Saturday, October 8, 2011

Sam's Point Preserve, NY


ABOUT THE PARK:
Sam's Point Preserve - The Nature Conservancy
Sam's Point Preserve Trail and Hiking Information - The Nature Conservancy
Sam's Point Preserve - Open Space Institute

Click for Ellenville, New York Forecast

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.670161, -74.361735

View Larger Map
Sam's Point Preserve Parking Lot
Some things to keep in mind about this hike:
  • $10 parking fee - worth every penny
  • parking lot opens at 9 am - get there early to get a parking spot!
  • most people will be at Ice Caves and falls; lots of solitude and views going to High Point
  • virtually no shade throughout the entire hike - bring lots of water, not good for a hot day
  • 2 ladders in the ice caves will most likely be a problem for dogs
  • trails connecting to Minnewaska State Park currently CLOSED (10/8/11)

TRAIL MAPS:

Shawangunk Trails Map #104 - NY/NJ Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCES:
Sam's Point/Ice Caves/Verkeerder Kill Falls/High Point Loop with Indian Rock - 10.6 miles
Sam's Point/Ice Caves/Verkeerder Kill Falls/High Point Loop - 9.6 miles
Sam's Point/Ice Caves/Verkeerder Kill Falls Out and Back - 7.3 miles
Sam's Point/Ice Caves Out and Back - 3.75 miles

PEAK BAGGING:
High Point - Peakery.com

THE HIKE:
View of Sam's Point from the Trailhead
The trailhead is to the left of the conservation center - take the right fork to Sam's Point.
Follow the aqua-blazed Long Path (Loop Road on the map) to Sam's Point.
A view of High Point Monumnent in New Jersey along the way.
Sam's Point
The conservation center and parking lot from Sam's Point.
View north from Sam's Point.
Continue on to the Ice Caves Loop Trail.
One of the ladders along the Ice Caves Loop Trail.
After the ice caves, continue on to Verkeerder Kill Falls.
The Verkeerder Kill Falls Trail, still the aqua-blazed Long Path, offer continuous views heading towards Minnewaska State Park.
Sign at the top of Verkeerder Kill Falls.
Cross over Verkeerder Kill Falls at the top.
View of Verkeerder Kill Falls from a side path to the right.
The red-blazed High Point Trail has many short rock scrambles along the way.
High Point Trail
High Point Trail
Views from High Point Trail
High Point Benchmark
Views of the Catskills from High Point
Old fire tower footings at the start of the BerrypickerTrail (currently closed)
Boards over swamp on Indian Rock Trail.
Views from Indian Rock Trail
Indian Rock on the left - from this point the trail turns left and descends through a very narrow rock crevice to get to Indian Rock.
Indian Rock
Lake Maratanza from side trail off of Loop Road
Loop Road
Fall foliage along Loop Road
Old berry picker shack

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take aqua-blazed Long Path (Loop Road on park sign) right fork of trail to left of conservation center towards Sam's Point
[  0.70]  Short side trail to left to Sam's Point
[  0.85]  Retrace and continue on aqua-blazed trail
[  1.35]  Right at fork towards Ice Caves when Loop Road continues to the left
[  1.40]  Keep straight when Verkeerder Falls Trail (aqua-blazed Long Path) goes left
[  1.65]  Turn right down steps to Ice Caves
[  2.10]  Back at beginning of Ice Cave Loop - keep straight
[  2.40]  Turn right on Verkeerder Falls Trail (aqua-blazed Long Path)
                 *** keep straight and return to parking lot for 3.75 mile hike ***
[  3.80]  Enter private property at Leave No Trace sign
[  3.90]  Rock hop over top of falls, look for side trails to right for view of falls
                 *** retrace back to parking lot for 7.3 mile hike ***
[  4.00]  Left on red-blazed High Point Trail
[  6.20]  High Point; continue on red-blazed trail
[  6.65]  Red trail ends; keep straight on blue briefly to views at old fire tower footings; retrace
[  6.75]  Turn right on .1 mile connector trail to High Point Carriageway
[  6.85]  Left on High Point Carriageway
[  8.00]  Right on yellow-blazed Indian Rock Trail
                *** continue straight to return to parking lot for 9.6 mile hike ***
[  8.50]  Indian Rock after trail turns left and descends through narrow rock crevice; retrace
[  9.00]  Right on High Point Carriageway
[  9.30]  Towers on right
[  9.40]  At T-intersection turn right on Loop Road
[  9.50]  Side trail to Maratanza Lake, retrace
[10.25]  Ruins of berry picker shacks begin on right
[10.60]  Back at parking lot

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Pyramid Mountain County Park, NJ - Pyramid Mountain/Kakeout Reservoir Loop


ABOUT THE PARK:
Pyramid Mountain County Park - Morris County Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates to Boonton Avenue Field Parking:  40.968198, -74.365204
(Note:  The main lot for Pyramid Mountain County Park is always barricaded early in the morning and later in the day the lot is packed so I use the Boonton Avenue Field lot.)

