Saturday, October 9, 2021

Black Rock Forest, NY from Mine Hill

ABOUT THE PARK: 
Black Rock Forest - Black Rock Forest Consortium
NOTE:  Every year Black Rock Forest closes for hunting (in 2021 from 11/20 - 12/12) other than that no hunting is allowed.

DIRECTIONS: 
GPS Coordinates 41.402277, -74.047528
Mine Hill Road Parking - Room for about 5 cars, no parking along the road.

TRAIL MAP: 
Black Rock Forest Trail Map - Black Rock Forest Consortium
West Hudson Trails Map 113 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference
I highly recommend the trail conference map above on the Avenza app for this hike.

HIKE DISTANCE:  11.2 miles

THE HIKE:
Leaving the parking lot turn right and the trail head is a few steps ahead on the left.
I haven't seen too many of these red efts this year but there were two early on during this hike.
We turned right on the Sackett Trail and would be returning from the left.
A rickety crossing on the Arthur Trail through a swamp.
At the Scenic Trail we turned left and would be staying on that mostly for a while except ...
... to divert to the right to Eagle Cliff ...
... for views.
The blue Eagle Cliff Trail continues as a red trail.
Left on yellow ...
... back to right on white.
White will turn on to a gravel road ...
... then leave to the left as a footpath to ...
... views at Rattlesnake Hill.
Right on Carpenter Road when white crosses over to ...
... right on Go Down Road.
We soon came upon a tangle of blow downs but were able to get through.
I could see more obstructions ahead and almost turned back but kept going.
Beyond the blow downs the trail is clear again.
The old road bed becomes very eroded going downhill.
It does smooth out again.
A left here would loop back around the way we came we turned right.
From this point forward the old road is very well defined and completely clear.
We continued on the woods road passing where white crosses over, then right on Meadow Road to left on ...
... another white-blazed trail, not the Scenic Trail rather the White Oak Trail.
The trail turns right steeply downhill just before a dam ...
.... then crosses the spillway.
Arthurs Pond
We stayed right on Continental Road when white went left.
White Oak Tree
Continental Road
Passing by the Stillman Trail ...
... then left on the Sackett Trail.
I had wanted to hike the newer loops off of the Sackett Trail but I was already at almost 11 miles and it would have added another 2 miles with more elevation changes than I had energy remaining for so decided to save that for another time.
Right on Mine Hill Trail to retrace to the parking lot.
Mine Hill Road down below ...
... with a now packed parking lot and cars parked illegally along the road.