Black Rock Forest, NY

ABOUT THE PARK:
Black Rock Forest - Black Rock Forest Consortium

DIRECTIONS:

GPS Coordinates 41.418672, -74.010401

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TRAIL MAP:
West Hudson Trails Map 113 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference
Black Rock Forest, NY at EveryTrail


PEAK BAGGING:
Whitehorse Mountain - peakery.com
Mount Misery - peakery.com
Hill of Pines - peakery.com

HIKE DISTANCE:  6.25 miles

THE HIKE:

On the way, stopped at the Storm King State Park parking area for a sunrise view.

Over at Black Rock Forest, take the stone steps from the parking lot, cross the entrance road and start on the...

yellow-blazed Stillman/teal-diamond-blazed Highlands Trail.

Butter Hill view from Whitehorse Mountain

Hudson River view from Whitehorse Mountain.

Descending Whitehorse Mountain towards Upper Reservoir.

Aleck Meadow Reservoir from Mount Misery.

Black Rock Mountain from Mount Misery.

Descending Mount Misery into a beautiful valley.

Coming up on views on Hill of Pines.

Bog Meadow Pond from Hill of Pines

This hawk and a turkey vulture were sparring with one another in the air but they never made contact.

The white-blazed Scenic Trail.

The yellow-blazed Tower Vue Trail.

Arthur's Pond from the Tower Vue Trail.

Arthur's Pond

Resting....  It's an exhausting hike.

White Oak Trail

Gray-cheeked Thrush or Bicknell's Thrush or Hermit Thrush?

White Oak Road

Aleck Meadow Reservoir

Turn right on an unmarked trail just before the bridge to the left.

Although this trail is not blazed, it is easy to follow.

The left side drops steeply into a gorge.

The trail is very rocky in spots.

This unmarked trail leads to the best views yet - the Gunks and the Catskills from Honey Hill.

Blue-blazed Reservoir Trail

The red-blazed Duggan Trail back to the parking lot.

Where the red trail ends at the parking lot, a kiosk asking for a suggested donation of $2.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take the stone steps from the parking lot, cross road to yellow/teal trail
[  1.35]  Left on teal diamond when yellow leaves to the right
[  1.65]  Yellow rejoins from the right, yellow/teal leave gravel road to the left just before gravel road bends to the left
[  1.75]  Views from Mount Misery
[  1.95]  Left on white-blazed Scenic Trail
[  2.60]  Turn right on woods road when white continues straight
[  2.80]  Turn left at woods road T-intersection
[  3.00]  Continue on woods road when white rejoins from the left
[  3.15]  Turn right on yellow at cairn
[  3.55]  View of Arthur's Pond from rock outcrop
[  3.85]  Keep straight past dam, yellow trail becomes white-blazed White Oak Trail
[  4.30]  Right on gravel road
[  4.40]  Turn left on gravel road at T-intersection
[  4.65]  Continue on gravel road passing gate on the left; a few steps later, left on yellow/teal
[  4.75]  Turn right at the dam the just before the bridge on the left, turn right on unmarked trail
[  5.30]  Turn left on blue-blazed Reservoir Trail
[  5.75]  Cross Ben's Bridge then keep straight on red when blue goes left
[  6.25]  Back at parking lot