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A foggy view and a lone tree and hiker on the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail

Lone tree and hiker atop Hogencamp Mountain in Harriman State Park, along the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail. To really appreciate the hidden landscapes of Harriman, go deep.

This is really one of my all-time favorite hikes in Harriman, so I’m posting a quick waypoint description.

Why’s it so great?  Wild views only .5 miles in.  Rocky ridgelines, interesting forest trails, and a figure-eight that means you won’t be backtracking, except at the very end.  A mountaintop memorial.  Bowling Rocks.

I love it.  It’s everything I’ve come to love about Harriman.  If I lived in New York City, this would be my wildest, best refuge, just a short hour’s drive away.

Hilltop hiking along the Ramapo Dunderberg trail in Harriman State Park New York.  Views on the Ramapo Dundeberg and Dunning Trails are beautiful and plentiful.

This hike follows the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail over some beautiful, remote scenic vistas and ridgelines, with scrubby hilltop vegetation, pitch pines and low-lying hemlock forest.

Getting to the trailhead GPS:  41.23043 N, 74.14005 W):

1-87 north to exit 15A (Sloatsburg/Suffern).  Turn left on NY 17 for 7.2 miles, then left at sign for 17A.  Turn right at the top of the ramp onto county route 106 toward Bear Mountain.  Go 3.8 miles, park on the left in the pullout.

The Route (6.1 miles or so):

Mile 0:   Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (white blazed with red dot) heads east from parking lot before bending north.

.5  Right at T-junction on the ridgetop (and enjoy the views) to stay on the Ramapo-Dunderberg trail.

1.3  Beautiful Bald Rocks Shelter on right; good camping; water in gulley below the shelter.

1.4  Right at four-way intersection, onto Dunning trail (yellow blaze).  Expansive views and wonderful ridgeline hiking and vegetation, to make you feel far, far away from New York City.

2.8 Left at 3-way juntion onto Long Path (aqua blaze); watch for old Hogencamp mines to left, before and just after the junction.

3.5  Left at 4-way intersection onto Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (white blaze, red dot).  This is “Times Square”, and you’ll have to be careful here, because it’s confusing.  It’s almost a five-way intersection!  But stay left on the R-D trail, heading southwest.  Lovely views at miles 3.6.

4.2  Left at T-junction to stay on the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (white blaze, red dot).  Don’t turn right onto the blue-blazed Lichen Trail.  And keep an eye out for Ship Rock, just before the intersection.

4.6 Right at 4-way intersection onto Dunning Trail (yellow blazes).  You’ve been here before!

4.9 Left at T-junction to join the White Bar Trail.  The yellow and white trails will run together for .25 mile; then the yellow trail will leave to the right, but you’ll stay left on White Bar Trail.

6.1  Left at three-way intersection onto Nurian Trail (white blzzes); these two white-blazed trails will run together for .15 of a mile.  Soon they split; take the white-blazed Nurian Trail to the left.

The next intersection is with the Ramapo-Dunderberg trail.  Turn right, and return to the parking area.

The Map:

Trail map for the Ramapo Dunderberg trail over Hogencamp Mountain, in Harriman State Park New York.

Trail map describing a figure-eight hike over Hogencamp Mountain, via the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail, the Dunning Trail and the White Bar Trail. One of the finest hikes in Harriman State Park, under 7 miles.

 

 

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