View Larger Map
Park at the north end of Boonton Avenue Field.

TRAIL MAPS:
Pyramid Mountain Trail Map - Morris County Park Commission (does not show entire hike)
Jersey Highlands Trails Map #125 - NY/NJ Trail Conference (shows entire hike)

HIKE DISTANCES:
Pyramid Mountain to Kakeout Reservoir Loop - 10.75 miles
Pyramid Mountain Loop - 5 miles

PEAK BAGGING:
Pyramid Mountain - Peakery.com

THE HIKE:
At the north end of the parking lot, walk beyond the barrier and follow the gravel road towards a tan shed.
At the shed veer left on the grass towards the corner of the tennis courts where you will find three mint green blazes on a tree indicating the start of the trail.
The green trail goes through pretty woods heading towards Tarrytown Reservoir.
The orange trail will follow along Tarrytown Reservoir.
Tarrytown Reservoir
Tarrytown Reservoir
Tarrytown Reservoir
The blue trail ascends to views of the New York City skyline.
Farther along the blue trail, a blue and white side trail leads to views at Lucy's Overlook.
Tripod Rock along the white trail.
Whale Head Rock on the red and white trail.
The blue trail heading towards Kakeout Reservoir.
Kakeout Reservoir
Kakeout Reservoir
The blue trail skirts along Kakeout Reservoir.
Stone House Brook waterfall at a bridge crossing.
Tree growing over an old sign.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  From north end of parking lot take gravel road beyond barrier towards tan shed, veer left towards back corner of tennis courts to trailhead for mint green trail
[  0.70]  Left on white when green ends at T-intersection with white
[  0.90]  Turn left on orange when white goes right
[  1.20]  Orange trail starts to skirt Tarrytown Reservoir
[  1.90]  Turn left on yellow when orange ends
[  2.15]  Cross power cut
[  2.25]  Turn right on blue when yellow ends
[  2.35]  Cross power cut
[  2.50]  Right on blue when white goes left
[  2.60]  Right on blue when red goes left
[  2.75]  At top of ascent when blue trail turns left, turn right briefly to view; retrace
[  3.05]  Left on blue/yellow when yellow goes right
[  3.10]  Right on blue when yellow goes left
[  3.15]  Left on blue/white at sign to Lucy's Overlook; retrace and continue left on blue
[  3.40]  Straight on white when blue goes left
[  3.45]  Tripod Rock on left
[  3.85]  Left on red/white when white goes straight
               *** stay on white to right on mint green back to parking for 5 mile hike ***
[  4.10]  Eagle Cliff
[  4.30]  Whale Head Rock on left
[  4.45]  Turn right on blue when red/white trail ends
[  4.75]  Cross footbridge
[  4.95]  Right briefly on paved road then left across road back into woods
[  5.30]  Turn left on paved road beyond chain link gate
[  5.40]  Turn left leaving paved road directly across entrance of Shepard School; walk along right side of large boulders; at end of boulders trails goes right into woods
[  5.50]  Blue turns right on narrow gravel road; when road veers left, turn right into field (turn not marked) towards blue blaze in the distance on tree (VERY EASY TO MISS THIS TURN!)
[  5.85]  Kakeout Reservoir
[  5.95]  Cross paved Fayson Lake Road
[  6.35]  Cross 3 bridges; after 3rd bridge with waterfalls, immediately turn right (unmarked)
[  6.85]  Rock hop over creek
[  6.95]  Rock hop over creek
[  7.05]  Blue trails veers left, turn right briefly to view over reservoir; retrace
[  7.45]  At dam blue goes straight, turn right and cross dam on blue/white blazed trail (3 blazes on guardrail)
[  7.50]  Stay left on blue/white when unmarked woods road goes straight
[  7.75]  Right on white at Pyramid Mountain sign when blue/white ends
[  7.85]  Stay left on white when unmarked goes straight
[  7.95]  Stay right on white when unmarked goes left
[  8.40]  Cross second dam and keep straight into woods to right of huge boulder (no blazes going across dam)
[  8.55]  Cross over unmarked trail
[  8.70]  White trial turns left just before a back yard then turns right on paved road
[  8.85]  Turn left on next paved road; turn right into woods beyond 20 mph sign
[  9.20]  White trail turns right on paved road; turn left on next paved road (Brentwoood Dr.)
[  9.35]  Left on Glenrock; left at next street
[  9.50]  Left at next intersection then almost immediately right into woods leaving paved road
[  9.90]  Obstructed view at top of hill
[10.10]  At bottom of hill after descending and before white trail ascends, look for mint green trail around boulder on left; turn left on mint green trail
[10.75]  Back at car