Macedonia Brook State Park and Pond Mountain Natural Area, CT

ABOUT THE PARKS:
Macedonia Brook State Park
Pond Mountain Natural Area - no web site found, link gives contact information

TRAIL MAPS:
Macedonia Brook State Park
Pond Mountain Natural Area (large file - map takes a long time to download - copies were in the trail register but that may not always be the case.)  The Appalachian Trail is shown incorrectly on this map.  It was rerouted from Caleb's Peak to cross over Skiff Mountain Road below the terminus of the Red Gate Trail.  The AT no longer runs parallel to Skiff Mountain Road then along Fuller Mountain Road as shown on the map. To reach the Appalachian Trail from the Red Gate Trail you need to turn right on Skiff Mountain Road at the end of the Red Gate Trail and walk along the paved Skiff Mountain Road until you reach the where the Appalachian Trail crosses over, about 0.1 miles away.

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates:   41.760535,-73.493924

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There is no actual parking lot at the trailhead.  You will notice picnic tables along the road with space to park a car at each one.  Just before crossing the bridge there is room for about 4 cars on the left.  This is the parking area.

HIKE DISTANCE:
11.5 miles to do both parks in one hike.  The parks can be hiked together using a paved road to connect. This hike can also be done as two separate hikes or driving from one to the other.  The entire blue loop trail around Macedonia Brook State Park is 6.4 miles (I cut off the northern 1.5 mile section to reduce total mileage).  The Pond Mountain Natural Area trails total 3.8 miles with the option of an out and back hike to Caleb's Peak on the AT which is about 0.7 miles each way.

HIKE DIRECTIONS:
The first 3 miles of the hike will have some challenging rock scramble sections but it is an absolutely gorgeous area and the views make it well worth the effort.  From the parking area walk across the bridge on the gravel road.  Immediately after the bridge turn left at the sign for the light blue-blazed trail.

The trail will cross a bridge and then start to climb uphill.

At 0.5 miles you will start to catch glimpses of views to the east.  Rock scrambles bring you higher to better views to the east and north.

View to the east.

The Taconics to the north.

At 1.6 miles the white-blazed Cobble Mountain Trail comes in on the right.  Stay left on the light blue-blazed trail as it climbs up a smooth rock surface - watch for blazes painted on the rocks.

The top of the climb brings you to the summit of Cobble Mountain (1350 ft.) with views to the west.

A little farther along the summit the Catskills come into view.

The trail starts to descend steeply and will come to a couple of challenging almost vertical downhill sections.  A dog will most likely have trouble with this.  It took a long time but I was eventually able to get my dog down without having to turn back.

After passing the intersection with the green trail, continue on the light blue trail up a steep rock scramble to more views at the top at 1200 feet elevation.

The most difficult part of the hike is over.  The trail will now descend more smoothly and switchback down to a gravel road.  At the gravel road turn left and walk towards the paved road.  You will see the continuation of the light blue trail on the other side of the road. Take that if you want to do the full light-blue loop.  I turned right on the orange trail here to cut that section off since I knew my hike was going to be well over 10 miles without that part.

A short distance ahead to the left of the orange trail is a magnificent stone retaining wall which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930's.

The retaining wall does not look that impressive in the picture but it is HUGE in real life.

After turning right and crossing a bridge, the orange trail turns left and goes up a mowed section between campgrounds to meet back up with the light blue-blazed trail.

Continuation of the blue trail is beyond the logs.

Turn left on to this section of the light blue trail (shown as light blue/white on the map but there were no white blazes) if you stayed on the blue trail, or walk straight ahead if coming from the orange trail.  At 3.2 miles the light blue trail turns right and becomes an easy, smooth foot path. 

At 4.0 miles there will be a right turn blaze for the light blue trail just before stone wall remnants.  Barely visible beneath the blazes is a dark green blaze.  Keep straight on the blue trail to return to the parking lot.  To go on to Pond Mountain Natural Area, turn left here on to the green-blazed trail.  This trail is pretty much a woods road which is easy to follow but it is obviously not maintained, somewhat overgrown in places, blazes almost impossible to see and you do need to navigate around a few blowdowns.  There are many old stone walls throughout this .3 mile trail.

At 4.3 miles arrive at a log barrier at Fuller Mountain Road.  Make note of this barrier as it will be the return route later on coming from the opposite direction.

Turn right and walk along Fuller Mountain Road until you reach Pond Mountain Natural area on the left at 5.2 miles.  If you were to drive from Macedonia Brook State Park, exit the park, make the first left and the Pond Mountain parking lot would be about 1 mile away on the right at the top of the hill.

Walk straight through the parking lot to the trail register at the white-blazed Entry Trail.

Take the white blazed trail to the intersection of the blue-blazed Pond Trail.  Turn right on the blue-blazed trail.

Although you can see Fuller Pond through the trees, the Pond Trail does not actually go up to the pond.  A few short unmarked side trails go to the edge of the pond for better views.

