Post-Irene Trail Updates for Hikers, Trail Volunteers

We've launched a drive to raise funds for the repair and rebuilding of trails in our region. Click here and type "Goodbye Irene Trails Restoration Fund" in the Special Instructions box after indicating your gift. Or send your donation to NY-NJ Trail Conference, 156 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ 07430. Put 'Irene Fund' in memo line.

Updated October 3, 2011: No additional updates will be posted to this page.

Contact parks directly for the latest info.

While most parks in our region have reopened since the passage of Irene, trails may have hazardous conditions. Further, access to many trail heads, particularly in the Catskills, may be cut off owing to bad road conditions, including road and bridge washouts, continued flooding, blowdowns. Check NYS Dept of Transportation Latest News for their assessments and lists of closed state roads.

Anyone--including trail supervisors and maintainers--considering heading to trails in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene should be cautious about the following:

• road flooding and washouts
• unusually high and fast stream flows on or near trails
• trail bridge washouts
• leaning trees and hanging branches
• loose boulders and rocks

Please report hazardous trail situations here.

TRAIL UPDATES BY REGION

Check the Newsroom page on the website of NYS Parks (http://www.nysparks.com/) for updates on parks and trail closings. If you plan to visit a state park or historic site, call first. Find parks and contact numbers on our website.

Catskills

Click here for the latest reports on the status of trails in the Catskills.

West Hudson

• Minnewaska State Park Preserve is open for hiking, picnicking, and climbing at this time. Biking and equestrian use will not be permitted due to storm damage until further notice. Please adhere to all posted trail closings and notices.  Please note all footbridges crossing the Peterskill stream are out; use caution at stream crossings.  Access through the stream may not be possible during high water events. The following trails will remain closed until further notice:

Lower Awosting Carriage Road
Awosting Falls Carriage Road closed at the waterfall
Jenny Lane Footpath will be closed at the intersection with Blueberry Run Footpath
Rainbow falls section of the Long path will be closed at rainbow falls due to carriage road damage on Lower Awosting at the causeway.

All other carriage roads and footpaths are open to hiking at this time. For more information or updates, please call the Park Preserve Office at 845 255-0752

• 9/25/2012 Report on Harriman Trail Bridges (downloadable PDF) 
• Good News: Seven Lakes Drive is now reopened throughout the park. Note: Access from Rt. 17 is via Washington Ave., 0.4 miles north of Sloatsburg.
• Route 106 remains closed.
• Good News: At Mohonk Preserve all trailheads are open and power has been restored to the visitors center. (Sept. 2)
• Good News: Bear Mountain State Park reopens Sept. 3. The Lake Welch area of Harriman State Park also reopens Sept. 3 but the Tiorati area remains closed. (Sept. 2) Some parking lots are open, but facilities are closed without power and water. Many foot bridges have been destroyed or severely damaged so you should understand that this will limit where you can hike. Camping is unavailable until further notice. Note: the 1777E and 1777W through Doodletown are closed due to downed power lines.
  *Click here for a hiker's first-hand report on access to Harriman as of Aug.30 afternoon
  *Roland Breault's report on foot bridges in Pine Meadow trail area

• 1777/1779 Trail bridge over Popolopen Creek in Bear Mountain/Harriman is severely damaged and there is no crossing of the creek at that point.

• Good News: Appalachian Trail and newly constructed on trails on Bear Mountain appear to be in good shape.
• Bridge at Southfields Furnace is reported to be intact.
• Train service on Metro-North's Port Jervis line to take 'months' to restore, according to a news report. Severe washouts reported in the Harriman area and at Otisville.
• Good News: The Stillman Bridge in Storm King State Park is in excellent shape, as are the Stillman/Highlands, Butter Hill, and Bluebird trails. Note: Rt. 218 is presently closed between West Point and Cornwall.
• Good News: Schunemunk Mountain State Park trails are reportedly in good shape.

East Hudson

• In Fahnestock State Park: Bridges out on School Mountain Road (multiuse trail) at junction with Fahnestock Trail (0.4 mile from Hubbard Lodge) and at junction with Perkins Trail (one washed out, one severely damaged) East Hudson Trails map #103
• In Hudson Highland State Park: Repairs have been made to trails. See updates here: http://www.facebook.com/NYNJTC.EastHudson
• Swamp River Bridge on the Appalachian Trail in Dutchess County has been moved back into place.
• Good News: Volunteers report they have cleared trails at Wonder Lake, including the entire Highlands Trail, Bare Hill Loop, and North Spillway Trail.  Also a fair chunk of the Yellow multipurpose trail has been cleared.  All bridges are fine.

New Jersey

• Good News: Ramapo Valley County Reservation is reopened. (Sept. 12)
• Good news: Pochuck AT Boardwalk, which was under water and closed, is now open and usable with caution. Our West Jersey Trail Crew has made repair of this crossing a priority. (Sept. 14)

• Black Creek Bridge on AT near Canal Road is closed.
• Long House Creek Bridge on AT near Bearfort Mountain/Greenwood Lake is washed out.
• Steps and walkway to Green Brook Bridge near Warwick Tpke. on Terrace Pond North trail washed out; bridge intact. 
• Long Pond Bridge over the Wanaque River at Hasenclever/Sterling Ridge/Highlands Trails is washed out.
• AT through Wallkill Preserve is under water.
• Many roads in the Warwick/NY-NJ state line area are closed.
• Pequannock Watershed: Clinton Rd is closed due to a bridge washed out.  Access to trails from Clinton Rd is only from P1 OR P7. Access is okay from P8 and P9.
• Good News: Many NJ parks are open.
• Good News on the AT: The section of trail from Banks Road north to 565 is completely passable. Even the bridge just 200-300 yds south of 565 is intact. Ridge runner Billy Jones reports, "Whoever built and installed that bridge should be very proud of its construction. It doesn't appear to suffered any damage." Also, Gordon Campbell reports: "AT from Warwick Turnpike to Iron Mt. Bridge is fine, just wet in spots."
• In Stokes State Forest, Tillman Ravine and Stony Lake are closed. Crigger, Grau, and Sunrise Mtn. Rds. are also closed.

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Also, about the Adirondacks:

While the DEC has reopened some trails in the eastern High Peaks and the Giant Mountain Wilderness, effective Thursday, Sept. 8, the Dix Mountain Wilderness remains closed.

DEC is posting Adirondack trail updates at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7865.html.