Friday, February 10, 2012

Harriman State Park, NY: Island Pond and Lemon Squeezer


ABOUT THE PARK: 
Harriman State Park - The Palisades Parks Conservancy
Harriman State Park - New York State Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.264792,-74.15426
NOTE:  My GPS did not recognize the turn on Arden Valley Road from Route 17 and took me to Arden Road so you might have to watch for it.  You want to turn off Route 17 at the Harriman State Park sign on Arden Valley Road, not Arden Road which leads to private property with no park access.

View Larger Map
Elk Pen Parking

TRAIL MAP:
Northern Harriman Bear Mountain Trails Map #119 - NY/NJ Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE:
10.7 miles
7.5 miles - Island Pond/Lemon Squeezer Loop - NY/NJ Trail Conference
4 mile and 8.5 mile options - Lemon Squeezer Loop - NJ Hiking

PEAK BAGGING:
Green Pond Mountain - Peakery.com
Island Pond Mountain - Peakery.com
Hogencamp Mountain - Peakery.com

APPALACHIAN TRAIL SECTION HIKING:
TrailHeadFinder.com - AT section miles 1366.0 to 1369.9

THE HIKE:
Starting on the Appalachian Trail after crossing field from parking lot.
The Appalachian Trail climbs to the top of Green Mountain.
Limited view to the west on top of rock to left of trail at summit of Green Mountain.
Descending the other side of Green Mountain to Island Pond.
Island Pond Road, built in 1905, through hemlock grove.
Stone spillway construted by the CCC in the 1930's, part of a dam that was never completed.
Island Pond
Entrance to the Lemon Squeezer
Looking back after going through the Lemon Squeezer - it's a tight squeeze at an angle.
After going through the Lemon Squeezer you have a choice of the "Easy Way" to the left or up a rock wall to the right.  My dog was VERY clear on which way she wanted to go.
The "Easy Way" is a rock scramble, too, but doable for a dog.
Island Pond from the top of the Lemon Squeezer.
Intersection of the Appalachian Trail and the Long Path.
Surebridge Brook
Watch for the red dot on white turn painted on the rock on Fingerboard Mountain.  If you start seeing white blazes with red dot on white blazes together, you just missed the turn.
Red dot on white Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail
Times Square at the Ramapo-Dunderberg and Arden-Surebridge intersection.
360 degree views from Hogencamp Mountain
Ship Rock
Goldthwaite Memorial
Boston Mine
The red triangle on white Arden-Surebridge Trail follows along a ledge high up before following a switchback down.
Elk from Yellowstone Park were kept in a huge pen in the 1920's but they failed to thrive.
Path through field back to parking lot.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take path through field from about the middle of the parking lot
[  0.15]  Turn right on red triangle on white trail a few steps then turn left on white-blazed Appalachian Trail when red triangle on white goes straight
[  1.55]  Cross gavel road leading to Island Pond
[  1.65]  Cross footbridge at old partially constructed dam
[  1.70]  Views of Island Pond to right off trail
[  2.15]  Red triangle on white comes in from right, few steps ahead red triangle on white leaves to the right; keep left on AT through Lemon Squeezer
[  3.00]  Keep straight when aqua-blazed Long Path crosses over
[  3.80]  Cross Surebridge Brook
[  4.50]  Make sharp right turn on red dot on white (Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail) where turn blaze is painted on rock surface
[  6.00]  Times Square; veer left staying on red dot on white
[  6.30]  360 degree views at top of Hogencamp Mountain
[  6.80]  Keep straight on red dot on white when blue L on white (Lichen Trail) goes right
[  6.90]  Goldthwaite Memorial
[  7.30]  Turn right on yellow-blazed trail at cairn
[  7.70]  Just before creek turn left on yellow when the white bar trail joins in from the right
[  8.00]  Turn right on yellow at cairn when white bar goes straight
[  8.60]  Boston Mine on right
[  8.65]  Turn right on unmarked woods road when yellow goes left on woods road
[  8.95]  Turn left on red triangle on white (Arden-Surebridge Trail) when woods road goes straight
[  9.10]  Keep left on red triangle on white at cairn when unmarked Island Pond Road goes right
[  9.50]  Short side trail on right to view as trails starts to descend
[10.25]  Red triangle on white turn right on woods road at elk pen when red bar on white (Nurian Trail) starts to the left
[10.55]  Keep straight when white-blazed AT goes right; at end of red triangle on white trail turn left on path through field to parking lot
[10.70]  Back at parking lot

6 comments:

  1. We've hiked in this area of Harriman a lot. After the lemon squeezer, my partner & one of my dogs went around the rockface. I climbed up it (which was hard for me - my backpack made me feel unbalanced). My other dog wanted to do the rock face behind me -lol.... I had someone help lift her up it. She looked so proud of herself at the top. Silly girl.

    It's good to see they put up a new bridge. The existing bridge had been wiped out, and I found it difficult to cross without one.

    Lynn & 2 border collies

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  2. I really enjoy your blog Thank You for doing it ;-)
    All the Best!

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  3. Lynn - I was tempted to try it but Shawnee would have gotten really upset with me so I didn't. She does the same thing when she has to do a really hard scramble that freaks her out - She turns herself into a ton of bricks, I get her through it and then she is all happy and wagging her tail like "Lookie what I just did!"

    Kirk - Thanks so much!

    Daniela

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  4. Thank you so very much for all the time and effort you put fort in creating this blog. My boys and I check at least weekly to see where you have been and if we overlap or have been there. We shorten the trips a wee bit but many of you hikes have shorter routes etc. Today we did this hike and your picture previews always help motivate the gang. We receive comments about not only how far we go but how quickly we can move(and many times they do not know that Nick has Autism). Once again thanks so very much and hew will keep checking!
    Flipper tree for Autism(our new handle)

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    Replies
    1. Glad to be of help. That is great that you get your boys out so often. I bet they really enjoy it.

      Daniela

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  5. Awesome pictures and blog. I hiked Island Pond and camped overnight with my Dad in the 1970s. I was so young I barely remember it. The pictures brought back great memories of those camping trips and my Dad. Thank you. -Chris F

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