Claudius Smith Den

Harriman State Park,
Rockland County,
New York

Hiking Partner:
My Father-in-Law,
Morris Schulgasser

Total Time: 1:45 Hours
Total Distance: 3.3 Miles

The weather on Sundays has just been phenomenal. This was a crystal clear day about 70 degrees. Parked at the Ramapo Dunderberg (R-D) trailhead in Tuxedo. Crossed under the Thruway and started ascending the mountain. Much of this portion of the trail has been improvised and rerouted and it has been modified quite a bit since the last time I was here. At about 15 or 20 minutes hit the first viewpoint, which is a nice overlook of the village of Tuxedo and Sterling Forest across the Thruway. Continued along the R-D, past the gas pipleline and to the Tuxedo Mount Ivy (TMI) Trail. This is the beginning of the TMI Trail. Took the TMI to Claudius Smith Den and then climbed the cliff up to the top of the den.

The Claudius Smith Den is a massive rock outcrop with a cave formation formed as slabs weathered off the cliff. It is named after Claudius Smith, a notorious bandit who used its tunnels as a hideout during the Revolutionary War. He was captured and hanged in Goshen in 1779. At the top of the formation is an excellent and well-known viewpoint.

From the top of the Den headed north on the Blue Disc Trail. There is also a nice view at this point of the Blue Disc before descending down to the Black Ash Swamp. Descended down the Blue Disc trail to its terminus at the Black Ash Swamp. (This swamp has a very cool natural rock formation causing the swamp to dam.) At this point took a left on the R-D Trail again, and veered off of it shortly thereafter taking the woods road to the Triangle Trail. Headed south on the Triangle Trail back to the R-D Trail, and took the R-D back to the car.

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Map of the Route

View of Tuxedo from Smith Rock. Facing south.

Close up of Tuxedo. Taken from Smith Rock.

My Father-in-Law in front of Claudius Smith Den

Me at the cave in front of the Den

A better look into the cave.

On the top of Claudius Smith Den.

Facing west on the Blue Disc Trail.

Me at the top of Claudius Smith Den.
With the Blue Disc Trail marker.

My Father-in-Law atop Claudius Smith Den.

View from the Den facing South.

View from Den facing West.

At the high point on the Blue Disc Trail
north of the Den.
Our friend the dog who accompanied
us for much of the hike.

North Hill

Harriman State Park,
Rockland County,
New York

Total Time: 2 Hours
Total Distance: About 4 miles

This was another gorgeous late summer day. The weather was about 75 degrees with little humidity. I finally had my camera back. I parked at the Reeves Meadow Visitor Center off 7 Lakes Drive in Sloatsburg, and took the Reeves Brook Trail up until the intersection of the 7 Hills Trail. Then took the 7 Hills Trail up the scramble which leads to an excellent view. This scramble, although short, is one of the best in the park. Took the 7 Hills up to the top of the North Hill, where there is a really good Panorama through the brush. Much of North Hill along this trail is not forested and just contains brush and short shrubs - this is presumably the result of a significant forest fire many years ago. Continued along the 7 Hills Trail down to the valley where I picked up the Pine Meadow Trail, and went down the Pine Meadow Trail, switched along the new trail to the Stony Brook Trail, and back to the Pine Meadow Trail and back to the car.

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Map of the route.

Steep scramble up 7 Hills Trail

View while ascending the scramble.
Looking southwest.


Continuing up the scramble


Towards the top of the scramble

View at the top. Facing southwest.


Facing north towards "Almost perpendicular".
("Almost Perpendicular" is the exposed cliff in the middle)


Open Brush area ascending the summit
of North Hill.


At the summit. Facing North.


View towards "Almost Perpendicular"
from the summit.


Starting the descent from the summit.
Facing northeast towards Diamond Mnt.
Jackie Jones Tower can be seen in the
far distance on the right of the photo.

Panorama from the summit.

Sherwood Path - Pine Meadow Lake

Harriman State Park,
Rockland County,
New York

Total Time: About 3 Hours
Total Distance: About 5 Miles

Took this hike on an absolutely gorgrous late summer day. It's still a shame I did't have my good camera as the pictures of Pine Meadow Lake would have been so much better with a real camera then with my phone camera. I parked my car on the corner of Route 202 and Wilder Road in Wesley Hills, and walked a few Hundred feet south on Route 202, and cut into bushes to the Sherwood Path. Took the Sherwood Path up the mountain (in between Horse Stable Mountain and Catamount Mountain), to the intersection with the Suffern Bear Mountain (SBM) Trail. Went into the "Stone Memorial" Shelter at the intersection, and then continued along the Sherwood Path until the Pine Meadow (PM) Trail. Turned onto the PM towards Pine Meadow Lake, and at the lake snapped some photos and took the Conklins Crossing Trail back to the SBM Trail. At the SBM headed north towards the "Egg", which is a large rounded rock with nice views on top of Horse Stable Mountain and the Hudson Valley. Then headed towars the Sherwood Path back down the same way.

