Hiking Photos, Videos, Stories, and Product Reviews

Welcome to Hiking.Photos

A site dedicated to hiking and nature photos and videos, as well as stories about my adventures, in and around the Hudson Valley region of New York State.

I hiked with friends in my High School and early college days, but my interested faded away once I was in my late twenties. I decided to pick up the sport (hobby) again when COVID-19 isolation set in and I was spending too much time indoors. I made a reemergence on Memorial Day in 2020 and have tried not to look back since!

I've always been interested in photography as a side hobby, so I decided to capture the interesting parts of my trips on camera to share with the world and remember by trips by. It's enjoyable to stop, observe, and record all the beauty that Mother Nature has to offer.

Here are some quick stats about all the hikes I've cataloged:

Total Distance: 302.2 miles

Total Duration: 180.4 hours

Total Elevation Gain: 47,389 feet

Harriman State Park - Harriman Outdoor Center, Limekiln Mountain, Panther Mountain

August 13, 2022

9.1 Mi • 1,877 Ft Gain • 29 Photos

My first 3-day weekend trip to the Stephen & Betsy Corman AMC Harriman Outdoor Center was amazing! Our 16-person cabin was clean and modern. The meals were delicious and plentiful. A handful of us went on a Saturday hike through an eastern area of the park, including stops at a couple lookout spots and a bear sighting. The rest of the weekend, we played games around the campfire and went swimming, canoeing, and kayaking in Breakneck Pond. It was truly an enjoyable weekend in nature.

May 1, 2022

7.4 Mi • 846 Ft Gain • 191 Photos • 5 Videos

This privately held nature preserve spans 1,000 acres and contains over 15 miles of hiking trails. This was an easy and enjoyable hike on a beautiful afternoon with only minimal elevation inclines throughout the day. The scenery was ever-changing, from small streams to marsh lands to lush green areas to pine trees to clearings to lakes to waterfalls. I was pleased with the diversity and would love to explore some of the other trails on a future visit, including Wildflower Island and the rest of the Visitor Center.

March 6, 2022

4.7 Mi • 646 Ft Gain • 117 Photos • 3 Videos

On a beautiful spring-like afternoon, I returned to a familiar park to continue exploring new nooks and crannies. Ice Pond and Marshall Pond were almost done with their winter thaw. It was awesome to view Irvington Reservoir from the west and south angles. I then hit all the POIs in the southern and eastern sections of the park: Macy Monument, the Terrace, the Steps, and Hermit's Grave. On my way north, I made an obligatory stop at Hermit Wetlands. This park holds a special place in my memory as it was where I first gained my initial hiking experience and confidence.

February 6, 2022

5 Mi • 577 Ft Gain • 104 Photos • 5 Videos

There's something special about the Cross River in the warmer months, but nothing compares to seeing it weave through patches of snow and ice. I was super impressed with how well my crampons performed on the ice-covered trails. Throughout the day, I encountered icy inclines, icy declines, and ice so smooth it looked like panes of glass. Never once did I feel any sort of slippage or instability in my walking. Temperatures were in the low 20s with very little wind, so as long as I was moving along, I barely noticed the cold.

October 17, 2021

9.2 Mi • 1,266 Ft Gain • 164 Photos

This was an amazing day filled with some challenges I don't normally encounter on my traditional woods-based hikes. If rock scrambles and crawls through tight spaces and up ladders are your thing, the Labyrinth, Crevice, and Lemon Squeeze deliver. The reward includes amazing views reaching as far as NY, NJ, CT, MA, and PA from Sky Top Tower. The Mohonk Mountain House property and Mohonk Lake are equally beautiful. We barely touched the surface of the seemingly endless trails offered by Mohonk Preserve and I'll definitely be back again soon!

September 26, 2021

8.7 Mi • 1,581 Ft Gain • 345 Photos • 11 Videos

I'm really happy with the way this day turned out! The weather was beautiful, in the low 70's with no humidity. The dozens of buildings in ruin were amazing to explore and to imagine life in a different era. On top of that, the waterfalls, the mountain and river views, and the varied terrain put this hike toward the top of my all-time favorite list. The 1,400 foot incline from the start to the summit of Bull Hill is sneaky because it's a low grade, but still enough to get the blood pumping. It's a very approachable hike for almost any level of hiker.

September 12, 2021

6.7 Mi • 820 Ft Gain • 245 Photos • 9 Videos

This was a fun preserve to explore! The western area of the preserve features several large meadows containing wild flowers being visited by bumble bees, honey bees, butterflies, and dragonflies. The eastern section leads to Byram Lake Reservoir, including two aqueducts and a man-made waterfall. Throughout the hike there are various wetlands, including a red maple swamp and several vernal pools where reptiles, amphibians, frogs, salamanders, and fairy shrimp live. The elevation changes are minimal and these were all easy trails to follow for even a novice hiker.

