Tag: The Irvington Woods

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The Irvington Woods – Hermit’s Grave, Macy’s Monument, Irvington Reservoir

5.75 mi
846 ft gain
02:29:41

After a long break, I returned to one of my favorite hikes: The Irvington Woods. The park packs in reservoirs, ponds, wetlands, Hermit’s Grave, rock outcrops, overlooks, monuments, carriage trails, and plenty of elevation change. My route linked the blue, red, yellow, and purple loops, passing Hermit’s Wetland, Macy’s Monument and Terrace, Sunset Rock, Irvington Reservoir, Marshall’s Pond, and Ice Pond. It was a beautiful, varied 5.8-mile hike through grasses, pines, open trails, water views, steady climbs, and sunny mid-70s spring weather overall.

The Irvington Woods – Ice Pond, Irvington Reservoir, Memorial Loop, Hermit Wetlands

4.7 mi
646 ft gain
02:34:40

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.

The Irvington Woods – Ice Pond, Memorial Loop, Hermit’s Grave, Hermit Wetlands

3.2 mi
477 ft gain
01:23:27

My fifth visit and first winter hike was all about trying out new gear, including trekking poles, sunglasses, gloves, and a gaiter. Although I've lived in the Northeast my entire life, I've never been enthusiastic about outdoor winter activity. I was imagining a bone-chilling, unpleasant experience, when in reality it wasn't bad at all. With the proper layers, I stayed warm and enjoyed myself. I will make a few adjustments for next time and will try to make winter hiking a new habit! Most of the gear worked really well and I'm happy I've graduated to using trekking poles.

The Irvington Woods – Hermit’s Grave, Sunset Rock, Split Rock, Barney Brook, Ice Pond

5.6 mi
843 ft gain
03:17:35

My fourth visit to The Irvington Woods was on a beautiful 60-degree fall afternoon. My goal for the trip was to check out the unmarked trail that runs north from intersection #26 near Hermit's Grave. It was a little disappointing, but I had an exhilarating experience running into an injured deer that made it more interesting. Revisiting Hermit's Grave, the Terrace loop trail, Sunset Rock, Split Rock, and Ice Pond in the fall gave me a whole new experience of those landmarks. Even though I've graduated to more challenging hikes, this is still one of my favorite parks.

The Irvington Woods – Split Rock, Sunset Rock, Marshall Pond, Ice Pond, Hermit Wetlands

6.0 mi
579 ft gain
03:00:43

I really enjoy the variety of this park. The eastern part of the park near the Saw Mill River Parkway drops off quite a bit and has a certain feel to it, with its rock benches, carriage paths, steps, and monuments. Coming back up into the interior is a little shadier and less vegetative, with awesome rock formations at Split Rock and Sunset Rock. The reservoir to the west is breathtaking. Then the northern Marshall Pond and Ice Pond are quaint and lush. I can still hear the ducks and other wildlife living in the Hermit Wetlands to the east.

The Irvington Woods – Sunset Rock, Split Rock, Irvington Reservoir, Ice Pond, Marshall Pond

5.1 mi
515 ft gain
02:57:25

Having learned from my first hike in this park, I came prepared this time with 1.5L of water and the printed full trail map with the numbered posts. I left the park thirsty, sore, and with blistered ankles, but I'm glad I got to see some new spots, including Sunset Rock, Split Rock, Barney Brook, the Irvington Reservoir, Ice Pond, and Marshall Pond. I am gaining confidence in the layout and my navigation of the park. At this point I've hit every POI on the map, but I can't wait to explore even more as I still haven't hit all the different paths.

The Irvington Woods – Hermit’s Grave, Harriman Road, Macy Monument, Terrace, Steps

4.1 mi
416 ft gain
01:57:32

My first visit to The Peter Oley Trailways System at The Irvington Woods was a bit disorienting. I printed out the full perimeter route beforehand, but I didn't realize this map doesn't have the trail marker numbers on it like the full map does. I could easily pull up the full map on my phone, but I was trying to rely on paper and instinct. Even though I didn't end up taking the route I originally intended or seeing all I wanted to see, it was a fun first trip exploring on and off the marked trails.