Buttermilk Falls

Buttermilk Falls County Park,
Palisades Cliffs,
Rockland County NY

Total Time: 40 Minutes
Total Distance: 1 Miles

This was a very short hike, due to the fact that I wasn't feeling so well. I needed to do some shopping in the Palisades Center Mall and this was nearby. This is a very wimpy waterfalls most of the year, but can be very impressive after heavy rainfall. It had rained at least 2 inches the previous day, and all the deep snow had melted with this rainstorm. The water volume was incredible, and waterfall was roaring. The entire trail was muddied and had water flowing everything, thus making this relatively simple hike rather difficult.

Started at the parking trailhead off Greenbush road in West Nyack, and climbed the path the waterfall, which was absolutely stunning due to the large volume of water. Continued climbing the muddy trail to the viewpoint. At the viewpoint one can see the Palisades Mall through the trees to the North (its only about a mile away), and Route 303 directly below. To the far south the skyscrapers of Jersey City and Newark are visible.

Instead of heading back on the muddy and disgusting path, I bushwacked through the woods off the trail where it was drier. The waterfall is actually split into separate streams, and so I went down the less known split waterfall, and from there back to the car.

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Map of the Route

Buttermilk Falls

The upper waterfalls below the main cascade.

The view from the lookout.

Facing southwest towards Orangeburg.

Jersey City in the distant skyline, facing south.

Rockland Psychiatric Center and Newark skyline

using telephoto lens. Facing south/southeast.

The smaller falls of the north flank of the brook.

On my descending route.

A view of the lower part of the main Falls.

State Line Trail

Bearfort Mountain at
Greenwood Lake,
Abraham Hewitt State Forest,
Passaic County,
New Jersey

Trails:
State Line Trail: Blue Blaze
Ernest Walter Trail: Orange Blaze

Total Time: 1.3 Hours
Total Distance: 1.5 Miles

Did this hike after a large snowstorm. It had just snowed about 6 inches over Saturday and Saturday night, and I did this hike on Sunday morning. The temperature was frigid and the winds were powerful, and I was the first person to hike this trail after the snowstorm. In fact I was the ONLY one to hike this as I didnt meet anyone crazy to venture out on such a frigid and snowy day. The hike up in a half-foot of snow with ice underneath was very difficult, as the ascent is pretty steep.

Parked at the trailhead which is literally on the NY/NJ State border, and climbed up the State Line Trail up the mountain to the Ernest Walter Trail, where I made a left and went south to the summit viewpoint. The rock part reaching the viewpoing was full of ice underneath the snow making this part extremely difficult. And the wind at the treeless top part was absolutely ferocious! I couldn't stay at the summit for too long as it was just too cold and I felt I was going to blow away! Being too cold to venture further to Surprise Lake, I turned back and headed the same way I came, skirting around some particularly icy areas I had approached on my way up.

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Map of the Route

 The parking area.

The tire tracks are from my car

as the trailhead parking was not yet plowed.

My car at the trailhead.

First view while ascending.

Facing east across Greenwood Lake.

At the viewpoint looking east across

Greenwood Lake.

 Me at the viewpoint with

Greenwood Lake in background.

From viewpoint facing north.

 Ascending the snowy and icy summit

 

 Looking south. Greenwood Lake and Fox Island.

Looking southeast.

The lake is partially frozen.

 Don't know the name of this mountain.

Zoomed looking southeast.

The edge of Greenwood Lake is in the foreground.

View looking northwest.

Halfway Mountain and Stony Brook

Harriman State Park,
Rockland County,
New York

Trails:
Pine Meadow Trail: Red Blaze
Stony Brook Trail: Orange Blaze
Kakiat Trail: White Blaze
Hillburn Torne Sebago (HTS) Trail: Orange Blaze

Total Time: 1.5 Hours
Total Distance: 2.7 Miles


This hike was the day after the season's first snow. The previous day it has snowed a slushy inch or two, but on this hike higher up in the mountains there was a good 4-5 inches of heavy wet snow. The complete coverage of the snow on the trees was absolutely gorgeous! This was also the same location I had gone the previous year on the first snowstorm of the winter.

