the woods from the power lines, and climbs the mountain on the south side of the notch. The trail climbs all the way up the ridge, and then joins the newly extended Red Arrow Trail. We took the short Red Arrow trail past some blueberry groves to its terminus at the high ridge of the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail. We took the Suffern-Bear Mountain trail south back to the Tuxedo-Mount Ivy Trail and back down the same way we came up on the new trail.

Map of the Route

New intersection of the Red Arrow and TMI Trail.
The Red Arrow here is routed along the old path
of the TMI Trail.

Shimmy Picking Blueberries off the Large Bush,
by the Swamp on the Red Arrow Trail.

Semi-View from the highest point of the hike
on the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail.

North Hill View

Harriman State Park
Rockland County,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Pine Meadow trail: Red blaze
Stony Brook Trail: Yellow blaze
Kakiat Trail: White blaze
7 Hills Trail: Black blaze
Hillburn-Torne-Sebago (HTS) Trail: Orange blaze

Total Time: 2:00 hours
Estimated Distance: 3.8 miles
Level of Difficulty: Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points Of Interest: Hike through brook, good climb, excellent view, amazing blueberries

Google Maps of Parking:

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North Hill is a high point with a great view in the southern portion of Harriman. The hike starts at the Reeves Meadow trailhead on 7 Lakes Drive near Sloatsburg. There are many different trails branching off this area, and the main trail, the Pine Meadow Trail, is usually very busy and is the most visited trail in Harriman State Park. I hiked on this trail along the side of the Pine Meadow Brook on the Pine Meadow Trail, and then along the Stony Brook Trail and Kakiat Trails along the side of the brook, and then veered right at the 7 Hills Trail junction to climb up the mountain. This part is a steady climb up. Near the top there are lots of blueberry bushes, and being mid-June there were lots of blueberries to pick. There was one larger blueberry tree that I found that had a tremendous yield of blueberries, and within about ten minutes I was able to fill a large Gatorade bottle with big juicy blueberries.

At the top is an amazing view to the west and to the north. The view west is very expansive. From this point I tool the HTS Trail down back to the Pine Meadow Trail, and continued along the Pine Meadow Trail back to the trailhead.

Map of the Route

Me at the Very Prolific Blueberry Bush,
with a Gatorade Bottle Full of Berries

View Atop North Hill. Facing Northwest

View from North Hill Viewpoint. Facing West.

The Same View as Above Zoomed In

View of Halfway Mountain from the North Hill Viewpoint.
Facing North.

Shrubs Atop the Mountain. Facing North.