Hike Description:

The hike begins by following the yellow-diamond-blazed Mine Hill Trail, which starts on the opposite side of the road, just beyond the parking turnout. The trailhead is marked by a triple blaze. Follow the trail uphill, steeply in places. At a switchback turn, there are views over the Shawangunks and Catskills from open rocks to the left. The Mine Hill Trail now heads south and soon ends at a junction with the yellow-circle-blazed Sackett Trail. (You’ll encounter four different yellow-blazed trails on this hike, so it’s important to note the shape of the blazes, in addition to their color.) Turn right and follow the Sackett Trail to its end at a junction with the yellow-rectangle-blazed Stillman Trail. Turn left onto the Stillman Trail, which soon turns right onto Hall Road.

Where the road curves to the right, turn left and follow the yellow-rectangle blazes, which head into the woods on a less-used woods road. Almost immediately, you’ll reach a junction with the blue-blazed Compartment Trail. Bear right and follow both blue and yellow rectangle blazes, which climb towards the crest of a ridge. At the crest, the trails split, and you should turn right, continuing to follow the blue blazes of the Compartment Trail.

As the Compartment Trail curves left, watch for three white blazes on the left, which mark the start of the Split Rock Trail. Turn left and follow the white-blazed Split Rock Trail, which leads in a short distance to a panoramic viewpoint to the southeast from open rocks, with Sutherland Pond directly below. This is a good spot to take a break.

Continue ahead (northeast) on the white-blazed trail. After passing the Split Rock that gives the trail its name, the trail descends to its end at Sutherland Road. Turn right onto the road, and, almost immediately, you’ll notice a large cut into the hillside to the right. This is the site of an abandoned mine. Proceed ahead on Sutherland Road, which soon approaches the shore of Sutherland Pond – the only natural pond in Black Rock Forest (the other ponds are man-made). Swimming is permitted in this pond, but at your own risk.

In another half a mile, Hall Road comes in from the right. You should continue ahead along the road (now known as Jim’s Pond Road) for a few hundred feet until you reach a fork in the road, where three yellow blazes mark the start of the Arthur Trail. Follow the yellow-rectangle-blazed Arthur Trail, which crosses a stream on a split-log bridge and continues through dense mountain laurel. A short distance beyond, the trail crosses a swamp on puncheons made from large sections of logs. These puncheons can be slippery, and the crossing can be a little tricky, especially if the water is high.

Just beyond the swamp, you’ll reach a junction with the white-blazed Scenic Trail. Turn left, leaving the Arthur Trail, and continue ahead on the Scenic Trail. Soon, the blue-blazed Chatfield Trail leaves to the left, but you should continue ahead on the Scenic Trail.

After a short uphill stretch, you’ll reach a junction marked by a log sticking out of a cairn. This marks the start of the blue-blazed Eagle Cliff Trail. Turn right onto this trail, which leads in a short distance to Eagle Cliff – a huge rock outcrop, with glacial striations – that offers a panoramic south-facing view. On a clear day, you may be able to see the New York City skyline in the distance. Wilkins Pond is straight ahead, and Jim’s Pond is to the left. This is another good spot to take a break.

When you’re ready to continue, bear right onto the orange-blazed Rut Trail. This trail follows near the edge of the escarpment, with views through the trees to the right. Be alert for a sharp left turn, where the trail turns slightly away from the cliff edge and then goes down through a narrow passage between boulders. Soon, you’ll reach a trail junction, where the Rut Trail ends. Turn left onto the yellow-blazed Stropel Trail, which leads in a very short distance to the white-blazed Scenic Trail. Turn right and rejoin the Scenic Trail.

In another half a mile, after passing a junction with the yellow-blazed Ledge Trail, you’ll reach another junction, marked by a cairn. Here, the blue-blazed Spy Rock Trail leaves to the left. Turn left and follow this short trail, which leads in about 1,000 feet to Spy Rock, marked by a single pitch pine. This is the highest point in Black Rock Forest (1,461 feet), but there are only limited views of the Shawangunk Mountains to the north and the Hudson River to the northeast.

Now retrace your steps to the Scenic Trail and turn left, following a well-defined woods road that descends gradually. In another quarter of a mile, you’ll reach the wide Continental Road. Turn left and head north on this pleasant woods road. In about half a mile, you’ll notice an old stone building to the left. This is the Chatfield Stone House, built in the 1830s, damaged by fire in 1912, and reconstructed in 1932. It is the oldest building in Black Rock Forest and is currently used for educational programming. The body of water visible to the right is Arthurs Pond.

Continue ahead on Continental Road. In another quarter mile, you’ll come to a fork in the road at a huge white oak tree. The more traveled route curves to the right, but you should continue straight ahead on Continental Road. Then, a quarter mile beyond that junction, you’ll reach a cable barrier across the road. Here, the yellow-square-blazed Stillman Trail and the teal-diamond-blazed Highlands Trail join briefly. Continue ahead along the road. Soon, you’ll see a triple blaze, which marks the start of the yellow-circle-blazed Sackett Trail.

Follow the Sackett Trail, which runs along the road for a short distance, then turns left and reenters the woods on a footpath. In about 0.4 mile, the trail turns left onto the grassy Hall Road. It follows the road for only about 150 feet, then turns right and reenters the woods. The trail soon passes a stone chimney – a remnant of a cabin that once stood here. It descends to cross a brook, climbs a hill to reach a west-facing viewpoint, then makes a brief but steep descent.

About three-quarters of a mile from Hall Road, you’ll reach a junction with the yellow-diamond-blazed Mine Hill Trail. Turn right and follow the Mine Hill Trail down to Mine Hill Road, opposite the parking turnout where the hike began.