Hike of the Week 2/9/2007

Description:

To commemorate the fifth anniversary of this hiking column (which first appeared on February 7, 2002), we have reprinted the hike that was featured in that issue, with updates.

The hike begins at a kiosk in the southwest corner of the parking area. Just ahead, you’ll notice two triple blazes on a tree. The three silver-on-white blazes mark the start of the Silver Trail, while the three orange blazes mark the start of the Schuber Trail, dedicated in June 2002 to honor retiring Bergen County Executive Pat Schuber.
        Follow the co-aligned Silver and Schuber Trails, which descend a slope to join a paved park road. The paved road bears left, but the trails continue ahead and cross the Ramapo River on a steel truss bridge. In another 250 feet, the orange blazes turn left, but you should continue ahead on the Silver Trail, following the southern shore of Scarlet Oak Pond (formerly the site of a gravel quarry).
        Just beyond the western end of the pond, as the Silver Trail starts to climb, turn right onto a wide path, marked with the green-on-white-blazes of the Halifax Trail. In about 500 feet, follow the green-on-white blazes as they turn left onto a narrower footpath and cross a wooden footbridge. Continue along the Halifax Trail as it begins to climb on a moderately steep grade. After a short level stretch, followed by a brief climb, it arrives at Hawk Rock. This east-facing ledge offers an expansive view over northwestern Bergen County, with Ramapo College in the foreground to the left. On clear days, the Manhattan skyline is visible in the distance.
        The Halifax Trail now bends to the left and continues to ascend. After reaching the shoulder of the ridge, the trail begins a gradual descent. It crosses the wide, grassy route of a gas pipeline, reenters the woods, and continues to descend. After briefly joining an eroded woods road, the Halifax Trail turns left on a footpath, finally reaching a woods road which traverses Havemeyer Hollow. You’re now 1.8 miles from the start of the hike. Turn left here and follow the Halifax Trail along this relatively level road that goes up the valley, with Havemeyer Brook to the right.
        In a quarter of a mile, you’ll reach a junction with the blue-on-white-blazed Havemeyer Trail. This is the continuation of the hike route, but proceed ahead on the Halifax Trail, crossing Havemeyer Brook on rocks. A short distance ahead, you’ll notice terraced stone walls on the hillside to the right, indicating that the land was formerly devoted to agricultural use. Ruins of several old stone buildings may also be seen along the road (Map #115 designates this site as the “Halifax Ruins”).
        After examining these interesting ruins, retrace your steps along the Halifax Trail, recross the brook, and turn right onto the blue-and-white-blazed Havemeyer Trail, which begins a steady climb. In about 250 feet, you’ll notice a mine pit to the left of the trail, with a pile of tailings to its left. Another pit may be seen a little higher on the hillside and further into the woods, and a third pit is 250 feet ahead on the trail, just to the right. Their relatively small size indicates that these were merely test pits.
        After crossing a small stream, the grade steepens. In about half a mile, the Havemeyer Trail turns right onto a woods road, soon passing several stone walls to the left. At the top of the hill, the White Trail comes in from the right, with the stone ruins of a cellar hole visible to the left at the junction. The blue-on-white and white blazes run jointly for about 500 feet on a relatively level route. When the blue-on-white blazes depart to the right, continue straight ahead on the White Trail, which climbs very gently. After crossing a wide cleared strip (the route of the same gas pipeline that you crossed earlier in the hike), the trail reaches the crest of Monroe Ridge and begins to descend.
        Soon, the blue-blazed Ridge Trail comes in from the right. The White Trail ends here, but you should continue straight ahead on the woods road, now marked with the blue blazes of the Ridge Trail. You’ve hiked about three miles.
        In another 500 feet, you’ll notice a sign “Overlook” on the left side of the trail. Turn right and follow a path marked with red-triangle-on-blue blazes for about 400 feet to a panoramic viewpoint to the south and east. Campgaw Mountain may be seen in the foreground to the right, and the Manhattan skyline is visible in the distance on clear days.
        Retrace your steps to the Ridge Trail and turn right. Almost immediately, the blue-blazed trail bears right, leaving the woods road. Follow the blue blazes as the trail descends on a wide, rocky path, with wooden steps placed at some steep spots.
        In another third of a mile, the Ridge Trail ends at a junction with the Silver Trail, a wide woods road. Turn right and follow the Silver Trail uphill for about 650 feet until, just after a bridge over a stream, a triple silver-on-white blaze marks the end of the Silver Trail. Here, you leave the woods road and turn left onto the orange-blazed Schuber Trail, which heads into the woods on a footpath. Continue along this rocky trail parallel to the stream, with its attractive cascades and pools. As the trail begins to descend, it passes a waterfall (the waterfall is not visible from the Schuber Trail, but a vague side trail to the left leads to it).
        After passing the ruins of a stone cabin (once used by a youth camp), the Schuber Trail turns left and crosses the stream on a wooden footbridge. Here, the green-on-white blazed Halifax Trail leaves to the left, but you continue to follow the orange blazes. Soon, the Schuber Trail turns right, crosses a stream on rocks, and turns left to head north along the shore of the Ramapo River. Since the footpath is in the floodplain of the river, it may be muddy or even flooded in places when the water is high.
        After bearing left, away from the river, the Schuber Trail proceeds through an area with tangled vines on each side of the trail. It passes a grassy area (used for picnics in the summer) and reaches the main park road. Turn right and follow the joint Schuber and Silver Trails, crossing the Ramapo River on a steel truss bridge and continuing uphill to the parking area where the hike began.

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