Neversink River Unique Area, NY - High Falls

ABOUT THE PARK:
Neversink River Unique Area - New York Department of Environmental Conservation

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.557661, -74.61444
For this hike we parked at the Wolf Brook Multiple Use Area but with the above coordinates, my GPS took me to the Neversink River Unique Area lot where I had parked when we hiked a different section in July, and then said to "drive off road" which would mean through the woods.  So coming in on Katrina Falls Road, turn left on Wolf Lake Road before the Neversink River Unique Area.  Go a short distance on Wolf Lake Road then turn right into the Wold Brook Multiple Use Area and follow the gravel road, keep right at the fork, the road will follow a power cut for a bit, then right at the second fork all the way to the parking circle at the end.

Parking circle at the end of the gravel road.

TRAIL MAPS:
Neversink River Unique Area - New York Department of Conservation
Neversink Gorge Trails - NYNJTC free map

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HIKE DISTANCE:

• 8.35 miles starting at Wolf Brook Multiple Use Area parking lot and returning to Neversink Unique Area parking lot

• 9 miles out and back parking at Wolf Brook Multiple Use Area with side trip to Mullet Falls

THE HIKE:

From the parking lot we noticed something in a tree...

... a HUGE stuffed bear!

The yellow trail starts at the far end of the circle from the drive in.

Looking back at the parking circle from the trail.

Although this trail wasn't so badly overgrown that people on foot could not pass through easily enough...

... it was not doggie wheelchair accessible at all and required getting Shawnee unstuck repeatedly.

Then there were blowdowns.  Lots and lots of blowdowns.  Some could be lifted so she could go under, others she had to be lifted over.

Some wider, smoother stretches ...

... mixed with very rocky sections.

The yellow trail ends at the red trail, left on red.

That was a tricky blow down up ahead,

And more.

And another. 

Then it's a left on the blue trail which I thought would be more woods road like the section we had done previously from the Neversink Unique Area parking to this point.

It started out that way.

But it did not last long.  This was break time after having climbed up a steep, rocky, eroded section, with large water bars that apparently don't work, again no big deal for the able-bodied but for the wheelchair, ugh.

Finally the blue trail starts to switchback and it's quite nice for smooth sailing in the wheelchair.

Right on yellow.

You can hear High Falls down below.  Again, the trail switchbacks down and is fairly easy for the wheelchair except for the very last section where we had to leave the wheelchair off trail and assist Shawnee down the rest of the way.

High Falls in the Neversink River

Downstream

Our break spot.

Hiking dogs resting.

Well, one of them at any rate.

An Eastern Phoebe, I believe.

I think this might be a female yellow-rumped warbler.

Another Eastern Phoebe

Leaving the falls area.  This is the section that was impossible for the wheelchair so we assisted Shawnee back up to where we had left it.

And good to go heading back.

Back through narrow, overgrown, rocky trail.

We had to abandon the wheelchair both ways to get her over these blow downs.

Back to where the red trail that we had come in on leaves to the right.  Since I knew the trail to the Neversink Unique Area parking lot was much easier, we split up.  Shawnee and I stayed on the easier section of the blue trail and the others went back the way we came to get the cars and drive around to get us after taking the side trip to Mullet Falls, which Shawnee and I had seen when we were here the last time.  Sebastian was a bit concerned over the plan of us going a different way..

The rhododendron tunnels are wider and smoother going this way.

At the Neversink Unique Area parking lot.

The cars were not there yet but Shawnee wanted to keep going so we walked up Katrina Falls Road.

And here they come.