Trail Conditions Forum

Mud? Ice? High water at stream crossings?

This is the place to let the trail community know what you encountered, where and when (be as precise as possible). Suggestion: Make the trail or park name your subject.

To report serious trail problems that need Trail Conference attention, including illegal trail use issues, visit our Contact Us page. Problems reported through our Contact Us page get to the maintainers fast and reliably. Problems reported on the forum below may help fellow trail users avoid problem areas until they get fixed, but not all maintainers read this regularly.


 

Estelle's picture

the gravel parking lot referred to is CLOSED.   Park Police have closed it off due to illegal swmming in the river further up the road.    Stonetown Rec Complex is the best option for parking.   
NYHIKER60's picture

Like the poster before me, I also saw some construction equipment but along the Victory Trail near the lake.  It seems as if there is some work being done and I wish the trail conference would know about this.
janelevenson's picture

On Sat Sept 5 , we came upon major equipment Bulldozer, etc) and construction like site in MIDDLE OF BEECH TRAIL (near Tiorati Brook Road but on trail). No detour noted though both sides of trail were fine except for big impediment. We scrounged around, crossed over dirt at work site. There may have been a good place to dtour but not marked--not even masking tape,etc. No one on hike had seen this before in spring or a bit later. Jane Levenson
Daniel Chazin's picture

The Park is in the process of replacing the bridge over Tiorati Brook on Tiorati Brook Road, just east of the Beech Trail parking area. The old bridge was deemed to be inadequate to handle heavy loads and has already been removed. As a result, Tiorati Brook Road is now closed from a mile east of Tiorati Circle to the Palisades Interstate Parkway. The heavy machinery that has been placed on the route of the Beech Trail is needed for the construction of the new bridge. We hope temporarily to reroute the Beech Trail around the construction area. This temporary reroute would cross Tiorati Brook on rocks near the Beech Trail parking area. Due to the reduced water flow in the brook (the level of Lake Tiorati has been lowered to facilitate the construction), it is anticipated that crossing the brook on rocks should not be difficult. It is hoped that this temporary reroute will be in place very soon.
janelevenson's picture

Thanks, Dan. We hoped a  marked detour would be forthcoming.
NYHIKER60's picture

Things are really dry in the park.  I was there last weekend and every stream, spring and brook was bone dry.  I know this usually happens in the late summer but this is the worst I've seen it.  When I tried to get down to one of the lakes it was hard to get to the water as well unless I junped right in.  Better bring extra water along and not plan on spending the night.  I was there a few weeks ago and I was wading through deep water on the Red Cross Trail.  What a difference a few weeks makes!
morgankg1's picture

Several days ago, I drove to the end of Pelnor Hollow Road to access the Pelnor Hollow trail.  At the end of the road, there were several signs indicating "No Parking" and "Do Not Enter".  The signs seem to be DEC signs, not from property owners.  The NYNJTC Catskill map does not indicate parking, but it does seem to indicate there is trail access. Assuming that I park elsewhere, how do I access the Pelnor Hollow trail from Pelnor Hollow Road?  Does the "Do Not Enter" sign not apply to hikers?
Doug Senterman's picture

There is no offical parking at the end of the road due to some private land located there.  You can however park elsewhere and hike in and gain access to the trailhead.  We are currently working with the NYS DEC to help resolve the parking issue.  
rdgee65's picture

  FYI     Castle Point Carraige Road is closed for restoration from May 2015 until completion...approx. 200 days. http://nysparks.com/parks/attachments/MinnewaskaCastlePointCarriageRoad.pdf
slabelson's picture

Can anyone who has hiked thru our local Highlands tell me if our wild blueberries are out and ripe? I last hiked a month ago & only saw 'greenies'. Thanks!
mikej165's picture

I can't answer your question directly with respect to the Highlands, but I can tell you that there are tons of blueberries ready-to-eat in Harriman right now.   My wife and I hiked near Reeves Meadow Visitor Center yesterday and were downing them by the fistful. We made this sacrifice as a service to our fellow hikers, who might otherwise find their clothing stained purple as they passed through trail segments brimming with ripe fruit.
jasajban's picture