July 10, 2021

8.8 Mi • 1,024 Ft Gain • 78 Photos • 3 Videos

I met up with group of six friends who rented a weekend cabin at the Stephen & Betsy Corman AMC Harriman Outdoor Center. I was impressed with how modern and clean the cabin was, with two bedrooms, six beds, and electricity for lights, a microwave, and a refrigerator. We started the day with an almost 9-mile hike from Breakneck Pond to Pine Meadow Lake and back. Then we grabbed dinner in the dining hall before heading out to kayak and canoe across Breakneck Pond. We finished the night sitting around the campfire, chatting and playing games.

June 6, 2021

13.5 Mi • 2,339 Ft Gain • 179 Photos • 5 Videos

I came out of this hike completely soaked in sweat. This is the first time I really pushed through the heat for such a long distance. I was initially worried if I brought enough water, but I monitored my intake and sipped at a consistent pace throughout the day. I knew going in this would be more of a forest hike than a view hike and I was okay with that. Due to the intense sun, I didn't want to spend too much time on mountain tops and I was happy to stay in the shade as much as possible. Even without the views, it was an awesome hike! I enjoyed exploring a new section of Harriman.

May 25, 2021

10.4 Mi • 2,894 Ft Gain • 391 Photos • 17 Videos

This was an amazing hike on a beautiful day. Since it was a Tuesday, I only ran into a handful of people the entire day, which allowed me to have a really peaceful hike and I felt like I practically had the park to myself. The views climbing up Breakneck were breathtaking. The trek up to the fire tower was fun and a challenge of its own. Being able to "hog" the fire tower gave me some really awesome shots. The second half of the hike heading back south is an oasis of quiet forest. Then being able to catch a few trains on video was the cherry on the top of an already perfect day.

May 22, 2021

11.1 Mi • 1,178 Ft Gain • 167 Photos • 3 Videos

This hike provides amazing views of the Minnewaska State Park Preserve and the Hudson Valley while walking through the pine barren ridges, including areas where the April 2016 wildfire burned over 2,000 acres to the park. The highlight of the trip was the Verkeerderkill Falls, a 187-ft tall waterfall viewed from the rocky outcrops that were a bit higher and off to the side of the top of the waterfall. Large sections of the trail are over uncovered carriage roads and open ridge areas, so come prepared with proper footwear and plenty of water.

May 8, 2021

9.0 Mi • 1,736 Ft Gain • 237 Photos • 6 Videos

This is a beautiful park with varied terrain and excellent views of the Hudson Valley and Hudson River. I can only imagine how much more I could have seen without the rain and fog. The temperatures in the mid-40s, combined with the rain, made parts of the hike unpleasant and slippery, but not unbearable. The calming sound of a few surprise waterfalls brightened the afternoon. Walking alongside the train tracks and up to the train trestle was a unique experience. I only wish I was able to record a train passing by.

May 1, 2021

13.7 Mi • 2,536 Ft Gain • 349 Photos • 16 Videos

Harriman is abundant with water sources, as I encountered over a dozen streams on this hike alone. Lake Skenonto provided a great backdrop to enjoy during lunch. The small rock scramble up to Tom Jones Mountain was well worth the views of the Hudson Valley once up there. Campers were abundant, as well as at least one black snake I encountered on my way up Black Rock mountain. The view of Lake Stahahe from the top of Car Pond mountain was a bit obstructed, but allowed me to find another shelter. My longest hike to date did not disappoint.

April 24, 2021

3.3 Mi • 141 Ft Gain • 55 Photos • 2 Videos

In lieu of a traditional hike, I volunteered at this year's Great Saw Mill River Cleanup, organized by Groundwork Hudson Valley. Each year's cleanup event takes place at 8-10 different locations along the Saw Mill River. This year I chose Chauncey Park in Dobbs Ferry. In about 3 hours, I personally collected a half-rusted barrel, a car bumper, a gas pipeline pole, and 5 bags of assorted plastic bottles, plastic bags, plastic straws, 3 Mylar balloons, 2 lighters, 3 baseballs, 1 soccer ball, 1 golf ball, plastic planters, milk crates, and other assorted trash.

April 17, 2021

7.9 Mi • 2,300 Ft Gain • 219 Photos • 12 Videos

After the initial grueling hike up the mountain, the views of the Hudson River and surrounding area makes it all worth it. On top of that, exploring the ruins of the old Incline Railway, Hotel, and Casino gave an interesting perspective and history lesson. Looking out from atop the South Beacon Mountain Fire Tower provides views as far as the eye can see, including the Manhattan skyline. When I made it to Rainbow Falls, I fell in love with the calming effect of the water cascading over the rocks and only left because there were other hikers waiting to take photos and videos.

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