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

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/30/2009 - 11:00am

A reminder:  the folks at NJ Endangered Species are requesting hikers DO NOT enter ANY mines or caves.  This is to prevent the further spread of the white-nose syndrome fungus that is killing NJ bats.  This will apply in NY also.    The caves in Hibernia are closed, Roomy Mine is closed.

These closings are until further notice.      Thanks for cooperating and caring about the bats.

 

 

mbspecs@aol.com's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/26/2009 - 9:52am
On Saturday April 25 Malcolm Spector and Toby Golick re-flagged the newly constructed section of trail that takes the trail off the gas pipeline. The trail has been open for almost a year and is now on the TC maps, but has not yet been blazed. I know that the park has taken to printing up custom blazes to use and I wonder if the delay is in waiting for these blazes. The rest of the trail badly needs reblazing as well.
Estelle's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/28/2009 - 7:47pm
Thanks for your comments, I have sent this on to the Trail Supervisor for Wawayanda.   And thanks for re-flagging!
srtmaintainer's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/19/2009 - 3:20pm
A large forest fire is burning on the Shawangunk Ridge in the Wurtsboro Ridge State Forest. http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090419/NEWS/904... The Shawangunk Ridge trail from the VFW to Ferguson road near Summitville is closed, this incudes the Long Path from shawanga Lodge road to Ferguson road.
srtmaintainer's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/28/2009 - 8:22pm
Jakob Franke just stepped out of the woods about twenty minutes ago. He has installed new trail markers on the trail as the old ones got melted by the fire. Jakob reports the trail is very passable and easy to follow.
mengber@nyc.rr.com's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/17/2009 - 5:14pm
Starting from about .6 miles from the Johnsontown Rd. trailhead and extending to Almost Perpendicular, someone has torn off at least 5 or 6 of the plastic trail markers (and dropped them trailside) and carved away some of the painted blazes. It's still possible to follow the trail, however. Who would do such a thing?
kellyr's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 06/14/2009 - 9:00pm
I was just about to email the NYNJTC about the blue discs gone missing. Last weekend I was on this trail for the first time and did indeed get lost. (and we did had a map) It took us off trail for a good 20 minutes until we retraced my steps and discovered the discs on the ground near a tree. Soon after all was well and we enjoyed lunch at Almost Perpendicular. Can someone re-mark this trail? First time Harriman hikers could get really lost. Thank you!
banjolady's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/20/2009 - 12:54pm
i noticed this as well. the blazes seemed ok further along the trail though. there was also a huge pile of litter so i am thinking perhaps same people are responsible (or irresponsible)....
NYCHiker's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/11/2009 - 11:52am

Looks like there was a brush fire on the 9th. Just over 100 acres burned.


PVPatrick's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/03/2009 - 8:27am
The story reported on this site about the trail running races to be held on May 9, 2009 should be modified to say that the race courses involve Bear Mt and Harriman State Parks and that there will be runners on the course from 5am until 6pm. http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/races/2008/bmn_registrat...
Georgette Weir's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/07/2009 - 2:42pm
This has been changed. Thank you.
Estelle's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 03/29/2009 - 3:28pm

A word of caution for those hiking Pequannock Watershed and parking along Clinton Road, or at any of the parking areas for the Watershed.  Two kayakers returned to their car to find the passenger window smashed, and a wallet and cell phone stolen.    Please take all your valuables with you, please lock your car.    This is a fairly remote area with very minimal police patrol and delayed police response. 

btsullivan@post.com's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 03/28/2009 - 2:29pm
Poets Walk Walked: Parking Area to “Summer House” and back Date Hiked: March 20, 2009, Evening Conditions: The trails and carriageways are in good shape – Some areas of mud. Special Required Equipment: Camera, water, map. Comments: The official name of this site is Poets' Walk Romantic Landscape Park. As you might guess from the name, this property was landscaped to show off its Hudson Valley views. It's an ideal spot for a sunset stroll for individuals who just got out of work. Great and interesting views of the Hudson River. Rhine cliff bridge and the Catskills. Went out for dinner in Kinston, NY after the walk.
Larry Wheelock's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 03/24/2009 - 11:55am

We've been informed that the maintenance people at BRF have been cutting some of the larger ice damaged and downed trees blocking the trails in the Consortium. They have not been cleared off the ground yet. They need help clearing the downed material.

