Tag: Fire Tower Hikes

Harriman State Park – Breakneck Pond, Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail, Big Hill

6.43 mi
1,089 ft gain
03:09:00

Our annual friends trip to the AMC Harriman Outdoor Center landed us in Stone Lodge this year — private bathrooms, a kitchen, and a level of comfort the shared-facility cabins can't match. Between the boats on Breakneck Pond and the buffet dinners, the real draw was the trail: a long push up the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail past a Big Hill lean-to, the Jackie Jones Mountain fire tower, and the crumbling ORAK ruins. Sunday brought something quieter — a memorial on the Long Path for the victims of Northwest Orient Flight 6231.

Breakneck Ridge – Hudson River, Notch Trail, Fire Tower, Wilkinson Memorial Trail

10.4 mi
2,894 ft gain
08:33:18

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.

Beacon Mountain – Casino, Fire Tower, Scofield Ridge, Lambs Hill, Rainbow Falls

7.9 mi
2,300 ft gain
05:39:25

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.

Sterling Forest State Park – Greenwood Lake, Fire Tower, Jennings Creek, Bare Rock

12 mi
1,942 ft gain
06:57:59

The Bare Rock lookout offered amazing views of Greenwood Lake and I'm so glad I took this detour. Climbing the Fire Tower was the highlight of the day; I only wish I took better photos. The area around Jennings Creek and the rest of the park did not disappoint. As usual, I could spend days here taking in all the various areas of the park. I especially want to visit the old mine areas the next time around. Trails were blazed well, with signs at the major intersections giving trail names, trail lengths, and POIs.