This is hike #21 ("Black Mountain") from the book
50 Hikes in the Lower Hudson Valley (2nd edition). A shorter version, which omits the relatively short out-and-back to the two glorious viewpoints
on Black Mountain, is the Hike of the Week for 9/29/2011
as described on the NY-NJ Trail Conference site. For those following the NYNJTC hike, I strongly encourage you to continue on the AT (where the hike
description says to to turn left on Silvermine Road). Climb for less than 5 minutes to the first wonderful viewpoint over Silvermine Lake, then continue to the
second sweeping view south and southeast to the Hudson River, the Manhattan skyline, Tor mountain, among other sites. Then head back to Silvermine Road, making a right
at which point you can continue following the hike description.
We did this exact same hike in March, 2006, so it was time to head back. We also climbed Black Mountain from the opposite direction in August, 2008. The fall foliage was peak this weekend and the leaf drop was significant. At this rate I wouldn't be surprised if, by next week, most of the leaves were on the ground and the colors are past peak. Fall foliage only happens once a year, and it doesn't last long, but what a gift it is. Total distance hiked today was 5.1 miles in just over 3 hours.
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View from parking lot |
Beaver lodge in Silvermine Lake |
Awesome yellows |
Silvermine Lake |
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Foliage was peak |
Kayaker in Silvermine Lake |
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View south |
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Trail parallels lake |
Explosion of color |
Laura surrounded by foliage |
View south |
View across |
View north |
Leaves in the lake |
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Trails veers ... |
... and ascends from lake |
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Climb begins |
Lots of leaf drop |
Rocky climb |
Campers near ... |
... Letterock shelter |
The AT heads ... |
... up to the left |
Blueberry bushes abound |
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Blueberry bushes |
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Beautiful yellows at Silvermine Road |
View of Silvermine Lake from Black Mountain |
[Photo by Laura] |
Silvermine Lake |
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View west |
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Continuing east on AT |
Blueberry bushes ... |
... in bright red |
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Laura on AT |
More views ... |
... to the south |
View north |
Hudson River |
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Zoom in to Hudson |
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Ferns at Spanish Mine |
[Photo by Laura] |
Scooting back down |
Yellow colors on AT |
Manhattan skyline from AT |
Radiant blueberry bushes |
Jagged ridge |
Silvermine Lake |
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The lovely Silvermine Road |
One of loveliest woods roads ... |
... in all of Harriman |
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On Silvermine Road |
Back to Silvermine Lake |
Fire ring |
Lots of ... |
... color on ... |
... eastern bank of ... |
... Silvermine Lake |
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Damn at NE tip of lake |
Queensboro Brook |
Bridge over brook |
Old gate posts |
At end of Silvermine Road |
Fireplace |
Bicyclists on Seven Lakes Drive |
Heading west |
Folks climbing old ski trails |
Photographs and content copyright © Dan Balogh Web design by Dan Balogh |