Hogencamp Mountain and Surebridge Mountain Fall Hike

Harriman State Park,
Orange Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Long Path: Green blaze
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail: Red blaze
Dunning Trail: Yellow blaze

Total Time: 2:25 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.9 Miles

Pros: Lake views, amazing scenery, and great views
Cons: None
Hike Type: Loop hike

Google Maps of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/k1FaNuEcyUPddkjp7

This area is highly scenic, and especially more so during the fall. This hike was the peak of foliage, with beautiful colors throughout this scenic area. The weather was unseasonably cold, but with me moving fast along the way I remained warm.

I parked at the Lake Kanawauke parking area, and walked west on Kanawauke Road towards Little Long Pond.  After crossing the bridge between the two lakes, I cut across to the unmarked path that flanks the northern side of Lake Kanawauke. At the sharp curve of the trail, I bushwacked up the hill a short distance from the Long Path, and then took the Long Path north, past the Dunning Trail and past the Hogencamp Mine. I continued along the Long Path to the Times Square, a major trail intersection along a large rock.

I took the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail at this point up the mountain to the sweeping view atop Hogencamp Mountain, and then walked along the rocky, exposed area to the Dunning Trail. I then took the Dunning Trail east past the Bowling Rocks, and then cut down south to the view overlooking Lake Kanawauke. I then bushwacked down steep embankment to the old Hogencamp Road and then down to Kanawauke Road. I then walked down Kanawauke Road back to the parking area.

Map of the Route

Lake Kanawauke Looking West

Looking Across Lake Kanawauke from Seven Lakes Drive

Lake Kanawauke from the Seven Lake Drive Bridge

Black Rock Mountain, Little Long Pond, and Seven Lakes Drive

Black Rock Mountain, Tom Jones Mountain, and Little Long Pond

Hogencamp Mine Area from the Long Path

Cape Horn Rock Formation on the Long Path

The Rock at Times Square

Me at the Times Square Rock

View Ascending Hogencamp Mountain from Times Square

Hogencamp Mountain View Along the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail

Beautiful Scenery Along the Hogencamp Mountain View

Glacial Rock and Colorful Foliage

View into the Valley at Hogencamp Mountain

Lonely Tree Along the Hogencamp Mountain View

Looking North from Hogencamp Mountain with Peak Foliage Colors

More Scenic Hogencamp Mountain Foliage

Exposed Bedrock along the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail

Ship Rock on Hogencamp Mountain

More Sharp Colors on the Ramapo-Dunderberg

Giant Bedrock Exposure along the Trail

View Across the Small Valley to Surebridge Mountain

Large Floater Rocks on the Ramapo-Dunderberg Bedrock Exposure

Sign of the the Shelter Closed on the Dunning Trail Due to Bear Activity

Vivid Colors along the Dunning Trail

"Bowling Rocks" on the Dunning Trail

View Across the Bowling Rocks

View of Little Long Pond before the Final Descent

View Across the Harriman Ridges

Final View Before Descending

Me at the Above View

Elk Pen to Green Pond Mountain and Island Pond

Harriman State Park,
Orange Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Appalachian Trail: White blaze
Island Pond Road: Unblazed
Arden-Surebridge Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 2:15 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.0 Miles

Pros: Scenic lake
Cons: Good climb and quiet scenic lake
Hike Type: Loop

Hiking Partner:
Yehudah Koblick

Google Maps of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/AZYVArBRVLH42A7x9

This hike was a week prior to the foliage peak in the area, with beautiful scenery and autumn colors. It was very cold, and was my first long-sleeved hike since the summer. However, there was still a bright sun which warmed things up towards the mid part of the hike. 

We parked on Arden Valley Road at the Elk Pen. The parking lot was already filling up but there was still roadside parking available. We took the Appalachian Trail through the meadow and then up the mountain, up and over Green Pond Mountain and then crossing Island Pond Road. We then continued to Island Pond at the rocky area on the northern part of the mountain where there is a great view of the lake.

Being one of the few natural lakes in the park, Island Pond is surrounded on most sides by swamp, except for its northern rocky area, where we took some great pictures and took a quick break. We then turned around and made a slight detour from the Appalachian Trail to Island Pond Road, and took Island Pond Road south to the Arden-Surebridge Trail. We then headed west on the Arden Surebridge Trail to the view prior to descending, and took some pictures before descending the steep western flank of Green Pond Mountain. We continued along this trail down the mountain to the meadow and Elk Pen, and then took the Appalachian Trail back to our cars.

Map of the Route

Appalachian Trail the Elk Pen Meadow

Sign about No Overnight Camping at the Shelter Due to Bear Activity

View of the Elk Pen with Mountain Foliage in the Background

Appalachian Trail and Arden-Surebridge Trail Junction

Appalachian Trail Marker

Approaching Island Pond Descending Green Pond Mountain

Island Pond from the Appalachian Trail

Approaching Island Pond from the Rocky Northern Part

Me at Island Pond

Another View of Island Pond

Island Pond Facing West

Me on the Island Pond Rock

Yehudah Koblick at Island Pond

Island Pond with the Island in the Center

Northern Edge of Island Pond

Beautiful Scenery at Island Pond

Zoomed to the Island at Island Pond

Foliage at Island Pond

Island Pond from the Western Shore

From the Western Shore of Island Pond Looking North

Island Pond with its Namesake Island from Island Pond Road

Foliage Scenery at Green Pond Mountain

Starting the Descent on Green Pond Mountain

View from the Distance at Green Pond Mountain

View through the Trees at Green Pond Mountain

Foliage Scenery at the Meadow near the End of the Arden-Surebridge Trail

More Foliage Scenery at the Meadow near the End of the Arden-Surebridge Trail