G3. NY Route 211 to Old NY Route 17

Feature: Gobblers Knob, Basha Kill
Distance: 10.15 miles
USGSMapQuads: Otisville, Yankee Lake, Wurtsboro
Trail Conference Maps: Online SRT map (pdf file) at
http://www.nynjtc.org/files/2008SRTmap2.pdf

General Description

This section begins at the intersection of Orange County Route 61 (Otisville
Road) and NY Route 211. It heads north on Route 61, descending below
steep cliffs on the right. The road passes over the top of the western portal of
the Otisville tunnel of the Conrail Port Jervis line, then turns right and climbs
steeply to a viewpoint. It continues for nearly two miles through the woods,
before it descends and reaches Otisville Road again. The trail turns right, then
right again onto Indian Orchard Road (which becomes South Road when it
enters Sullivan County), and in a few hundred yards the trail turns left into
the woods and reaches the Basha Kill Rail Trail. The trail follows the
abandoned "Kingston Line" of the New York, Ontario & Western (O&W) Railroad.
While the 5.5-mile walk along the Basha Kill is straight and level, it is a
wonderful area, with many fine views across the Basha Kill, one of the largest
wetlands in southern New York. In the springtime the Basha Kill¹² fills with
runoff from the nearby Catskills and Shawangunks to form a giant lake. At
that time of the year, sections of the trail may be flooded. If this is the case,
South Road, which parallels the Basha Kill Rail Trail nearby, can be followed
to bypass flooded areas. In the summer the Basha Kill is a large wetland with
many channels that are perfect for canoeing, and because it is a stop-off point
on the Shawangunk migration routes, it is a splendid area for bird-watching.
After leaving the Basha Kill the trail follows roads for about 2 miles through
the Village of Wurtsboro on its way to the Wurtsboro Ridge section.

Access

Take the New York State Thruway to Exit 16 (Harriman). Take NY Route
17 (future Interstate 86) west 20 miles to Exit 120, NY Route 211. Take Route
211 west through Middletown and then west 11 miles to the Village of Otisville.
In Otisville, take NY Route 211 west past the ridge crest to Otisville Road
(Orange County Route 61), where this section begins. Alternatively, take Route
17 west 31 miles to Exit 113, US Route 209 south. Take US Route 209 south
5 miles to Westbrookville. Turn left on Otisville Road and follow it for 3 miles
to the intersection with Route 211, where the trail begins.

Parking

0.00 NY Route 211 and Otisville Road (limited). (18T 537237E 4591746N)
2.30 DEC parking area, Otisville Road and Indian Orchard Road. (18T
537384E 4594290N)
2.55 DEC parking area. (18T 537632E 4594639N)
3.05 DEC parking area. (18T 538019E 4595332N)
4.00 DEC boat launch parking area. (18T 538539E 4596224N)
6.00 Main Basha Kill parking lot. (18T 540869E 4598279N)
6.55 DEC parking area; side trail 0.1 miles to Basha Kill. (18T 541574E
4599031N)
6.90 Another DEC parking area; side trail 0.1 miles to Basha Kill. (18T
541876E 4599445N)
8.25 South Road, just to the right of the trail. (18T 542956E 4601268N)
10.15 Old Wurtsboro High Line O&W Rail Station. (18T 544473E 4602729N)

Camping

Camping is allowed in the Gobblers Knob section, but the stream on this parcel is seasonal.

