Wawayanda State Park, NJ - Wawayanda Lake Loop

ABOUT THE PARK:
Wawayanda State Park - NJ Department of Environmental Protection

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates to parking for about 10 cars, 5 on either side of Warwick Turnpike: 41.201500, -74.391610
(There is no fee to park here - from Memorial Day through Labor Day a fee is charged to use  lots inside the park.)

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TRAIL MAP:
North Jersey Trails Map #116 - NY/NJ Trail Conference
Wawayanda State Park Map - NJ Department of Environmental Protection

HIKE DISTANCE:  12.35 miles

HIKE DESCRIPTION: 
Some of the trails are fairly unattractive woods roads but they are necessary to get to the pretty trails to form a loop.

Appalachian Trail access from parking on Warwick Turnpike.

Appalachian Trail

Parker Lake off of the Appalachian Trail.

Kazmar Pond off of the Appalachian Trail.

1890's Iron Bridge over Double Kill

Iron Mountain Trail

Black Bear Conservation Project Along Iron Mountain Trail

Wawayanda Lake parking lots already packed on Sunday at 8:50 am.  Although this area is very busy, there is lots of solitude on the hiking trails.

Wawayanda Lake

Wawayanda Lake Beach

Pumphouse Trail

Wawayanda Lake from an unmarked woods road off of the Pumphouse Trail.

Cherry Ridge Road

Lake Lookout

Red Dot Trail

Nature Jim's Bridge

Wawayanda Swamp

Double Pond Trail

William Hoeferlin Trail

Wildlife along the trails:

Blue Heron

Dragonfly

Tiny Frog

Turtle climbing on rock (lower left) and Canada geese.

Monarch Butterfly

Swimming Turtle

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take the white-blazed Appalachian Trail south from the parking area
[  0.20]  Parker Lake on left; keep right at fork
[  0.25]  At 4-way intersection veer left and take center trail, staying on Appalachian Trail
[  0.40]  Keep straight on AT when blue goes right to a shelter
[  0.60]  Cross straight over gravel road
[  0.85]  Cross over woods road
[  1.05]  Kazmar Pond on left
[  1.20]  Left on woods road which is now combined white-blazed AT and blue-blazed Iron Mountain Trail; power cut; cross bridge over Double Kill
[  1.25]  When AT goes right, keep left on blue-blazed Iron Mountain Trail
[  2.25]  Cross over paved park road
[  2.50]  Go through parking lot, turn right just before Wawayanda Lake; turn right to second parking lot, then turn left through lot along fence
[  2.80]  From second lot left on orange Pumphouse Trail; turn right and cross gravel bridge (not wooden bridge by picnic tables)
[  3.40]  Pumphouse Trail leaves woods road to the left on foot trail
[  4.15]  Trail to left not worth taking to lake - overgrown and not well defined
[  4.30]  Woods road to left leads to Wawayanda Lake
[  4.55]  Woods road ends at Wawayanda Lake at old rusty pipes; retrace
[  4.75]  Continue left on orange Pumphouse Trail
[  5.45]  Pumphouse Trail ends, go through gravel lot, left on gravel road
[  5.60]  Left at fork on Cherry Ridge Road when Cabin Trail goes right
[  5.85]  Keep right at fork
[  5.95]  Unmarked trail to right at other end of parking area goes to Lake Lookout but closed summer 2011 due to gas pipeline construction; keep straight on Cherry Ridge Road
[  6.25]  Right on white-blazed Lookout Trail (also goes to Lake Lookout but not posted as closed)
[  6.80]  Lake Lookout (unmarked trail coming in from right is where trail from parking lot comes in had it not been posted as closed); continue left around pond
[  7.00]  At fork with cairn on left, keep straight on woods road when trail goes right
[  7.20]  Lookout Trail ends, left on red-blazed Old Coal Trail (this trail is closed for gas pipeline construction but it is not posted until the end of the trail)
[  7.55]  Old Coal Trail ends, right on Cherry Ridge Road
[  7.70]  Left on red-blazed Red Dot Trail
[  8.10]  Nature Jim's Bridge
[  8.30]  Right at fork when unmarked goes straight (not on map)
[  8.35]  Red Dot Trail goes both left and right - either way merges back together; for this hike, turn left
[  9.00]  At T-intersection turn left when other side of Red Dot Trail comes in from right
[  9.30]  Cross bridge
[  9.40]  Red Dot Trail ends; right on yellow Double Pond Trail
[  9.80]  Left on yellow Double Pond Trail when blue Cedar Swamp Trail goes right
[10.25]  Yellow Double Pond Trail ends, turn left on blue-blazed William Hoeferlin Trail
[11.30]  Keep right on blue William Hoeferlin Trail when Black Eagle Trail goes left
[11.75]  Cross park road with park office on right, head towards maintenance building, turn right through parking lot to other end of lot near park road; left on continuation of blue-blazed William Hoeferlin Trail
[12.00]  At T-intersection, right on white-blazed Appalachian Trail
[12.35]  Back at parking area on Warwick Turnpike

