This is the Hike of the Week for
5/9/2008 as described on the NY-NJ Trail
Conference website.
Briefly the 7.5-mile circuit hike begins in the SE corner of the southern parking area of the Anthony Wayne recreation area (exit 17 off the Palisades Interstate Parkway). Start by heading south on the Bike Trail at the kiosk. Make a right on the AT, where the remainder of the first half will occur. There is a crossing (on the AT, on foot) of the Palisades Interstate Parkway, so be careful! At the William Brien Memorial shelter, make a left on the yellow-blazed Menomine trail. Take this to its intersection with the Red Cross trail. Eventually this trail crosses the Palisades Interstate Parkway (this crossing is even trickier because it's difficult to see the southbound cars coming). Make a left on the 1779 trail, which eventually co-mingles with the Bike Trail. When the 1779 trail branches off to the left, continue on the Bike Trail and then stay left on the Bike Trail at another fork. After crossing the AT, the part you hiked at the beginning takes you back to your car. It took us just over 4 hours. The most strenuous part is the steady climb up Black Mountain during the first half. But the views of the Hudson and surrounding areas is worth the climb. (Click on the thumbnail to bring up a bigger image in a pop-up window)
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A piny trailhead |
Intended for those standing on their heads |
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Regal pines |
Mushrooms were all over |
Small brook off Bike trail |
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One of several bridges on Bike trail |
Intersection with AT |
Bridge tomfoolery, over Beechy Bottom Brook |
Palisades Interstate crossing |
AT registry on island in middle of Parkway |
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A ferny AT |
Steady climb of Black Mountain |
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Wildflowers on ridge |
AT&T towers to south |
Hudson River to SE |
Manhattan skyline |
View SW |
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Two vultures roosting |
View of West Mountain |
Immature blueberries |
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Perkins Tower on Bear Mountain |
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Steep descent at one point |
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First glimpse of Silvermine Lake |
Silvermine Lake [photo by Laura] |
Silvermine Lake |
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Abandoned boundary walls |
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On Letterrock Mountain |
Rock tomfoolery [photo by Laura] |
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At the William Brien shelter |
Beautiful mushroom |
And another |
Amorous insects |
Bridge on Red Cross trail |
More mushrooms |
Mushroom tomfoolery |
Stream crossing |
Frog |
And more mushrooms! |
Blueberry fields forever (Big Bog Mountain) |
Palisades Parkway crossing on Red Cross trail |
Stone bridge on 1779 trail |
Photographs and content copyright © Dan Balogh Web design by Dan Balogh |