Long Path, NY - Ridgeview to Graham Mountain State Forest

ABOUT THE PARK:
Long Path Section 11 - New York - New Jersey Trail Conference (see updated parking info below)
Huckleberry Ridge State Forest - NY State DEC
Ridgeview Addition to Huckleberry Ridge State Forest - Open Space Institute
Graham Mountain State Forest - Wilderlust Showcase

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.392796, -74.598893

This is a brand new (as of 2019) parking lot for the Ridgeview parcel off Mountain Road in the gas pipeline cut right where the Long Path leaves Mountain Road.  It's no longer necessary to park in the pullout south of this area.

TRAIL MAP:
Shawangunk Ridge Trail Map 1 - New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

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HIKE DISTANCE:  13 miles total out and back with loops at both ends

THE HIKE:

From the parking area, beyond the gate and to the left towards that opening in the trees.

There will be an aqua Long Path marker on the first tree..

Lots of birds in this area.

After catching a few glimpses of the pond through the trees, a better view at the end of the second pond.  The return route which goes along the other side of the ponds has really nice views.

Crossing the gas pipeline.

The fourth pond (don't think we could quite see the third) to the left of the trail.

Views from the far end of the forth pond.

The Long Path turns right on Shin Hollow Road joining the Shawangunk Ridge Trail.

A pickup truck coming from the private property side.  It's the only vehicle I saw.

On the right, it's very clear where state property ends and private property begins.

The Long Path/SRT leaves Shin Hollow Road to the left.

Gorgeous footpath along this stretch.

Crossing what would be a stream where there would be a waterfall had there been any water but everything is dry right now.

The live train tracks down below.

Coming up on Guymard Turnpike where you hop the guardrail ...

... cross over and hop the guardrail again.

This short trail descends ...

... to railroad track level.

Right on a gravel road running next to the railroad tracks for a short distance.

It then becomes a flat, easy rail bed except for sections of large chunky gravel that is hard to walk on.

Just after this old bridge a short gravel road to the right leads back to Guymard Turnpike.

State Forest signs announce the beginning of Graham Mountain State Forest.

I hadn't seen trail markers but seems the "No Motor Vehicles Beyond This Point" sign might be a clue.

Indeed it was.  At that sign, to the right the red trail comes in.  This would be our return route.  I wanted to go uphill on the white trail which was steep with rock scrambles.  Always prefer those going up instead of down with Brodie attached to me.

To the left, the end of red and ...

... the beginning of white.

It starts out innocent enough.

Then Brodie wanted to turn back.

But on we went up the rocky gorge.

There is no trail, it's find y our way up the boulders from one white marker to the next.  They are sometimes a little difficult to find but we did manage to follow them.

Everything was dry in the gorge.  No water coming down at all.

At the top of the gorge, there is an actual trail.

Looks like the Long Path might have followed this route long ago.

The trails in Graham Mountain State Forest appear to be very lightly used but they are completely passable.

At the end of white, where red ends also, a cabin straight ahead, communication towers to the left and the fire tower to the right.

The fire tower through the trees.  I didn't work my way around to it since I can't climb them anyway.

An outhouse that has fallen over.

We headed over to a shady spot in the parking lot to take a break.

The fire tower behind the cabin.

Now taking red down.

Red is a nice wide woods road with a blow down here and there but they were easy enough to get through.

The rail bed comes into view down below on the left.

The end of red ...

... and a left back on the Long Path/SRT.

I decided to take the short gravel road over to Guymard Turnpike and road walk the short distance over to the guardrail making for a little better time and eliminating one of the guardrails to vault over

Guymard Turnpike

This leads right up to where we hopped the guardrail ...

... back on the Long Path/SRT.

Returning on Shin Hollow Road.

The Long Path leaves the SRT to the left back into the Ridgeview parcel of Huckleberry Ridge State Forest.

Back at the forth pond view.

From that point, instead of staying with the Long Path to the left, we turned right to follow the woods road around the back of the ponds.  To continue on that woods road, however, you have to get a little wet.

Pond view from the other side.

This woods road is marked with white square markers and paint blazes.

The white blazes end at the power cut.  Continue across ...

... towards the second pond..

This woods road follows along the back of the second then first ponds.

It's a little tricky to get through at the far end of the first pond to follow the woods road back along the other side.  This is a deep mud but but it's doable walking along the tree roots.

The woods road continues through fields of wildflowers.

Meeting back up with the Long Path where a right turn...

... brings us back to the parking lot.

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