Harriman state park

Discussion in 'Adventure, Hiking, Backpacking and Travel' started by junglebum, Sep 20, 2017.

  1. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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    looking for a good spot off the beaten path in Harriman state park I remember back in the day on this forum a lot of guys used to go up there for overnights. Where to park... trail head etc.... has been probably 15 years since I been there
     
  2. La\\//inci

    La\\//inci Member

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    I would be interested in more details for HSP as well...
    anyone out there, come on and give it up....
     
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  3. C99c

    C99c Member

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  4. JV3

    JV3 Member

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    park on the ramapo equestrian center and head towards the pine meadow lake area. right off the bat it starts off steep and very rocky so it's good because it deters casual hikers and beer bottle litterbugs. after two hours of climbing you'll reach the top and it'll flatten out and you'll encounter a few streams to top off before you actually reach the lake if it rained recently.

    i'm a slow poke so it usually takes me about 3-4 hours to reach the lake. there's other water sources in the opposite direction...can't remember the name right now but it's reservoir 1 & 2 something that's even less traveled.

    beware this area is where timber rattlesnakes are usually spotted.

    another nice spot we frequent is the green pond area. park on elk pen lot (as if you're going to hike the a.t./lemon squeezer) but go past the a.t. about 200 yds and take the trail that also turns left.

    the a.t./lemon squeezer is a nice day hike but definitely go during the week day. it's far too crowded during the weekend.

    bald rocks area (park on rt 108) is also a favorite (head towards "times square") but water is scarce so wait just after a rainstorm to hike it...i have more but those are at the top of my head right now.
     
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  5. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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    @JV3 thanks that sounds like a plan I have some vacation time coming up in a few days so I really wanna get out and hit it
     
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  6. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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    @JV3 can you park there overnight I would like to do 2 or 3 days
     
  7. JV3

    JV3 Member

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    yes.
     
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  8. FeralGentleman

    FeralGentleman Member

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    Bald Rocks and the Black Mountains is one of my favorite areas in Harriman. The lean too is popular, but plenty of secluded spots.

    The trails around Pine Meadow are heavily traveled on the weekends, but there are quieter areas northeast and closer to the marsh on the northern end of Lake Wanosink. A handful of woods roads for easy access crisscross the area, and there are some abandoned trails.

    I like further North, parking off Route 6 and wandering around Turkey Hill Pond along the border of West Point. Usually quiet.

    Parking at Silvermine and taking the yellow to the Long Path then heading Northeast has some nice spots north of the cave shelter.

    The Elk Pen parking area mentioned is a great spot. There are some nice locations around Island Pond. On the southern tip of the lake the ruins of an old ranger house sits, fireplace still intact. Just picking up the Long Path from that area and heading NE along the northern edge of Harriman are quiet places to hop off
     
  9. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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    Might be going up on November 9-11 if anyone is interested in coming be happy to have ya
     
  10. Mountainmistwanderer

    Mountainmistwanderer Member

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    Harriman State Park
    The lil red cursor under "PARK" marks the spot.
    Screenshot_20171020-201409.png

    Not too far east of that is this lil hidden spot...

    FB_IMG_1508556422062.jpg
     
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  11. FeralGentleman

    FeralGentleman Member

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    I know that general area. Added to the spots to check out. Thanks!
     
  12. Mountainmistwanderer

    Mountainmistwanderer Member

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    If you explore the ridge just showing in the top left of that pic then you can find a old mine with a small cave to chill in while camping.
     
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  13. FeralGentleman

    FeralGentleman Member

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    That looks like a good little area with a decent spread of open space between trail sections and quick access from the train station if time is limited. I don't recall ever venturing south of the Red in that location, but the mine there is on the list - all the abandoned mines are one of the more interesting features in Harriman.
     
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  14. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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  15. wallygame

    wallygame Member

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    Nice, enjoy and have fun!
     
  16. FeralGentleman

    FeralGentleman Member

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    Don't freeze. Some cold weather blowing in this weekend.

    If my kids are feeling better and I am not feeling like crap still by Sat, I might be able to sneak off for half a day if you are still in the area. You are probably already in the woods, but if you see this and are camped out on one of the hills in the northern section of the map posted I'll most likely stumble across you. I will have a large brown dog with me if I make it out
     
  17. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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  18. FeralGentleman

    FeralGentleman Member

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    It was a no go for me @junglebum maybe next time when everyone is healthy.

    Hope you had/are having a great time, it should warm up some today if you're still out.
     
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  19. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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    thanks brother it was a cold one I just got home
     
  20. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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    so Harriman was a good trip I wound up staying over by black ash swamp at what looked like an old guerrilla camp I took off the trail where the blue disc meets the victory and red dot up into the hills and behind some rock out crops where it leveled out a little bit. back there I found what looked like an old camp and a hidden fire ring that somebody had tried to hide. There was a good little water source and plenty of fire wood which was a good thing because my axe wound up breaking and the temps dropped into the teens with winds blowing upwards of 50 miles an hour the first night the wind sounded like a freight train and the temps dipped to about 35 I got pretty soaked when it started to rain so with 50 mile per hour winds and driving rain I had to get out the hammock and build a raging fire to just stay war and dry to dry myself off. The rain lasted for about 3 hours but the wind never died down after that and the temps continued to plummet. day 2 was dry but very cold and extremely windy, all through the night I could hear trees and branches coming down from the wind. the next day I just hung out in the hammock and read a little practiced some skills and did some small camp tasks. Today I hiked out and stopped by a place I have been wanting to see in the park, Claudius Smith's Den if you don't know who Claudius smith is look him up very interesting bit of history. the rock shelter in the pics was his hide out but I have a feeling that that rock shelter has been used for eons and some archeological work on the site is in order would not be surprised if it was a paleo indian site and you can see the hundreds of years work of carbon on the ceiling from campfires. All in all it was a good time I'm almost glad the weather sucked sometimes you need to get out of your comfort zone....As or wildlife on my Way in on the red cross trail I jumped the biggest Doe I have ever seen, but other than squirrels hawks and a chipmunk didn't see much anyway thanks for all the input guys. The location of my camp was at Lat. 41.2061 Lon. -74.1652
     
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