Harriman Hiker: Harriman State Park and Beyond: Parker Cabin Mnt,Lake Skenonto

Harriman State Park.
Rockland County,
New York

Trails:
Ramapo-Dundergerg (R-D): Red Blaze
Victory Trail: Blue Blaze
Triangle Trail: Yellow Blaze

Map: Harriman Park-Southern
Trail Map 118
Start Point Map Coordinates: 65,72

Total Time: 2:30 hr
Estimated Distance: 4.5 Miles

Hiking Partners:
Feige Koegel (my sister)
Eli Koegel (my nephew)
Yisroel Gewirtzman

This was our first fall hike. It was really the very beginning of the foliage colors, and almost all the trees were still green. Nevertheless there were still some good colors to be found. We parked on Lake Kanawauke Road (County 106) after the Little Long Pond, at the R-D trail parking area. Climbed up Tom Jones Mountain, which is a very short but steep hike up the mountain, with a nice view on top. The Catskill Mountains are visible from the summit to the far north. Continued down the R-D, where it intersected with the Victory Trail. Headed south on the Victory, and took the unblazed shortcut bypass road, and then continued along the trail to Lake Skenonto. Lake Skenonto is a very pretty and isolated like in Harriman with no public roads leading to it.

We intented to take the Trianlge Trail up Parker Cabin Mountain, but got distracted and went about 800 feet beyond the intersection before turning around back to the Trianlge Trail, which slowly climbs up Parker Cabin Mountain. The last stretch up Parker Cabin Mountain is a really good and steep scramble. From the top of Parker Cabin Mountain, which has a great view of Lake Sebago, went north on the R-D Trail, and by the previous intersection at the vallery between Parker Cabin and Tom Jones Mountains, we took the Victory Trail back to the road, and then headed along the road past the side of the swamp. This swamp was made by beavers and trees down by beavers with the characteristic bite marks are present in this swamp.