Harriman Hiker: Harriman State Park and Beyond: Tallman Mountain State Park

Rockland Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Long Path: Green blaze
Bike Path: Unblazed
Orange Trail: Unblazed

Total time: 2:00 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.75 miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Level of Recommendation: Recommended
Points of Interest: Piermont, Tallman Mountain Views
Pros: Historic and rustic village, good climb, good views
Cons: Busy area and built up area

Google Map of Parking:

With my near completion of all the trails in Harriman/Bear Mountain State Parks, I am starting to branch out and explore many of the other hiking area in the area. There is a large network of trails along the Palisades from New Jersey into New York, and although I've been to many hikes in that area, there is a lot more to explore around here.

Tallman Mountain isn't much of a mountain, with an elevation just short of 200 feet. However, it just out sharply and steeply from the village of Piermont and the Hudson River, and has expansive views. The State Park with the same name offers several trails, a biking trail, and several park facilities such as picnic area, tennis courts, a pool (though not sure if its used anymore), etc. There are only two marked trails traversing the park - a short connector trail blazed orange, and the Long Path, which goes through the length of the park. There is also a popular bike trail going from one end of the park the other. There are also some elevated unmarked trails that crisscross in perpendicular form over swampy area.

I parked in the village of Piermont, and quaint village with a certain charm that I always find a pleasure to walk through. I walked towards the Bridge Street Drawbridge, which is an historical, crank drawbridge over the Sparkill Creek that has been preserved. The Long Path meets up here, by the curve on Ferdon Ave, and then I took the Long Path up the steep but short escarpment. At the top there is a picnic area with great views over the village of Piermont.

I continued along the Long Path, past where it crosses the Bike Path, and followed it along elevated trail areas through a large marshy area. The Long Path then meets up with the Bike Path again, by the ruin. I took the combined bike path and Long Path to the other parking area at the southern end of the park, and then turned around and continued along the bike path, until the split with the unmarked trail towards the view. This area has a nice view of the giant swamp alongside the Hudson River, as well as the Tappan Zee Bridge. It also allows for nice viewing across the river to Westchester at Dobbs Ferry and Hastings-on-Hudson. I continued along the unmarked trail to the Long Path, and took detoured on the Orange Trail to the main parking lot. From there I took an old unmarked trail down to the pool area, and then down the closed road on the side of the Hudson River Swamp back around to Ferdon Ave to my car.