Mount Greylock State Reservation, MA: Greylock in the Round

ABOUT THE PARK:

Mount Greylock State Reservation - Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation

DIRECTIONS:

GPS Coordinates to Rockwell Road/Sperry Road Parking 42.624380, -73.190564

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There is room for about 10 cars in this lot.  Sperry Road starts directly across from this parking area.  Although Sperry Road is off limits to cars (some older maps still show it as being accessible for cars) you can drive in a short distance where there are additional pull-outs on the right side for parking.

NOTE:  This hike, Hike #4 - Greylock in the Round, starts in a different lot off of Hopper Road.  I picked the Sperry Road lot since I had others with me that would be hiking a shorter route with less elevation gain so this parking area was a better starting point for them.  This turned out to be a good choice as the sun was setting at the end of the hike and the trails were becoming very dark.  Hiking down to Hopper Road that late in the day to get back to the car would have involved a steep descent going down into an even darker valley.  Having parked on Sperry Road, we had the option of abandoning the darker trail and taking the paved Rockwell Road back to the car for some gorgeous sunset views along the way.

TRAIL MAP:
Mount Greylock State Reservation Summer Use Trail Map - MA DCR  (most up to date map)
Mount Greylock Trail Guide & Map - Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Inc.  (very nice map but a little outdated)

HIKE DISTANCE:  12.4 miles

HIKE DESCRIPTION:

All trails are blazed in blue except the Appalachian Trail which has white blazes.  The Haley Farm Trail will have a few white blazes interspersed with the blue.  Intersections are very well marked with trail names.  While there are no rock scrambles along this route, there are several long, steep inclines and switchbacks.

Beginning of Sperry Road across Rockwell Road from Parking Area

Mr. Greylock Summit War Memorial as seen from Stony Ledge

Haley Farm Trail

View From Haley Farm Trail

Field crossing at Bottom of Haley Farm Trail

Money Brook Trail

Hiking Through The Hopper

Money Brook Falls (low water flow end of July)

Meeting Up with the Appalachian Trail

Williamstown with Adirondacks in the distance from Mount Prospect View

Mount Williams Summit

View From Mount Williams

Crossing the road on the way to Mount Greylock summit

Approaching the War Memorial on the summit

Bascom Lodge at the summit.

Summit View

Small Pond off of Appalachian Trail

Sunset along paved Rockwell Road heading back to parking area.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Cross Rockwell Road and follow Sperry Road (gravel road) beyond barrier
[  1.50]  Stoney Ledge Overlook; at far end of Sperry Road, follow trail into woods towards Stoney Ledge Campsite veering left at fork just before campsite
[  1.65]  Turn right on Haley Farm Trail when Stoney Ledge Trail goes left
[  1.95]  Short side trail on right to view
[  2.50]  White blazes interspersed with blue blazes on Haley Farm Trail - still correct trail
[  3.50]  Keep to the left of the field towards sign then continue straight to woods and right on the dirt road
[  3.60]  Keep straight on dirt road when Hopper Brook Loop Trail (not on map) goes left
[  3.65]  Keep straight on dirt road which is now Money Brook Trail when Hopper Trail goes right
[  3.75]  Keep straight on Money Brook Trail which now becomes grass road when the other side of the Hopper Brook Loop trail comes in from the left
[  3.85]  The Hopper sign
[  3.95]  Cross bridge with Bob Quay memorial sign
[  4.05]  Cross small bridge over gully and turn left on trail going uphill away from Money Brook (this is a bypass that joins up with the trail along the brook again)
[  4.15]  Left on trail meeting back up with brook again
[  4.50]  Cross footbridge to right over brook; trail continues left other side of bridge; cutoff to Hopper Trail goes right
[  4.60]  Rock hop to left over side creek
[  4.90]  Rock hop over creek (was almost dry creek bed during this hike); trail continues to the left after crossing
[  4.95]  Keep right on Money Brook Trail when Mount Prospect Trail goes left
[  5.95]  Keep straight following arrow to Money Brook Falls, left goes to Appalachian Trail (will return to take this trail after short out and back to falls)
[  6.00]  Money Brook Falls; retrace to AT intersection
[  6.05]  At intersection turn right towards Wilbur's Clearing/AT
[  6.30]  At intersection turn left towards WIlbur's Clearing where right goes to Notch Road (can shorten hike by turning right, crossing Notch Road, right on Old Summit Road to right on AT)
[  6.50]  Wilbur's Clearing on left
[  6.65]  When trail ends at Appalachian Trail, turn left towards Mount Prospect view
[  6.90]  Mount Prospect view; retrace on AT (be sure to pick correct trail, the center trail, not the trails to either the left or right leaving the view)
[  7.15]  Keep straight on AT on logs when Money Brook Trail goes right
[  7.30]  Keep straight when side trail goes to Notch Road parking lot; cross paved Notch Road
[  7.45]  Keep straight on AT when side trail to Notch Road parking goes right
[  8.10]  Mount Williams summit and view; continue on AT
[  8.40]  Keep straight on AT when Old Summit Road/Bernard Farm Trail crosses over  (if shortening hike at 6.30 miles above, this is where the Old Summit Road meets up with the AT}
[  9.30]  Did not see Mount Fitch summit sign but probably summit is probably in this area
[10.05]  Keep straight on AT when Bellows Pipe Trail goes left
[10.50]  Mount Greylock summit; continue south on AT
[12.05]  Small pond on right
[11.25]  Turn right at fork on Hopper Trail towards Sperry Road Campground
[11.50]  Right on paved Rockwell Road (if enough daylight left, trails can be taken to Sperry Road back to parking)
[12.40]  Back at parking lot

