Harriman State Park, NY - Lake Tiorati to Goshen Mountain

Lake Tiorati on Seven Lakes Drive

ABOUT THE PARK:
Harriman State Park - The Palisades Parks Conservancy
Harriman State Park - New York State Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.275333, -74.088773

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TIorati Lake Picnic Area Parking - season parking fee applies Memorial Day to Labor Day

TRAIL MAP:  NY/NJ Trail Conference Northern Harriman Bear Mountain Trails Map 119

DISTANCE:
7 miles
This is the same hike as described here.

THE HIKE:

The start of the blue-blazed trail is very hard to see.  It's on the right about 2/3 of the way through the lot a short distance after a dumpster.

The blue trail ends at the combined Appalachian Trail/Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail.

The Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail leaves the Appalachian Trail in a clearing.

Spring was nowhere near as far along in this part of Harriman State Park compared to 50 miles south.

The R-D Trail goes along a fence which is ...

Youmans Flats, apparently a landfill at one time, now a maintenance area.

An entire treetop severed by Sandy hangs in the other treetops (above the leaning tree).

Heading towards the summit of Goshen Mountain.

Along the Goshen Mountain ridge.

Some limited seasonal views of the Hudson River in the distance.

On the Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian Trail crosses Seven Lakes Drive.

Sections of massive blowdowns from Sandy along the AT.

Trees tossed about like matchsticks off to the side.

Chainsawed and cleared trail - thank you trail maintainers!

Nearing a rock outcrop, shown as a view on the map...

... and this is it - Fingerboard Mountain and

a little of Lake Tiorati zoomed in.  Not much of a view even with no foliage.

Foliage is on it's way.

It was too windy on the rock outcrop so we headed for lower ground to take a break,

The Long Path at Arden Valley Road.

Short road walk on Arden Valley Road which was closed to traffic at this time.

On the blue-blazed trail back to the parking lot.

Some wildlife just before the end. She has that concerned look because she was focused on Shawnee, who could care less about chasing deer.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]   Start at the triple blue blazes from the parking lot
[  0.30]  Turn right on white blazed AT/red dot on white Ramapo-Dunderberg combined trail when blue ends with water tower on left
[  1.10]  In pipeline clearing, turn right on red-dot-on-white where the AT continues straight and unmarked (return route) goes left
[  1.25]  Trail turns right and follows along chain link fence
[  1.50]  Cross Seven Lakes Drive continuing on red-dot-on-white
[  2.90]  Trail crosses summit of Goshen Mountain along ridge
[  3.25]  Just before crossing a wet area/small creek, turn left on the white-blazed AT where it continues across the wet area to the right along with the red-dot-on-white trail
[  4.40]  AT crosses diagonally to the left over Seven Lakes Drive
[  5.40]  Rock outcrop with very limited views
[  5.80]  At intersection at clearing from earlier in the hike where red-dot-on-white goes left and AT goes straight, turn right on unmarked
[  6.10]  At large cairn, turn left on the aqua-blazed Long Path
[  6.50]  Turn left on paved Arden Valley Road
[  6.70]  Turn right on red-dot-on-white towards water tower, continue short distance then turn left on blue
[  7.00]  Back at parking lot

Rahway River Parkway, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Rahway River Association - RahwayRiver.org
The only information I could find regarding this trail, a cleared and blazed trail in my own back yard that I never knew existed until I just happened upon it, was in this article, the portion copied below.

JP Seebode is a junior at Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains. For his project, he and his team improved the Rahway River Trail in Clark and Winfield Park for walkers, hikers and fisherman. Improvements included trail clearing, tree planting, and installing erosion control measures.

Railroad ties and gravel were used to provide safety along the trail as well as ease the walking conditions for those using the trail.

It's an urban trail but amazingly secluded feeling and teaming with wildlife.  What an awesome trail to have right where I live.  So very grateful, JP Seebode!

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.628339, -74.284486

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Parking along Union County Parkway at Jacksons Pond.

TRAIL MAP:

This is my rough sketch with the trail in green.

This GPS track is from 6/6/13.  The trail beyond the picnic pavilion has become overgrown and impassible.
Rahway River Parkway Trail at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Newark, New Jersey

HIKE DISTANCE:
The trail measures 2 miles one way for a total 4-mile out-and-back hike.
Jacksons Pond Dam to Bloodgoods Pond Dam - 1.2 miles
Bloodgoods Pond Dam to end of trail - .8 miles

THE HIKE:

Jacksons Pond Dam at Valley Road and Union County Parkway

I believe the one in the middle is a duck/goose hybrid.

From the parking lot facing Jacksons Pond, turn right and continue between the Rahway River and Union County Parkway ...

... to the beginning of the trail blazed with white squares.

I have never seen this many turtles on one log!

It's very scenic along the river and for the most part the trail follows the river in a small gorge so it's easy to forget how populated this area is.

At the bottom of this descent is a small creek to cross.  It's shallow and there are plenty of rocks to the right to cross over on.

Some Sandy blowdowns - along this section they are easy enough to get over or around.  Gah!  How did I miss that empty cigarette pack?  Will have to pick it up the next time unless somebody beats me to it.

Great Blue Heron

Red-winged Blackbird

At times the trail comes up on the road briefly but goes back down to the river again.

At 1.2 miles the trail comes out at a parking lot...

... with Bloodgoods Pond Dam on the left.

Cormorant in Bloodgoods Pond

The trail continues along Bloodgoods Pond.

Just a short bit of road walking before going back into the woods.

There are blowdowns in this section that are more difficult to get through and around.

The trail continues to the left of the picnic pavillion.  From this point to the end, there are currently lots of thorny vines blocking the trail.

Some clear sections, too.  This part is noisy with the Garden State Parkway just on the other side of the Rahway River.

At 2 miles, the end of the trail and turn around point at a small parking pullout, just before Raritan Road and exit 136 of the Garden State Parkway.

American Goldfinch

Female Cardinal

Two turtles sitting in a tree.

Male Mallard Duck

Almost every surface sticking out of the water had at least one turtle on it.

Nesting swan with nesting Mallards on the left and nesting Canada geese on the right?  Yes, that is how close the homes are in this area.

An egret, and a turtle, of course.

Looks like some irresponsible person dumped their goldfish or koi in the river.  This guy had to have been 1 1/2 - 2 feet long.