River-to-Ridge Trail, NY with Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary - The Nyquist Foundation

River-to-Ridge Trail - Open Space Institute

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.74322, -74.09280

Sojourner Truth Park Parking at the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Access

TRAIL MAPS: 

Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary Trail Map - The Nyquist Foundation

River-to-Ridge Trail Map - Open Space Institute

HIKE DISTANCE:  10.9 miles

THE HIKE: 

This is going to be my last hike for a while since I will be out of commission recovering from a hysterectomy.  I had to pick an easier hike for this one.  The distance was doable for me but elevation gain was causing more fatigue than normal.  I am told this will be resolved with the surgery. So I decided that rather than being in the Gunks with lots of elevation change, I would be just outside of the Gunks where I could see them instead.

The parking lot is at the New Paltz Trailhead for the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail.

Heading left on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail which is also the Empire State Trail.

A side trail to the left leads down to ...

... a short trail along the Wallkill River which will run back into the rail trail.

Going through New Paltz, quiet and still asleep at 7:30 AM.  That would change drastically in a few hours.

We turned left to work our way over to ...

... the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary.

I was surprised that they allow dogs but that may be short-lived.  Early on we had to change our route because we ran into idiots whose dogs were off leash, would not listen and kept charging Brodie.

Taking Tom's Trail along the marsh.

Mohonk Mountain House comes into view and we'd be seeing alot of that on this hike.

Zooming in to Sky Top Tower.

Taking the loop around Megan's Meadow.

Going counterclockwise the last part follows along the Wallkill River.

Continuing straight leaving the wildlife sanctuary ...

... passing a parking lot for the River-to-Ridge Trail.

Right to cross the bridge over Wallkill River.

Wallkill River

It's all crushed gravel multi-use path from here on out.  We encountered lots of people with dogs but they were all leashed so it gave Brodie some positive experiences after being charged early on.

Passing another River-to-Ridge Trail parking lot.

Route 299 is the busiest crossing but we managed to get over coming and going without waiting for traffic.  This is the way up to Mohonk and Minnewaska so it does get very busy with traffic.

It is full exposure for about 80% of this hike, warm but comfortable enough on a breezy 65 degree day.

Flat up until now, there are some rolling hills at the far end entering the area of two loops.

Taking a break in the shade at some boulders at a trail intersection.

I had never seen a bobolink before.  I thought I saw two fly over, turned on the Merlin Bird ID sound app and sure enough, it immediately identified the Bobolink.  Then I was thrilled when I got a picture.  But little did I know, I would see probably 3 dozen more of them from this point forward.  It was definitely a Bobolink hotspot.

The trail enters Mohonk Preserve and is mostly shady for the loop at the far end.

Just beyond this dilapidated house, the trail turns left.

The sign said that the tree at the bend of the road in the picture from 1950 still stands and I think I got it a few pictures down.

There were several hawks around, all being mobbed by red-winged blackbirds.

I think this could be that tree mentioned above.

I picked up all of these birds on the app with the exception of one I never saw but almost always see on other hikes, the Eastern Bluebird.  Not a one around.

Heading back on the opposite side of the first loop.

Coming up on the gate where the trail turns left, we stopped for a break ...

... to let several loud groups pass by to regain peace and quiet.  It's a very popular trail but there is still some solitude in places.  Fortunately, once people pass, you can no longer hear the chatter.

New Paltz up ahead with the bridge we would be crossing again.

Back on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail.

Coming up on the parking lot.

Birds identified with the Merlin Bird ID sound app:

1. American Crow
2. American Robin
3. Baltimore Oriole
4. Barn Swallow
5. Blue Jay
6. Blue-winged Warbler
7. Bobolink
8. Brown Thrasher
9. Carolina Wren
10. Common Yellowthroat
11. Eastern Meadowlark
12. European Starling
13. Field Sparrow
14. Hermit Thrush
15. Indigo Bunting
16. Mourning Dove
17. Northern Cardinal
18. Northern Mockingbird
19. Orchard Oriole
20. Red-winged Blackbird
21. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
22. Song Sparrow
23. Swamp Sparrow
24. Tufted Titmouse
25. Warbling Vireo
26. White-breasted Nuthatch
27. Yellow Warbler

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