For those who can help clear the trails:

Meet on Saturday and Sunday mornings for the next two weeks at the main gate at 9 AM. John and the crew will direct you, and/or drive you, to sections of trails to help with the clearing. They started with the main trails in the north and central parts of the forest and maybe half of them are cleared at this point.

LarryWheelock - N.Y. West Hudson Reg. Rep

New York - New Jersey Trail Conference

156 Ramapo Valley Road

Mahwah, NJ 07430

T 201-512-9348 X16

M 973-650-3228

gpettypoet's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 03/23/2009 - 11:49pm
The Ryker Lake Circle is blocked at the north end by a beaver dam. It is possible to cross the brook below the dam by hopping from rock to tussock between trees. But it isn't a family hike now. It is impassable at high water. We will attempt a fix this spring. George Petty hiker-poet
Bob's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 03/15/2009 - 7:09pm
Just a reminder to hikers that due to Beaver activity, the Clinton West / Highlands and Buckabear Trails are closed where they cross the dam between Clinton Reservoir and Buckabear Pond. And due to this same raising of the water level, the portion of the Bearfort Waters Trail next to Buckabear Pond is impassable, unmaintained and we suggest making alternate plans before attempting a thru-hike. We expect to have a reroute of this section completed by Summer of 2009.
Willy's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 03/24/2010 - 9:08am
Curious to know if the rerouting of the flooded section of trail next to Buckabear Pond was done? I hiked this section in January 2010, while pond was frozen, and unless I missed the reroute, I had to do some mild bushwacking to continue south on the trail. The crossing of the dam was not too bad but I wonder if it is passable now with all the snow melt and recent rains. Finally, I should mention that I saw an ATV on Buckabear Pond. I think the guy riding it was quite surprised to see a hiker at that time of year. Anyway , a big thanks to the NY/NJ TC and its volunteers for keeping the trails open for folks like me.
Estelle's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 03/24/2010 - 11:27am
The reroute is nearly completed, we had to stop for winter snow and rains.  The next planned work trip is April 11 to hopefully complete cutting the trail; then we'll blaze it.   You are invited to take part in this work trip,  please contact me at [email protected].     All helping hands will be greatly appreciated.    We plan to meet at 9:30 a.m.     The beaver dam right now is probably overflowing with all the rains we had, so please use care if you go that way on a hike; but this reroute will be available very soon.    thanks for your interest and for your comments.
rousseat's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 04/01/2009 - 10:41pm
I just did this hike today with 2 of my friends. And we were wondering why the markers along the Bearfort Waters Trail were in the water!!! Crossing the Reservoir was also quite treacherous. We just thought this was because of the winter thaw. I was going to send a message to NY/NJ Trail Conf. reporting this but I guess they are well aware of it. Wish I looked here BEFORE we left for our hike. Thanks for posting!
jakobfranke's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 03/11/2009 - 1:44pm
You definitely should get the latest version of the LP guide (5th edition) and look at the backpack section. It has a lot of useful information. There have been reroutes but they are all listed on the website at http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/longpath/index.html For backpacking the recommended route is along the LP to Harriman SP, AT to High Point NJ, and the SRT back to the LP on the Wurtsboro Ridge. The best time is any time after April (in April you may still find ice and snow in the Catskills), and before November. During that period it's the usual trade-off between black flies cool nights and hot weather and brambles, etc. If you need more info, contact the office and they can direct you to LP people who can assist you. Jakob Franke (LP chair south).

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