Reeves Brook to North Hill Loop

Harriman State Park,
Rockland Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Reeves Brook Trail: White blaze
Seven Hills Trail: Blue blaze
Hillburn-Torne-Sebago Trail: Orange blaze
Kakiat Trail: White blaze
Stony Brook Trail: Yellow blaze
Pine Meadow Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 2:05 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.9 Miles

Pros: Very scenic hike with good scrambles, great scenery, and nice views
Cons: End of hike on Pine Meadow Trail is very busy, parking is busy on weekends
Hike Type: Loop
Level of Difficulty: Difficult

Map of Route:
https://goo.gl/maps/S1ei6xSZRNHzjraP7

This is a favorite hike of mine. The weather was also great making this a really great hike, with a good climb, some nice scrambles, and multiple views. Parking is always a challenge here on weekends, so its best to get here early. I parked on the side of Seven Lake Drive, and took a short shortcut trail to the Pine Meadow Trail and Reeves Brook Trail. As busy as the area is, few people venture up the Reeves Brook Trail, a very scenic trail alongside the Reeves Brook steadily climbing up North Hill.

The climb passes some small cascades along the way, and intersects with the Seven Hills Trail, where there is a steep scramble along the side of a cliff up North Hill. I climbed the scramble on the Seven Hills Trail, enjoyed the view, and continued along trail alongside the cliff until it descended to the Quartz Brook and then ascended once again up Chipmunk Mountain. This mountain has sparse tree cover and affords same great views as well.

I continued along the Seven Hills Trail to the Hillburn-Torne-Sebago Trail, which I took down the mountain the Pine Meadow Brook. I crossed the brook on the trail bridge, above the Cascade of Slid, and then took the Kakiat Trail down alongside the brook. The bridge is out, with a warning, which kept this trail rather quiet. It is still easy to cross along the rocks and the makeshift planks that were placed in the water back to the Stony Brook Trail. I took the Stony Brook Trail to the Pine Meadow Trail, along the side of the brook, which I took back to my car.

Map of the Route

Reeves Brook Flowing Over a Small Cascade

Strange Rock that Looks Like a Turtle on the Reeves Brook Trail

Another Small Cascade on the Reeves Brook Trail

Large Isolated "Whale Rock" on the Reeves Brook Trail

Rocky Ascent Along the Reeves Brook Trail

Steep Scramble up North Hill on the Seven Hills Trail

First View on the North Hill Scramble on the Seven Hills Trail

Final Ascent to North Hill on the Seven Hills Trail

View from North Hill After the Scramble, Facing Southwest

View from North Hill After the Scramble, Facing West

View from North Hill After the Scramble, Facing North

Another View from North Hill Above the Rocky Cliff

View Towards "Almost Perpendicular" and the Gas Line From North Hill

Me at North Hill

Another View of Me on North Hill

Daters Mountain and the "Almost Perpendicular" Cliff from North Hill

Smooth Rocky Ledges Along North Hill on the Seven Hills Trail

More Rocky Ledges and Views on North Hill

Large Exposed Rock Face on North Hill

Seven Hills Trail Ascending Chimpumk Mountain Summit

Large Bedrock Exposure on Chipmunk Mountain Summit

View Before Descending Chipmunk on the Seven Hills Trail

Bridge on the Hillburn-Torne-Sebago Trail Crossing Pine Meadow Brook

View of the Pine Meadow Brook from the Above Bridge

Sign on the Kakiat Trail Warning that the Bridge is Out

Cascade of Slid Waterfall from the Kakiat Trail

Washed Out Bridge Area at the Stony Brook Trail

South Hill and Torne View Loop

Harriman State Park,
Rockland Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
7 Hills Trail: Blue blaze
Hillburn Torne Sebago (HTS) Trail: Orange blaze
Reeves Brook Trail: white blaze

Total Time: 3:10 hour
Estimated Distance: 5 Miles

Pros: Great climb with sweeping views
Cons: None

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

On my last two hikes to Ramapo Torne, I had noticed South Hill to the northwest with large rocky exposures. I had determined to check out the area for hike, and this was our opportunity. The weather was seasonally cold, but it there was a bright sun and blue sky. We parked at Reeves Meadow at Harriman on Seven Lakes Drive, and took the 7 Hills Trail from its beginning. I then bushwacked up the ascent to the first part of South Hill, and then climbed down through a notch and back up to the main part of South Hill, where we had some great views of the surrounding area.

We then climbed down the hill on the southern edge of South Hill, to an unmarked trail that connects to the HTS Trail. We took the HTS Trail north for a short distance to the 7 Hills Trail, which we then took up and climbed the mountain to the Torne View. At the top, we continued along the 7 Hills Trail northbound looking at the views to the right and the left. We continued along the trail, went down and up to the Torne View, which offers sweeping views of the entire area. We then took the 7 Hills Trail to the Reeves Brook Trail, going back down towards the parking area and back to our car.

Map of the Route

First View from South Hill

View from South Hill Facing North

View of Torne View from South Hill

Me at South Hill

Another View of Me on South Hill

Me on South Hill, Facing North

South Hill, Facing North

View of Ramapo Torne from South Hill

Dwarf Pine on the Southern South Hill View

View Descending South Hill, Facing South

Another View Descending South Hill

Trailhead of the HTS Trail at the 7 Hills Trail

On the View Between Ramapo Torne and Torne View

On the Upper Ridge on the 7 Hills Trails

Me on the 7 Hills Trail

Continuing Along the 7 Hills Trail

Me on the 7 Hills Trail Before Descending into the Notch

7 Hills Trail Before the Descent

Shimmy Descending the Notch on the 7 Hills Trail

Facing Ramapo Torne

View from Torne View, Facing South Hill

Zoomed in to South Hill

Another View at South Hill