ABOUT THE PARK:
Groundswell of Community Passion Helps OSI Preserve More Goosepond Mountain - OSI
Your Environment Podcast - OSI
Open Space Preserved in Chester - The Chronicle
Trail Walker (page 2) - New York New Jersey Trail Conference
Goosepond Mountain State Park -New York State Parks
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.30814, -74.24732
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| Goosepond South parking off Bull Mill Road. |
TRAIL MAPS:
Goosepond South - New York New Jersey Trail Conference
Goosepond Mountain State Park - New York State Parks
Goosepond Mountain State Park and Goosepond South, NY at EveryTrail
HIKE DISTANCE: 5.8 miles
plus .4 miles separately at Goose Mountain Pond Area
THE HIKE:
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| Birds serenading in the parking area. |
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| Common Yellowthroat |
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| Newly constructed section of the Highlands Trail through Goosepond South. |
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| Trout Brook |
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| The trail is a work in progress and is well-blazed until ... |
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| ... the view. |
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| At this time there are some blazes beyond the view but also ribbons. |
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| We actually lost the trail and ended up checking out what appeared to be some mountain bike trails. |
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| Until we had to turn back. |
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| Another unmarked trail up above Bull Mill Road. |
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| It descends to Bull Mill Road but it's all homes on the other side so back to connect up with the Highlands Trail. |
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| A sign that we are back on the Highlands Trail. |
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| Confirmation! |
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| Crossing Bull Mill Road ... |
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| ... the continuation of the Highlands Trail on the other side. |
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| Creek Crossing |
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| The trail crosses a power cut that appears to be overgrown but there was actually a faint path. |
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| Currently the end of the new part of the Highlands Trail stops at a stone wall but I wanted to see if there were any mountain bike paths into Goosepond State Park. |
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| Sure enough, Shawnee saw it the same time I did - a few steps to the left ... |
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| ... an unmarked trail! You really need a GPS to navigate these trails. I would still be there wandering around if I hadn't had mine. |
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| A double power cut crossing. |
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| Horses use this trail! |
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| Perhaps this is the new part of the Highlands Trail marked with ribbons that will connect to the existing Highlands Trail? It was in the direction I wanted to go so that is the way we went. |
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| Indeed, straight ahead, Lazy Hill Road which is ... |
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| ... the existing Highlands Trail. |
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| A bridge over ... |
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| (It is much more sturdy than it looks.) |
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| ... Seely Brook. |
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| The Highlands Trail exits the park on to ... |
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| ... Laroe Road. This is the road walk portion that is being eliminated by the new section through Goosepond South and that is a VERY good thing because this road walk is just awful! |
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| Tried to make the most of the 1-mile road walk by looking for wildlife but ... |
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| ... stinky, loud trucks and nonstop traffic, ugh. |
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| Finally, our turn at Bull Mill Road. |
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| Red-Winged Blackbird |
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| A red-winged blackbird chasing a turkey vulture. That little bird was tenacious and chased that big bird right out of his airspace! |
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| Crossing over Trout Brook on Bull Mill Road. |
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| Back at the parking area. |