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Map of the route


Abandoned cars on the Sherwood Path


Shelter at SBM Trail and Sherwood Path


Sign at Pine Meadow Trail
and Sherwood Path


Pine Meadow Lake near eastern end


Pine Meadow Lake


View from the "Egg".
Looking east towards Horse Stable Mnt.


The "Egg" on the SBM Trail.

Jackie Jones Fire Tower

Harriman State Park,
Rockland County
New York

Estimated Length: 3.2 Miles
Estimated Time: 1.5 Hours

Estimated Length: 3.2 Miles
Estimated Time: 1.5 Hours

I did this hike on a weeday before I left to work. It was a really nice summer day and I am still trying to get in as much hiking as I can before the summer is over. Parked on Call Hollow Road at the trailhead of the Long Path, and took the Long Path up to Old Turnpike. After going briefly on Old Turnpike made a turn north onto an unnamed woods road which led to the Suffern Bear Mountain (SBM) Trail. Took the SBM Trail from there west past the Radio Tower and to the Fire Tower, which I climbed. The Fire Tower is old and rickety and it is not a climb for the faint of nerves. The very top is locked but you can still get an unparalled panorama from all points right near the very top. Climbed back down and took the same route back.

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(Note: Pictures are still taken from my cell phone camera.)

Map of the Route


Jackie Jones Radio Tower.
This tower can be seen from almost all summits in the park.


The Fire Tower.


View from Fire Tower facing South.


View from Fire Tower facing East.
Towards Hudson River and Hi-Tor.


View from Fire Tower facing North.
Towards Bear Mnt. and West Mnt.
Lake Welch on the left side.


View from Fire Tower facing West.
Viewing Lake Welch.


Another shot directly below the Fire Tower.

Storm King Mountain

Storm King State Park,
Orange County,
New York

Estimated Length: 3 Miles
Estimated Time: 2.5 Hours

Hiking Partners:
Shimmy Rosenberg


I haven't been to Storm King in a long time and had forgotten what a great mountain this is. It offers continuous views throughout the hike and is one of the best hike's in the area when it comes to view points. I had intented upon taken a longer route but Shimmy had hurt his foot the prior week and in the middle of the hike needed to bail out early due to his foot pain which was rekindled.

We started at the parking area on Rt. 9W and took the yellow-blazed Stillman Trail up to the rocky summit of Butter Hill. This is a short but steep climb. Atop Butter Hill, which is actually the true summit of Storm King Mountain at 1380 feet, there is a great view looking back at 9W, and across The Clove to the Crow's Nest. Continuing along the trail you can also see views west to Schunemunk Mountain and the small towns of Orange County. The weather was rainy so the views were a bit obscured, but it did clear up in the middle of the hike. We veered off the Stillman Trail to the Bluebird Trail, and took the Bluebird trail partially down the mountain and back again to the Stillman Trail, where we ascending back up on the northern side of the mountain. This part of the trail affords great views of Newburgh and the Newburgh Bay on the Hudson River directly below the mountain.

The Stillman trail bears south at the edge of the mountain, and then hits this unbelievable view which overlooks the south and the east. Directly across the river is Bull Hill (Mt. Taurus) and to the south is the Crow's Nest. From the view took the Bypass Trail back straight toward the parking area.

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Map of the route

Once again I only had my phone camera so photo quality is poor.

Butter Hill from the trailhead.


Another view of Butter Hill while ascending


Looking down to Route 9W while climbing
Butter Hill.


View from Butter Hill facing south
towards the Crow's Nest.


View west towards Highlands.
Storm King Mountain is covered in clouds.


Shimmy on a boardwalk along a narrow
part of the Stillman Trail


Looking north toward Newburgh Bay
on the Hudson from the Stillman Trail


Newburgh Bay with Pollopel Island.
Looking North.


Facing south towards Cold Spring across the Hudson.


Breakneck Ridge across the river.
Facing east.


Bull Hill (Mt. Taurus) across the Hudson.
Facing east.


On the Bypass Trail heading back towards
parking area. Butter Hill is up ahead.


Signs at the parking area off Rt. 9W.