Phil Rizzuto would prefer you called them huckleberries as they are wild.
jbeard's picture

On June 27, I hiked from the Elk Pen around Island Pond.  Almost every oak and beech tree trunk was covered with dead gypsy moth caterpillars. Another hiker told me that many trees have been defoliated. On June 29, I hiked from Tiorati Brook Road in a big loop east and north, but I did not see a single caterpillar.  I guess this outbreak is localized. Thanks to all the rain, following the Bockey Swamp trail is difficult in spots because of blueberries and ferns covering the trail. Bushes have also made the Red Cross trail pretty narrow as it runs between the Menomenee and the Beech.
johnm's picture

In reply to the posted report:  Bockey Swamp Trail is an unmaintained trail.  The report of the narrow conditions on the Red Cross Trail section is appreciated; the assigned maintainers will be notified.  As was noted, the gypsy moths have indeed been active this year resulting in many trees defoliated or left with very diminished and ragged leaves., .
mikej165's picture

My wife and I encountered a worrisome segment of downed power lines yesterday ( 6/7) at the junction of the White Bar and Victory trails in southern Harriman. The lines are touching the ground in some places, though not touching the trail itself. I've reported this to the trail maintainers (I don't know which power company to contact), but hikers through that area, particularly when conditions may be wet, may want to consider avoiding that spot entirely due to the potential for stray voltage.
Daniel Chazin's picture

I have contacted John Mack, the West Hudson South Trails Chair, who advises me that both power lines and telephone lines are carried on the poles near the junction of the White Bar and Victory Trails. At one point, both power lines and phone lines were hanging low in this area, but the electric utility has repaired their lines. The wires hanging low or lying on the ground in this area are telephone wires, which are low voltage and not dangerous (unless power lines are also down and touching them--and this is apparently not the case).  The telephone company has also been contacted, but they refuse to repair their lines as long as they remain functional.  The Park is trying to deal with the matter, and it is possible that the phone lines will be rerouted at some point in time.  So, the bottom line is that the low-hanging lines do not pose any danger to hikers in the area.
sbuchwald@optonline.net's picture

My husband and I have done this long loop many, many times without a problem.  Yesterday we were a short distance into the white blazed Todd Lake start of the trail and lost the blazes.  It turns out that the white blazes had been blacked out with paint!  We thought it was vandalism but can't be sure. Almost all of them were blacked out shortly after the start.  Another hiker had tried to scratch off some of the paint in order to expose some white so people wouldn't get lost.  We thank that hiker.  Still, the blazes were blacked out and we ended up having to walk a distance up Skyline Drive (very dangerous) in order to get back to the beginning and take the Castle Hike Short Loop instead.  What is with the blacked out white blazes on the Castle Hike Long Loop?  Anyone know?
Michael K7's picture

Anyone know the current condition of the shelter on the LP right near Upper Lake Cohasset? I believe this is, or was a shelter used by the Girl Scouts at times. It used to be marked on the map as a shelter, but is now marked as "unmaintained shelter". Clean? Usable? Thanks for any info!
Michael K7's picture

For the benefit of others who may be interested in the condition of this shelter, i will answer my own question, since i stayed there last night. The shelter is in overall excellent shape, very clean (although it could use a sweeping out- i looked for a broom, but didn't see one), with an excellent firepit in the front.  Unlike most of the lean-tos in Harriman, this shelter has metal walls and a metal roof. No fireplace inside, but  a small fire ring at the opening, and the main firepit in the front. There is also a lot more room than many of the other shelters.
lunatic's picture

Did a section of the AT yesterday above Greenwood Lake, and when I got to the small clearing near what i think is Cascade Brook around noon there was an unattended fire still burning. I put it out and waited until i was sure it was done.  Odd because it was mid day and i didn't see anyone on the trail.  Overall trail looks really good from 17A south.  Anyone know where the side trail goes from there?  Looks like it heads down the mountiain.  It's somewhat marked for at least 1/4 mile but i didn't look any further than that.  Thanks.