Started at the Reeves Meadow Visitor Center off 7 Lakes Drive. Hiked parallel to the stream on the Pine Meadow Trail, to the Stony Brook Trail, and then along the Kakiat Trail past the Cascade of Slid, which is a small waterfall along the trail. At that point made a left and took the HTS Trail up to the lookout which had a great view in the snow. Went back down the HTS, to the Pine Meadow Trail, and took this back to parking area.

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Map of the Route

At beginning of the Stony Brook Trail

Wow! What a shot!

The wet snow is still on the trees,

with the awesome contrast of the blue sky!

On the Stony Brook Trail at the Gas Line

Another view at the gas line

Cascade of Slid, zoomed out

Another view with a longer exposure.

Main waterfall at Cascade of Slid

Snow on trees climbing up the HTS Trail

Lookout on Halfway Mnt.

Facing West over Stony Brook Valley

Another view from Halfway Mountain, facing West.

Zoomed in.

Me on top of Halfway Mnt.

West Mountain (Southern Portion)

Harriman State Park,
Rockland County,
New York

Trails:
Ski Trail
Ramapo Dunderberg (RD) Trail: Red Blaze
Suffern-Bear Mountain (SBM) Trail: Yellow Blaze
Appalachian Trail (AT): White Blaze
Timp-Torne (TT) Trail: Blue Blaze
Beechy Bottom Road (an old road trail)

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg


Total Distance: 2.5 Miles
Total Time: 1.5 Hours

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Started at the lower end of the parking area at Anthony Wayne off the Palisades. Went south
along the ski/biking trail until the intersection of the RD Trail. Took the RD west up the
mountain, and passed along an old Graphite Mine on the way up. Continued up a good scramble
towards the intersection of the SBM Trail. At the intersection is an excellent view of the
Hudson River, Havertstraw, Hi-Tor, and Jackie Jones. It is an incredible view.

Continued along the SBM north to the interestion of the TT Trail, and made a left on this
short stretch to the intersection of the AT. There is another excellent view here facing the
Palisades Pkwy and Anthony Wayne. Took the AT down the mountain until Beechy Bottom Road, went north along Beechy Bottom Road for a little bit, then veered left and bushwacked down the
ravine and across the brook back to the car.

Map of the Route

 Marker at intersection of Ski Trail and AT

The Graphite Mine.

Note Shimmy on the tailings.

Shimmy climbing the scramble.

Me at the first lookout

 Looking West from the first lookout,

with Shimmy posing.

Facing South from the first lookout

- Pyngyp Mountain and Hi-Tor in the Distance.

 

Looking southeast from first Looking

Hudson River and Haverstraw Bay

Shimmy facing south

 

Me at the lookout.

In the area on the SBM Trail which was

devastated by a Forest Fire several years ago.

The West Mountain lookout.
Intersection of T-T and AT trails.

Facing West.

Sign at the intersection and campers.

Ramapo Reservation

Mahwah
Bergen County
New Jersey

Trails:
Schuber Trail
Marsh Trail
Silver-Yellow Trail
Silver Trail

Total Time: 1.5 Hours
Total Distance: 3 Miles

Started at the Parking area off Route 202 in Mahwah. Went along the Schuber Trail next to
Scarlet Oak Pond (where it is also joined with the Silver Trail). The trail was packed with
people - I have never seen so many people hiking before. I guess it was because it was a nice
Sunday with a beautiful blue sky, although it was a brisk autumn day.




I continued  along the Schuber Trail, where I passed the old cabin  ruins, and veered off to
view the falls. From there continued along the Waterfalls Trail to the Macmillan Reservoir
Dam, which was recently reconstructed. Took some pictures from the dam and continued along the
Silver Trail. Veered off on the Marsh Loop through the edge of the swamp, and then at the
intersection of the Yellow-Silver Trail went east along the edge of Matty Price Hill. There is
a really cool spring just bubbling out of the ground right here on the trail. It is one of the
best springs I have ever seen on a hike. Continued along and then bushwacked down back towards
the Yellow Trail where I took it back to the parking area.

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Map of the route

Scarlet Oak Pond from the Silver/Schuber Trails

Bridge across stream on the Schuber Trail.

Cabin ruin is in the background.

The cabin ruin along the Schuber Trail

The Waterfall. Water level is low.

Another view of the waterfall.

MacMillan Reservoir. Facing West from Dam.

MacMillan Reservoir. Facing West from Dam, zoomed.