New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
Koegel Park via the North County Trailway
Directions to trailhead
From the Taconic Parkway, take Route 6 east to Somers Center a shopping center in Baldwin Place. At the light at Route 118, bear right. Enter the east side of the shopping center and go behind the buildings. A small parking lot for the North County Trailway is on the left side. Entrance to the trailway is from the parking lot.
Bus Directions
Beeline Bus #16 or Putnam Area Rapid Transit (PART) to Somers Commons.
Hike Description
From the parking lot off Route 118, turn left to walk south on the North County Trailway. The trailway passes the back yards of many houses. In one mile, just past a large rock on the left, a paved path leads diagonally to the left. It heads uphill and, at gate in a chain-link fence, as an unpaved path, now blazed blue, it enters Koegel Park. When the blue trail ends at the white trail, continue straight ahead. The white trail continues uphill and ends where the red trail comes in from the right. Now follow the red trail uphill to reach a metal gate at a parking lot at 1.2 miles. To the right is Green Way (see photo)
Walk across the parking lot, following the right edge. At a chain between two posts, turn right, passing a signboard with a park map. You are back on the red trail as it heads along a wide woods road and passes through a picnic area along the left side. The red trail drifts downhill and gradually turns to the right. A fence separating the park from the North County Trailway is visible downhill through the trees to the left. At 1.5 miles, at the intersection with the white trail, continue straight along the white trail. The path contours along the hill as the hill drops away. The white trail goes uphill and crosses a stone wall. Turn left at the blue trail and return to the North County Trailway. Turn right onto the trailway to retrace your steps one mile back to the parking lot.