Catskill Forest Preserve, NY: Slide Mountain Wilderness - Peekamoose and Table Mountains

ABOUT THE PARK:
Slide Mountain Wilderness - NY State Department of Environmental Conservation
Peekamoose Mountain - Catskill 3500 Club
Table Mountain - Catskill 3500 Club

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.915164, -74.429080

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There is parking for about 10-12 cars.  The lot fills up quickly.  People also use this lot for access to Roundout Creek across the street.

TRAIL MAP:
Southern Catskill Trails Map #143 - NY/NJ Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCES:
Peekamoose Mountain - 7.3 miles
Peekamoose and Table Mountains - 9.2 miles
Buttermilk Falls - 0 miles (drive 1 mile east on Peekamoose Road)
Roundout Creek - 0 miles (across street from Peekamoose parking lot)

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
Although the parking lot is in Sundown Wild Forest, the trail soon enters Slide Mountain Wilderness.  The trail starts at the west end of the parking lot.

Slide Mountain Wilderness has a very generous pet policy:

If you Bring Your Pet-Your pet must be under your control at all times. When others approach, particularly small children and other animals, leash your dog. Keep your pet quiet. Remove droppings from the trail and camping areas.

Be sure to sign in at the trail register which you will find .15 mile into the hike.

The trail starts out as a woods road...

...then leaves the woods road as a foot trail.

The trail becomes rockier and you will need to rock scramble occasionally on the way up.

Reconnoiter Rock

A sign at 3500 ft. elevation.

View to the East (click to enlarge then click again)

Trail through the spruce-fir forests of the higher elevations.

Boulder ahead is summit of Peekamoose Mountain - where my dog is standing is the unmarked side trail to a fairly recently cut view not shown on the Trail Conference map.

View of Ashokan Reservoir from Peekamoose Summit

View from Peekamoose Summit Overlook (click to enlarge then click again)

Rock cairn next to trail at summit of Table Mountain.

View to the west shortly after summit of Table Mountain.

An Eastern Garter Snake in a crevice at Reconnoiter Rock on the way back.

Back at the parking lot after the hike, throw on some water shoes and head over to Roundout Creek to soak your tired legs in some ice cold water.  It gets much deeper than it looks in the picture.

Then swing by Buttermilk Falls, one mile east of the parking lot on Route 42.  There is a sign and a small parking lot.  A very short trail leads to the falls.  (You might want to stop here before doing the hike in case the parking lot fills up later in the day.)


HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Start from west end of parking lot on blue-blazed Peekamoose-Table Trail
[  0.15]  Sign trail register on left
[  0.75]  Trail veer right as foot path leaving woods road
[  1.50]  Trail starts to switchback up more steeply; rock scrambles start
[  2.20]  Reconnoiter rock on left
[  2.80]  3500 ft. elevation sign; just beyond short side trail to right to eastern view
[  2.85]  View to the right
[  3.60]  Just before large summit boulder side trail to right to eastern view; retrace
[  3.65]  Large boulder at summit of Peekamoose Mountain
[  4.00]  Saddle between Peekamoose and Table Mountains
[  4.15]  Begin flat stretch along top of Table Mountain
[  4.45]  Rock cairn at Table Mountain Summit
[  4.50]  Take left fork to western view; retrace then right on blue trail to return
[  4.60]  Rock cairn at Table Mountain summit
[  5.20]  Saddle between Table and Peekamoose Mountains
[  5.35]  Large boulder at summit of Peekamoose Mountain
[  6.20]  Eastern view to the left
[  6.90]  Reconnoiter Rock
[  8.45]  Trail merges left back on to woods road
[  9.05]  Sign out at trail register
[  9.20]  Back at parking lot