Sterling Forest State Park, NY - Sterling Ridge, Valley and Lake

ABOUT THE PARK:
Sterling Forest State Park - NY State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.197850, -74.256044

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At 7 AM on a Friday I was the only one there but when I finished at noon, the lot was almost full.

TRAIL MAP:
Sterling Forest Trails Map 100 - NY/NJ Trail Conference
Sterling Forest State Park Trail Map - NY State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Sterling Forest, NY - Sterling Ridge, Valley and Lake at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE:  7.3 miles

THE HIKE:

Walk out the parking lot and cross the street.

Turn left in front of the Visitor Center ...

... on the blue-blazed Sterling Lake Loop Trail.

A short distance to the left on the Lakeville Ironworks Trail is the ...

The Sterling Furnace

The blue-blazed trail continues on to join a paved road passing some more ruins.

There are views of the lake along the road but on this morning the lake was shrouded in fog.

Nearing the end of the pavement.

The blue trail continues beyond the barrier but turn left here on the orange-blazed Bare Rock Trail.

Climbing the Bare Rock Trail ...

... to the Sterling Ridge/Highlands Trail.

Coming up on ...

... what would be a view of Sterling Lake but it's still under all that fog.

Some bursts of fall color on the day before the last day of summer.

I think this is a Marbled Orb Weaver.  It was a big spider with a big web!

The second viewpoint along the ridge is overgrown but might offer more when the leaves are down.

The trail continues along a flat stretch on the ridge,

Scrub oak turning colors.

The third view also overgrown.

View east in the power cut.

View west in the power cut.

Soon after the power cut, a woods road crosses over.  It's a little overgrown but still passable.

It runs right into the yellow-blazed Sterling Valley Trail in just a tenth of a mile.

Sterling Valley Trail

The yellow-blazed Sterling Valley Trail joins up with the blue-blazed Sterling Lake Trail

Keeping the hikes shorter for her but she keeps chugging along.

A stink bug hitching a ride.  He was sent packing.

Waterfront hornet nest.  Nothing like a living in a nest with a view.

Sterling Lake residents.

Sterling Lake, the fog having lifted, on a gorgeous day.

At the beach - man made for a development that never happened.  Thank goodness!

Always up for a cool dip in the water.

Shawnee being chased by a snake!  I yelled and the snake made an abrupt turn and slithered back into the grass.  I think he was just a little confused about how to get away from us.

HIKE SUMMARY:
coming soon