Trail Description

0.00 At the intersection of NY Route 211 and Otisville Road (Orange County
Route 61) the Shawangunk Ridge Trail crosses Route 211 and follows Otisville
Road north, descending below steep cliffs on the right. The trail passes over
the top of the western portal of the former Erie Railroad's Otisville Tunnel.
This line is still used daily for both passenger and freight service.
0.30 Turn right off Otisville Road and begin the steep ascent to the top of the
ridge (Gobblers Knob), first continuing north, then sharply turning right
(south).
0.45 Reach the top of the ridge. There is a short side trail to the right with a
view south and west over the valley of the Bashakill and Neversink. The trail
turns sharply left and follows the ridge to the north, then starts to descend
through a young forest and levels off as it passes through a boulder field.
The trail turns left, and gradually descends again.
1.15 Cross an old woods road and continue through saplings.
1.20 Reach another woods road and follow it to the right, gradually ascending.
1.45 Turn left off the woods road, and start to descend.
1.60 Cross another woods road, and after a short ascent start to descend. 
Cross a couple more woods roads while descending.
2.10 Reach Otisville Road and turn right.
2.20 The trail turns right on Indian Orchard Road, which will become South
Road in Sullivan County, and passes a parking and fishing area on the left side
of the road.
2.35 The trail turns left into the woods just past the parking area, and reaches
the Basha Kill Rail Trail in about 0.1 mi.
2.45 The trail turns right on the Basha Kill Rail Trail. The rail trail is the
remnants of the Port Jervis to Kingston branch of the New York, Ontario &
Western Railroad (O&W). Built in direct competition to the D&H Canal,
which was on the western side of the Basha Kill, it was abandoned when the
O&W went bankrupt in the early 1950s. The trail is unmarked except for an
occasional blue DEC disc, Long Path aqua blaze, or Long Path disc. The
Basha Kill Wildlife Management Area is a huge wetland in the floodplain
of the Basha Kill stream. The walk along the Basha Kill is a beautiful one.
While the trail is level, there is much to see along the way. There are views
across the Basha Kill toward the Catskills and east to the Shawangunks.
The Basha Kill is home to many migratory birds and there are bird-feeding
stations along the way. One can put a canoe into one of the many channels
for a lazy trip through the wetland, or to find a location to fish. In the
springtime, the Basha Kill fills up with the runoff from the mountains and
becomes a large, shallow lake. In the summer, it is a green wetland, a rich
home to aquatic life.
2.55 The trail passes a DEC parking area on the right.
3.05 The trail reaches another larger DEC parking area near a bridge. This
area is prone to flooding and being overgrown. The trail turns left across a
bridge, veers right, and crosses a bog bridge. The trail then reaches a woods
road, turns left, and follows the woods road. The trail is marked with blue
DEC discs.
3.45 A viewing stand offers great views over the Basha Kill.
3.65 The trail reaches the rail trail again, and turns left. The trail crosses a
small bridge where there are views across the Basha Kill. Beyond here, the
trail passes through a white birch forest.
4.00 The trail crosses a large parking area with a boat-launching site to the
left. From here one can launch a canoe or other non-motorized boat in a side
channel of the Basha Kill. From the side channel there are many interesting
routes to either canoe or fish. The trail continues ahead along the edge of the
Basha Kill. In this section there are many views across the open expanse of
water and marshlands, as well as many bird feeding stations on the Basha Kill,
making it a good area for bird-watching.
5.75 The trail crosses Haven Road. Haven Road crosses the Basha Kill on a
causeway and is the only road crossing along the Basha Kill Wildlife
Management Area. You will see many people fishing along the causeway. The
trail continues straight ahead on the rail bed, which for this section is a gravel
road that leads to the main parking area in the Basha Kill.
6.00 Reach the main parking area. The trail passes through a gate and reverts
to the abandoned rail bed.
6.40 A nature trail leads left 0.1 mi to a raised platform with a spectacular
view across the Basha Kill and the mountains beyond. Along this nature trail,
markers identify the different trees along the way. Near the platform are several
signboards that show pictures of the various flora and fauna found at this
location. Unfortunately, the signs have been vandalized.

Basha Kill rail trail [JAKOB FRANKE]

6.50 The trail passes the north end of the nature trail. In another 300 feet, a
side trail leads right 0.1 mi to a parking area.
6.90 The trail passes another side trail that leads 0.1 mi to a parking lot.
7.20 The trail passes a resort (Paradise II) on the right along South Road.
There are views to the Shawangunks from here. Beyond this point, the Basha
Kill changes from open marshland to a stream with multiple channels that run
through the forest. The trail crosses some of these channels on a series of
bridges.
7.70 The trail crosses under NY Route 17 (Quickway) in a culvert and continues
north.
8.25 The abandoned rail bed turns into a dead-end street with houses on both
sides. The Shawangunk Ridge Trail turns left off the rail-trail onto South Road.
South Road becomes Pennsylvania Avenue, which the trail follows into the
Village of Wurtsboro. On the left is the Mamakating Little League Field, a
charming small-town baseball stadium.
9.20 The trail turns right on Sullivan Street in Wurtsboro by the firehouse. To
the left is the Village of Wurtsboro, with several stores and restaurants in this
section. Sullivan Street was part of the original NY Route 17 before the
Quickway was constructed.
9.60 On the right is the Wurtsboro train station on the Port Jervis-Kingston
O&W branch. The trail continues uphill on Old Route 17 (Sullivan County
Route 171).
10.15 This section ends where the trail reaches the abandoned O&W High
Line right-of-way and turns left, off the road.

Basha Kill rail trail [JAKOB FRANKE]

¹² The Basha Kill is also variously spelled Basher Kill, Bashakill, and other
variants with approximately the same pronunciation.