Harriman Hiker: Harriman State Park and Beyond

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Limekiln Mountain Loop

Harriman State Park,
Rockland Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy (TMI) Trail: Red blaze
Limeklin Mountain Trail: Unblazed

Total Time: 0:50 hour
Estimated Distance: 1.6 Miles

Pros: Quiet region of Harriman, excellent views
Cons: Former TMI Trail is difficult

I had little time, and this is a great hike with an excellent view in under an hour. The weather was exceptionally cold for mid-April, and I needed my coat and winter hat. I parked at the TMI Trailhead, on Diltzes Road, and took the trail past the Power Lines and through the notch in the Ramapo Escarpment. I then continued along the formed route of the TMI Trail as the trail headed up the mountain to the south, alongside the brook. This former trail route has become overgrown with fallen trees and I found it to be more difficult, perhaps because of the recent storms that downed trees and branches.

Where the path bends further south, I did a bushwack up the northern part of the notch, bending over to the Limekiln Mountain Trail and meeting up with it right before the vista. The vista at Limekiln is excellent; it faces south with much of Rockland County in view. I then took the unblazed but clearly recognizable Limeklin Mountain Trail down the mountain, back to the TMI Trail and back to my car.

Map of the Route

Hikers Trailhead Parking

Path next to the Power Lines

View from the Top of Limekiln Mountain

View with the Trees Starting to Bud

View from the View Facing East

View Facing South

Same View, Zoomed Out

View of Lake Ramaquois and Rockland County Suburbia

Close up of Ramapo Lake

View Facing Northeast

Me at the View

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Apshawa Preserve and Butler Reservoir

West Milford, near Butler
Passaic Co,
New Jersey

Hiking Trails:
Blue Trail: Blue blaze
Purple Trail: Purple blaze

Total Time: 0:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 0.7 Miles

Pros: Nice short hike
Cons: Built up area nearby

Hiking Partner:
Joseph Friedman

I had been to this area a year ago in the spring. I had meant to do a longer hike in the area, but had something come up and had to make the hike much shorter, which in the end was a very scenic but very short hike. We parked in the main parking area, and took the Blue Trail to the Purple Trail, which meets up with it after descending into a ravine. We took the short Purple Trail south past the Koplen Pond to its terminus at High Crest Drive, at the High Crest Pond Dock. This is a suburban street bordering the preserve and is very scenic. From there we took the unmarked connecting trail on the outside of the preserve border fence to the parking area.

Map of the Route

Warning About Bears at the Gate to the Preserve to Keep the Bears Out

Koplen Pond from the Purple Trail

Another View of the Small Pond

Me at Koplen Pond

Me Posing for the Picture

Rocky Promenade at Koplen Pond

Interesting Bridge Skirting a Log at the Outlet of the Pond

High Crest Lake

Another View of High Crest Lake

Koplen Pond Again

Monday, April 2, 2018

Kakiat April Snowstorm

Kakiat County Park,
Rockland Co.,
New York

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

Total Time: 1:20 hour
Estimated Distance: 1.8 Miles

Pros: Very scenic in fresh snow, good view
Cons: None

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

March was exceptionally cold, and winter seems to have lingered along into April. It has been a very chilly start to spring, and I and everyone was quite surprised to have woken up to 6 inches snow. I have never seen this much snow in April. Although this snow was predicted, nobody took the forecasters seriously. Anyways, this was a good oppurtunity for a quick hike up Kakiat, to the view.

We parked at the Kakiat parking area, and took the Mountain Trail up to the first view. We took a bunch of pictures, and then bushwacked north to the Kakiat Trail, which we took down the mountain, to the Old Mill Trail. We took the Old Mill Trail around, back to the parking area.