Nordkop Mountain Suffern Fall Hike

Harriman State Park
Rockland Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail: Yellow blaze

Total Time: 1:10 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.0 Miles

Pros: Short, sweet hike with good climb and good views
Cons: Sound of nearby highways and urban view, and walk on road
Hike Type: Loop
Level of  Difficulty: Slightly Difficult

Google Maps of Parking:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/68PLdzf2Yc25Xdn99

Hiking Partner:
Yehudah Koblick

I have been to Nordkop Mountain many times, and this was a particularly crisp and clear early fall day, with the foliage just beginning to peak. We parked on Chestnut Street, right near Route 202, and we walked under the Thruway overpass on Route 59 and took the trail up. The trail is very steep and rocky, but it's short. We reached the first view, and then continued to the second view, and then took the woods road to Hemlock Lane, to Pavilion Road, and then Route 202 and Chestnut Street back to our car.

Map of the Route

Trailhead Sign at the Beginning of the SBM Trail

Ascending the Trail

Approaching the First View

First View, Facing Route 287 and the (now closed) Sheraton Crossroads

Manhattan Skyline from the First View

View of Suffern, from the Upper View

Thruway View on the Descent

Kennedy Dells Waterfalls

Kennedy Dells County Park
New City,
Rockland Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Fitness Trail: Yellow blaze
White Trail: White blaze
Blue Trail: Blue blaze
Service Path: Unblazed

Total Time: 0:55 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.2 Miles

Pros: Many relaxed trails and pretty waterfalls
Cons: Busy area

Hike Type: Loop
Level of  Difficulty: Very easy

Google Maps of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/747SFkw681nTEzz79

I had been to Kennedy Dells four years prior, and walked the perimeter of the park on all the trails. However, I did not visit the waterfalls, and took the opportunity to visit the falls on this trip. I was surprised that the water was strongly flowing despite the lack of recent rain. 

I parked at the main parking area in the south of the park, and took the Fitness Trail along the south portion of the park to the east portion of the park, to the White Trail. I then took the short path to the waterfalls, which is really a breached dam but looks like a natural waterfalls. I then took the Blue Trail to the Service Path which I took back to the parking area.

Map of the Route

Start of the Fitness Trail

Fitness Trail

Open Field

White Trail

Brook

Waterfalls at the Dam

Old Ruins at the Waterfalls/Dam

Path on the Return Route

Warm Puppy Rock at Ringwood

Ringwood State Park
Passaic Co.,
New Jersey

Hiking Trails:
Five Ponds Trail: Pink blaze
Crossover Trail: White blaze
Ringwood-Ramapo Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 1:15 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.3 Miles

Pros: Scenic, quiet area
Cons: None
Hike Type: Loop
Level of  Difficulty: Easy

Google Maps of Parking:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QhUh9FdTUDNR4C739

I had been to Ringwood earlier in the year and noticed some newly re-routed trails, and I wanted to explore the area around Warm Puppy Rock. It turns out that the area was very scenic and the view exceeded my expectations for the area. It was also a very quiet area which made this hike very enjoyable.

The weather was rainy, but it wasn't actively raining at the time of the hike but was damp and foggy. I parked at the Parking Area C at Ringwood, and took the Five Ponds Trail north towards Swan Pond, and then took the Crossover Trail to the Ringwood Trail, climbing the mountain to the view at Warm Puppy Rock. It's a big long rock with a strange name, and there is a view facing west on the rock and another, better view facing east a bit past the rock. The foliage was beginning to show nicely as well, enhancing the view.

I continued on the Ringwood-Ramapo Trail, descending the mountain and crossing the mountain bike path, and then crossing the brook on an interesting rock crossing. I then took several unmarked trails through the trail between the road loop, passing an old abandoned structure on the way and then returning back to my car.

Map of the Route

Five Ponds Trailhead at the Beginning of the Hike

Five Ponds Trail

Spider Web Along the Trail

Scenes from the Trail

Road to the Botanical Garden

Mount Defiance in the Fog

Trail Near Swan Pond

Swan Pond in the Rain

Ringwood-Ramapo Trail

Approaching Warm Puppy Rock

Warm Puppy Rock

Rock Bridge on the Ringwood-Ramapo Trail

Abandoned House on the Trail