Fuller Pond is a spring-fed glacial lake at an elevation of 909 feet.

At 5.8 miles turn right on the red-blazed Red Gate Trail.  Follow this woods road trail to its terminus at Skiff Mountain Road.  Turn right on Skiff Mountain Road and walk about 0.1 miles watching for the Appalachian Trail crossing.  Turn left on the white-blazed AT.

After about 0.7 miles of going uphill, arrive at Caleb's Peak which offers outstanding views of Kent, CT and the Housatonic Valley.

Retrace your steps back to Skiff Mountain Road, turn right and walk back up Skiff Mountain Road to the Red Gate Trail on the left.  Take the Red Gate Trail to the intersection with the green triangle-blazed Saturday P.M. Trail.  Turn right on the Saturday P.M. Trail.

At 8.5 miles (about .3 miles along the Saturday P.M. Trail) turn left on an unmarked trail which brings you to a view of Fuller Pond from up above at 1130 feet.

We found this to be an excellent break spot.  With quite a few people in the park in addition to an orienteering meet in progress, there was not another person around at this beautiful and peaceful spot.

Retrace your steps back to the Saturday P.M. trail, turn left and continue on.  A short distance ahead at 8.7 miles, cross through three open, mowed fields.

At the end of the third field, keep right into an adjacent field, staying to the left of that field.  Come out at an intersection and turn right towards the gate at Fuller Mountain Road.

Turn left on Fuller Mountain Road and follow it uphill then as it curves around sharply to the left.  At the far end of the curve as the road starts to straighten and descend, look for the log barrier on the right to enter the woods on the green-blazed trail.  You will not see any blazes so use the barrier to know where to turn.

Follow the green trail .3 miles back to the light blue-blazed trail.  Turn left on the blue blazed trail.  This trail will go along a ridge which offers glimpses through the trees to the right of Cobble Mountain from earlier in the hike.  After a sharp turn to the right the trail descends back down to the road and parking area arriving back at the car at 11.5 miles.

Appalachian Trail - Lusscroft Farm to Sunrise Mountain (High Point State Park and Stokes State Forest, NJ)

ABOUT THE PARKS:
High Point State Park
Stokes State Forest
Lusscroft Farm
Sunrise Mountain (NJ1K.org peak)

TRAIL MAP:
Half of the hike on each of the following maps:
NY/NJ Trail Conference Northern Kittatinny Trails Map #123 (Lusscroft Farm trails on back)
NY/NJ Trail Conference Northern Kittatinny Trails Map #122

DIRECTIONS:
GPS coordinates to parking lot off of Deckertown Turnpike (Route 650) 41.252618, -74.690083
At the time I hiked this, as I turned on to Deckertown Turnpike a sign indicated no thru traffic as the road was closed 3 miles ahead.  The parking lot is before the road closure so it was accessible.  Deckertown Turnpike goes uphill.  Once it starts to descend the hill, watch for a paved road to the right which takes you directly to a paved parking lot that holds about 8 cars.  There is no sign indicating this is a parking lot so watch closely.

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HIKE DISTANCE:  7 miles out and back without Lusscroft Farm trails; with Lusscroft Farm trails it would depend on trails taken through the farm.

HIKE DIRECTIONS:
This is a very easy way to reach Sunrise Mountain without much change in elevation.  The hike starts up high and follows the Appalachian Trail along a ridge with some minor ups and downs.  Lusscroft Farm trails do go steeply downhill so that would be the part requiring climbing.

Pick up the white-blazed Appalachian Trail directly across Deckertown Turnpike from the parking lot.

After a short distance, arrive at a shelter where the Appalachian Trail makes a sharp turn to the right:

You will soon be walking along a smooth rock surface with limited views to the west.  Turn around and you will be able to see High Point Monument to the north.

At 0.75 miles the Appalachian Trail merges on to a woods road that comes in from the right.  A short distance ahead a trail goes to the left while the white-blazed AT continues to the right.  The trail to the left is the trail to Lusscroft Farms although you won't see blazes until you are a little farther along that trail.  You will be on the blue-blazed Explorer Trail.

At the first intersection the blue-blazed Explorer Trail forks.  Turning right would take you back to the AT.  Left continues to the rest of the Lusscroft Farm trails.  A short distance ahead the blue trail turns to the left leaving the woods road which continues straight as an unmarked trail so this turn is easy to miss unless you are paying close attention.  From this point forward, although well-blazed, the trails become very overgrown.  That in addition to seeing a young bear in a tree the same time he saw me made me abandon my plans to hike farther into the Lusscroft Farm trails.  The bear skittered down the tree and took off in the direction I was heading so I turned around and went back to the AT.  The farm trails might be better explored during the winter when they are more passable.

At just a little over 3 miles (not counting Lusscroft Farm trails) ascend a few stone steps heading towards Sunrise Mountain.  Watch for an unmarked trail on the left after the steps.  This trail comes out at a bench with great views to the east.

