The Easily-traveled Victory Trail.
Writing about Lake Sebago’s “lost” beach last week made me want to go back. I’d almost forgotten the Sebago trails in Harriman, what a pleasant hike the Victory Trail offers, how peaceful that shore is once you get there, and how closely the unmarked return trail follows the edge of Sebago.
Sometimes you just want an easy, level hike, and that’s the Victory Trail. Leaving the parking area on Route 106, it takes you, first, through a laurel forest, past several streams and rills, into a quiet amphitheater, through a baby pine forest, and then out to join the old, paved woods roads just behind Lake Sebago.
Once you get near the lake, it becomes what you’d expect of an unused former beach area. Under abundant sunshine, I found a small stream near the lake with a makeshift footbridge, and still, picnic tables are dispersed in small meadows and grassy verges under towering oak trees. The doors on bathhouses swing open. It was Monday morning when I went, and the only other human souls were fishing from a small boat near the beach. Peaceful.
It’s actually the perfect spot for a picnic, with the tables still intact. Next time, maybe, I’d bring a friend, a dog, some picnic food: small samples, little bites, things that go on crackers, and a small(ish) bottle of Prosecco.
The Unmarked Trail back.
Take the scenic route back. There aren’t too many trails in Harriman that follow a lake’s shore as closely as the unmarked trail that leaves from the northwest edge of the lake. You can hike it along the lake, and it will eventually lead you to an informal campsite at the edge of a rushing stream that feeds Lake Sebago from neighboring Lake Skenonto. Cross the stream, and just before you reach the end of the little “thumb” of the lake, watch for the yellow-blazed Triangle Trail leaving from the right.
Triangle is a wonderful pathway in itself, because it brings you to the west shore of one of the prettiest lakes in the park, Skenonto, an interior lake that’s so quiet, it’s like a galactic vortex of sound.
The landscape becomes drier, rockier, and more challenging than the Victory Trail as it runs uphill to the top of Parker Cabin Mountain.
But this extra hike is worth it. Triangle takes you to fabled, hilltop Ramapo-Dunderberg (red dot on white) and back to Victory and out to the car.
Hi Suzy. I enjoyed your post from May 7 about the Sebago Trails. I went out with my dog on Tuesday morning and we explored the area you wrote about. It was a beautiful morning. We basically did the “loop” that you described in your post, except we followed the Victory Trail on the west bank of Lake Skenonta, then hooked up with the Yellow Triangle trail, and then hiked north following the unmarked trail by the shore of Lake Sebago. We came upon a large black rat snake on the woods road leading back to the Victory Trail from the northern tip of Lake Sebago. He quickly scurried under some leaves before I could snap a picture. I must say Lake Skenonta was a terrific find. What a gorgeous place. I can easily see myself hiking in there again with my fishing pole and spending a quiet afternoon just enjoying the peace.
So, as always, thanks for the great info about the park. Take care.
– Tony Caterino
Hey, that’s a lucky dog — I hope he (she?) liked the lake! I love meeting dogs on the trail — they really thrive out there.
I think all those “interior” lakes are so interesting. Have you been to Green Pond? That’s magical in its own way, too.
Thanks for the comment, Tony!
I will follow your lead and check out Green Pond, thanks Suzy. Any suggestions on the best way to get there? I went back today to Lake Skenonto to do some fishing and it did not disappoint. What a beautiful day. The lake was still and there was just me and some stealth campers on the opposite shore. The Victory Trail is a bit wet from all the rain yesterday so if anyone is heading in there over the next few days take the high ground.
Hi Tony. A nice way in to Green Pond is to park on 106 near the White Bar trail, and take the white-blazed Nurian Trail north until it meets the yellow-blazed Dunning trail, where you’ll turn left and head to the pond. Such a pretty spot. If you keep going, you’ll meet Nurian again and see the pretty overlook near Valley of the Boulders. On the way back, you can take the woods road (Island Pond Road) back to the car. Skenonto’s really a purely pretty place. Thanks, Tony!
tony and suzy we are going today to lk skenonto w our dogs 930 rt106 RD parking. mountain laurel is gorgeous around that lake.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/harrimanhike/info check out our dog friendly hiking group
Thanks for the note, Susan. I know I’ll be joining you soon. I’m afraid my old guys are really winding down. I think it’s a matter of just a couple weeks, if not days, for both of them (they’re 13 and 14). :0( We look up to you guys, and to Shawnee the Shepherd, as our hiking role models.
My next dogs will be fosters and I was thinking I’ll maybe have some scout badges made for them to wear on little vests, showing off their woods skills (The return-when-called badge. The swimming badge. The backpacking badge. The Ramapo-Dunderberg-in-two-days badge).
Thanks, Susan.
Hi susan. Thx for the notice about the hike. Unfortunately I am working today. Please keep me posted on other hikes as I am available most days and would enjoy a hike with the dogs. Enjoy Lake Skenonto.
send me your email mine is banjolady.susan@verizon.net
Hi Suzy–
Thanks for your great website! I look forward to exploring the Lake Skenonto loop.
You probably know this, but others may not: Another good way to get to Green Pond is to take the “Green Pond/Boston Mine Longer Loop from Elk Pen” as described on the NY-NJ Trail Conference website: http://www.nynjtc.org/hike/green-pondboston-mine-loop
It’s become a favorite Harriman hike of ours. We usually have lunch at around the midpoint of the hike on one of the boulders overlooking the northern shore of the Pond after the descent to Pond level on the Dunning Trail.
Best,
Rachel
That sounds so sweet. Green Pond is just out of this world and a great place to have lunch, I’d think. I remember someone describing the woods road — Island Pond Road — as it leads down from Green Pond, as a place where they wouldn’t be surprised to see a centaur high-stepping through the grass and blueberry thickets. It’s that kind of place. Thanks for the note, Rachel.
It’s definitely that kind of place! I will look for the centaur next time 😉
Rachel
suzy i am so sorry about your aging dogs, it is always painful to see them slowing down and losing quality of life. when my cleo was 12 she had a bad accident and severed her sciatic nerve, after a few months she could walk somewhat with a foot drop, but she could swim like mad. maybe your dogs could swim at skanatati or kakiat and feel like dogs again,..
didnt have much time today so maggie and riley and I went to lily pond. laurel is still blooming. i parked near st johns church, you can get a permit for a small donation to the church to park there…anyway i took the long path to old turnpike and headed west toward lake welch drive, then just before lake welch drive there is a little herd path that goes up a hill. i then found the old road (dotted line on southern harriman map #118) that goes to lily pond. there is a path into the pond. it is very full of lily pads so the swimming is not good but the laurel is gorgeous and it is a very secluded spot. other people have found it of course, there is evidence of camping…the hike is about 4 miles….
Hi Suzy–
We took your suggestion and hiked the Victory Trail-Sebago Shoreline-Triangle Trail-RD Trail-Victory loop yesterday. It was a wonderful hike, allowing us to take in two beautiful lakes and the Parker Cabin Mountain ridgeline on a spectacularly beautiful day. Due to other obligations, we were not able to start the hike until 4:30, and because it was the summer solstice, it didn’t matter. We finished up at 7:30–including a 15-minute snack stop on the Lake Sebago shore–well before the sun was setting. Thanks so much for pointing out this area!
Rachel