Hiking Trail Conditions Forum

My friend and I were hiking on Sunday, May 21, for about six hours. We had several ticks appear on our clothing, and both of us found ticks attached when we got home. Fortunately, they were Lone Star ticks and not the black-legged deer ticks, but still -- everyone should be extra vigilant this year, it seems!

Just a shout-out and big "thank you" to the trail crew that fixed the deteriorating boardwalk. It's a beauty!

Anyone been on the trails in bear since the snow last week? Wondering if it is clear(ish)? Thanks for any feedback.

This boardwalk has several boards that have fallen into the marsh as well as others too rotten to step on safely. Not a problem when the marsh was frozen, but now a misstep on a narrow board puts you ankle deep in muck.

I've seen mention of a planned loop trail in the vicinity of the old Dicktown Road, in the section of Fahnestock that lies east of the Taconic. There seem to be some flags in place marking a potential route? I live quite close to this area (within walking distance!), and would be happy to help with any needed work.

I'm so glad the cool weather is knocking down the gnat population- finally!  They've really been bothering me this year.  Maybe, I'm just getting softer.  I actually quit about 5 hikes this year due to this.

On today's hike I went to the cliffs above Claudius SMith Den for the view and found that someone had pitched a tent and made a fire ring right on the cliff top.  They left a pan with aluminum foil over it on the fire ring.  I was not sure if this encampment was abandoned or if the "camper" was merely not there at the moment.  I thought I should inform the park police as to this illegal encampment but am posting it here.

Hiked Bear Mountain to Sloatsburg yesterday (Sept 18), 1777 E Trail, Timp Pass Road, Red Cross Trail, Welch Drive, then roadwalk to Sloatsburg.  The only water source besides the fountains at Lake Welch was Doodletown Brook, it had some standing water in it that didn't look so bad.  Every other stream I saw was dry or had extremely murky standing water.   I don't know when they shut off the water at Lake Welch, I hope they leave it on for a while.  

8/28/2016 & 9/17/2016 Hiked this section of the SRT recently.  The new SRT re-route through the center of Huckleberry Ridge State Forest is wonderful.  While partially routed on existing trails through the forest, this newer route or section takes a hiker through denser forested areas.  Trail is well marked and a pleasure to walk.  Shinhollow Rd./RR intersection has a climb under the bridge that is steep and slippery, mostly loose dirt.  Parking is available here but only for two cars at best, at the dead end.  The bridge over the railway can be crossed but is becoming decrepit and you are taking chances if you cross it.  Leaves are starting to turn color slightly, due to drought conditions. If you haven't been to Port Jervis, NY, the NY Metro North Station is worth taking a brief look at.  It looks like they are in the very initial stages of building a railroad museum.  One very neat feature is a fully operational turntable from the 1850's and a few Erie cars & engine (very good condition).  The engine brings back memories from my childhood when Erie engines were still running passenger service in Bergen County, prior to NJ Transit taking over.

Wow, this is why I stayed away this year.  Question, are the lakes really the water supply for dry years?  If so, how do you crash through to get to that precious water?  Last year I had trouble too and had to nearly go swimming in Lake Askoti just to get any.Instead I had to walk two miles to Lake Tioroti just to get any.

September 25, 26, and 27th travelled  from Tuxedo to Lake Skenonto and Lake Sebago and back via Victory  and Triangle Trails.  A trickle of water in outlet of Black Ash Swamp, some water running through stream outlet of Lake Skenonto.  As we've had little rain, I reckon things have just gotten worse, water wise.  I was up a week or so earlier and there was plenty of water in Pine Meadow Brook, down by Sloatsburg.  

I hiked from the Reeves Brook Visitor Center in Harriman today. I rarely start hikes here because of the parking situation, but it was not too bad. The center was open--the first time I have ever seen it open--with a shop and restrooms. The man in the shop said that today was the first weekday it had opened. He had maps, snacks, clothing and books. He said the shop was open thanks to funds from the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. We took the 7 Hills Trail, and the climb from where it first meets the HTS to where it crosses the HTS again is badly eroded. Farther along on the 7 Hills we encountered a rattlesnake--which makes 3 in 3 hikes, all in Harriman, for me. The park is very dry.

I'm planning on a Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail Traverse next week, from the Jones Point parking lot to Tuxedo.  I plan to ask the bus driver to drop me off at Jones Point and hoping that he does.  I'm going to do this as an overnight backpack with ultralite tent, backpacking alcohol stove (no fires) and bear canister, and catch the train back to Hoboken in Tuxedo the next day.  I have two questions: 1) Do the bus drivers of the Short Line Bus from Port Authority to Bear Mountain usually have no problem with dropping off hikers at the parking lot at Jones Point? and 2) I know from hiking trails in the southwest quadrant of Harriman in the past few weeks, that it is extremely dry lately.  What are the water refill opportunities on the RD trail between Jones Point and Lake Tiorati?  Or do I have to count on reaching the Lake Tiorati area before getting more water.  I will be bringing a Steripen for water sterilization.  Thank you.