Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Westchester County, NY

ABOUT THE PARK:  Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Westchester County Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS coordinates:  41.247751,-73.594673


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These directions take you into the park where you may need to pay a parking fee (currently $8) year round on weekends, every day from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  After the toll booth turn right at the sign for Michigan Road.

TRAIL MAP:
Online Trail Map
This map does not show newer trails within the park which are part of this hike.  Apparently you can get an updated version at the park but I was not able to locate one.  I crudely drew in the new parts of the Rock Trail (blazed black RT on white squares) in black along with new intersection numbers on the map below.

HIKE DISTANCE:
This hike of 10.35 miles incorporates both the Leatherman Trail and Rocks Trail.
Many loops of varying distances are possible.  Here are some other options:
6 miles - Leatherman's Cave and Spy Rock
7 miles - Rocks Trail

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
From the Michigan Road parking area, head towards the cul-de-sac where you will find the trailhead to the right.

Although this has been a park where hunting is prohibited, a sign on the information board indicates this has changed.

This hike captures most of the points of interest of the southern half of the park.

Overlook

Side trail to Leatherman's Cave

Leatherman's Cave

Click here to read about the Leatherman.  My dog in the cave - it's more spacious than it looks from the outside.

Most of the original trails are woods roads.

But once on the RT (Rock Trail), a newer trail, which incorporates 6 named rocks within the park, the woods roads will become footpaths which are more fun and challenging to hike and not heavily used like the woods roads.  This new part, drawn in on the map above, follows the ridge line so in the winter it's a scenic hike from high up above.

The named rocks the RT trail passes:

Spy Rock

Castle Rock

Raven Rocks

Indian Rock Shelter

Dancing Rock

Bear Rock Petroglyph

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Shortly beyond info board at the trailhead turn right on red/green at intersection 70
[  0.35]  Keep right on red/green at intersection 53 where green goes left
[  0.40]  Keep left on red/green at intersection 54 where white trail goes right
[  0.55]  Turn right on LL trail at intersection 31 where red/green goes left
[  0.85]  Keep straight on LL at intersection 26 where LL also goes left
[  1.05]  Turn left on LL at intersection 27 where white goes right
[  1.20]  Trail goes up rocks to bench at overlook
[  1.55]  Just before intersection 29 make a sharp right on white trail to Leatherman's cave
[  1.60]  Return all the way to intersection 29 and turn left on LL where unmarked goes right
[  1.75]  Turn right on white trail at intersection 28 where LL goes left
[  2.15]  Turn left on unmarked for short distance then right on red/green at intersection 30
[  2.40]  Keep straight on red/green at intersection 32 where white goes left
[  2.60]  Keep right on red/green at intersection 34 where white goes left
[  2.95]  Turn right on white at intersection 38 where red/green goes left
[  3.10]  Keep straight on RT at intersection 39 where RT also goes left
[  3.55]  Arrive at Spy Rock; continue down from Spy Rock on RT trail
             **From this point forward new sections of RT trail not shown on map.**
[  3.90]  After steep descent and through hemlock grove, left on RT which is woods road
[  4.10]  RT trail leaves woods road to right as foot path
[  4.15]  Cross over brook
[  4.55]  Cross over brook
[  4.65]  Cross over power cut; just after power cut Castle Rock on left
[  4.90]  Keep right on RT at intersection 59 where white goes left
[  5.55]  Raven Rocks
[  5.65]  Turn hard right on RT at intersection 48 where red goes left and right
[  6.20]  Turn left on RT at intersection 58 where right goes to a bridge
             **New portion of RT trail reconnects with trails on map.**
[  6.45]  Turn left on RT at intersection 49 where white goes right
[  6.60]  Turn right on RT at intersection 18 where white goes left; Indian Rock Shelter on right
[  6.75]  RT trail ends at intersection 19; left on yellow/red trail
[  6.85]  Straight on yellow/red at intersection 20 where white goes right
[  7.00]  Keep straight on yellow where red goes left (did not see intersection 33 sign)
[  7.25]  Turn left on beginning of RT at intersection 22 where yellow goes right
[  7.45]  Keep straight on RT at intersection 36 where red goes left and right
[  7.80]  Turn left on white at intersection 37 where RT goes straight
[  8.00]  Dancing Rock; continue following white to loop around back to RT
[  8.25]  Left on RT at intersection 60
[  8.40]  Trail follows power cut briefly
[  8.60]  Bear Rock Petroglyph on right
[  8.70]  Right on white at intersection 39 where RT goes left
[  8.90]  Turn right on red/green at intersection 38 where white goes left
[  9.35]  Left on green at intersection 35 where red goes right and white sharp left
[10.05]  Right on red/green at intersection 53 where red/green also goes left
[10.35]  Arrive back at Michigan Road parking lot

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