Backtrack to the AT, turn left and continue to the pavilion at Sunrise Mountain.

View to the east.

View to the south.

View to the west.

Retrace your steps back along the white-blazed Appalachian Trail back to the parking lot to finish the hike.

Bash Bish Falls/Sunset Rock/Prospect Hill - Bash Bish State Park, MA and Taconic State Park, NY

ABOUT THE PARKS:
Bash Bish State Park, MA
Taconic State Park, NY

TRAIL MAP:
NY/NJ Trail Conference South Taconic Trails Map #4
Mt. Washington State Forest Map - Massachusetts DCR

DIRECTIONS:
From the New York State Thruway I-87/I-287, take the Saw Mill Parkway north to I-684 north. I-684 north turns into 22 north. Stay on 22 north all the way to Copake Falls, NY, then turn right on 344 to Taconic State Park.  Pass the Bash Bish lower parking area on the right in Taconic State Park and proceed to the upper Bash Bish parking area a short distance ahead on the right in Bash Bish State Park, MA.  GPS coordinates: 42.113844, -73.491608

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HIKE DISTANCE:  8.1 miles

HIKE DIRECTIONS:
From the upper Bash Bish Falls parking lot in Massachusetts, with your back to Route 344, head to the right on the blue-blazed trail.  This trail is not shown on the main map but there is an enlargement of it on the reverse side of the map.  This trail is rocky and at times descends steeply while going through a beautiful forest which chokes out most of the sunlight.  You will be able to hear the waterfalls which become increasingly louder.

At 0.4 miles, arrive at a gravel road.  Turn left to go a short distance to Bash Bish Falls.

View from the upper platform.

Up close view at bottom of steps leading to the falls.

Start the hike early because the falls will be crowded later in the day as you come this way again.

After visiting the falls, head back the way you came on the gravel road, keeping to the left as the blue-blazed trail you came down on veers to the right.

You will soon see signs indicating you are leaving Massachusetts and entering New York.  The gravel road will run parallel to Bash Bish Brook.

At 1.0 miles arrive at the Taconic State Park, NY lower Bash Bish Falls parking lot where there are porta potties.  Continue through the lot veering right to Route 344 where you will see the Cedar Brook Trail trailhead directly across Route 344.

This is an optional return route if water levels are low as this trail is impassable otherwise.
Cross over Route 344 and turn left.  Walk a few steps over the bridge then turn right into the woods where the white-blazed South Taconic Trail heads north.  Follow this trail heading towards the campgrounds.

Most of the South Taconic Trail will be a woods road up to Sunset Rock.

Follow the white-blazed Taconic trail to the right when the campground is visible straight ahead and then to the left at a chain link fence section.  The trail will be going uphill, sometimes gradually, other times more steeply.  At 2.6 miles arrive at the other end of the Cedar Brook Trail keeping left on the South Taconic Trail.

At 3.25 miles arrive at a sign which points to the left for Sunset Rock.  Follow red blazes painted on the stones on the ground, then on trees for a short distance to the overlook.  You will need to stand on Sunset Rock for better views over the trees.

Views of the Hudson Valley with the Catskills in the distance.

Retrace your steps on the red-blazed trail, turning left on the white-blazed South Taconic Trail.  You will soon enter an arbor tunnel where the trees form a canopy overhead.

At 3.5 miles keep to the left when an unmarked trail veers right.  At 3.7 miles cross over Sunset Rock Road, turn left and walk briefly down the road to the continuation of the white-blazed South Taconic trail on the right.

At 4.1 miles there will be a Massachusetts state line marker dated 1898 straight ahead.  Turn left before the marker to Prospect Hill views.

I hiked farther north almost another mile from this point as there were supposed to be more views but I did not see any so unless you want a longer hike, retrace your steps back from this point for an 8.1 mile hike.
At 5.6 miles arrive back at the blue-blazed Cedar Brook Trail trailhead.

This trail is strenuous with some very steep downhill sections where you need to watch your footing carefully but it is a much prettier and interesting trail than the woods road of the South Taconic Trail you came up on.  Only attempt this trail during periods of low water as otherwise the trail would definitely be not be passable.  You will be rock hopping over Cedar Brook several times.  If water levels are high or if you are not up for a more strenuous section, return the way you came via the South Taconic Trail.  Either way, you will end up back at Route 344 where you go left through the lower Bash Bish Falls parking lot to the gravel road that takes you back to the falls.

At 7.7 miles arrive back at Bash Bish Falls and turn left on the blue-blazed trail which leads back to the parking lot.

At 8.1 miles arrive back at the parking lot.  If you are up for a very short but challenging rock scramble to some great views, head on up by the sign at the south center of the parking lot which directs you to a scenic view.  There will be hand rails and cables to assist in climbing up.

If you are heading back home south on Route 22, about half an hour away from the park is a farm market on the right that has some very nice organic produce.