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Member Club of New York - New Jersey Trail Conference
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Thursday 7/4/2024 - 7/4 - 7/7 Independence Day Family Camping, Hickory Run State Park, PA The Hickory Run State Park lies in the western foothills of the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. The park has over 40 miles of hiking trails, three natural areas, and miles of trout streams. The Boulder Field is a National Natural Landmark. The nearby Lehigh Gorge State Park offers White water rafting, boating and biking opportunities. The campground has modern facilities of flush toilets, warm shower and play fields. Camping starts on the 4th July holiday on Thursday and ends on Sunday afternoon. Camping fee including 7/4 BBQ is $35 /person and $15 for children. Meeting Time/Place: To be determined Leaders: Chung Leung/Barry Peng Saturday 7/6/2024 - Sterling Lake-Fire Tower-Bare Rock Loop, 6 - 9 miles, Levels B & C Sterling Forest State Park, NY Starting from the Lautenberg Visitor Center, tour the Lakeville Ironwork Furnace. Walk along the south shore of Sterling Lake to the Fire Tower trailhead. Go up the hill to the Fire Tower. Hike along the Sterling Ridge to have a good view of the Sterling Lake and the surrounding mountains. Change to the (orange) trail to visit the Bare Rock lookout point where there is an expansive view of Greenwood Lake. Retrace the (orange) trail going downhill back to Sterling Lake and the Visitor Center. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at trailhead Leaders: Shui-Kei Ng/Cherry Lau Saturday 7/13/2024 - Schunemunk Mountain 7 & 9 Mile Hike/ Levels B & C Schunemunk Mountain State Park, NY The trail over Schunemunk Mountain offers a series of fine lookouts and a varied terrain. The Storm King Art Center can be seen from the ridge. Enjoy the special vegetation and rock formations on the ridges. The Megaliths is a must visit lunch spot. Expect some steep up hills and descents. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Jessica Liu/Cherry Lau Saturday 7/13/2024 - Palisades Cliff and Hudson River Shore Hike / Level A - C Palisades Interstate Park, NY/NJ Starting from the State Line Lookout, visit the historic Women's Federation Monument. Follow the Long Path along the cliff edge heading south to visit breathtaking overlooks of Ruckman Point, Bombay Hook and Grey Crag. Go down to the Alpine Picnic area and hike along the shore of the Hudson River. Enjoy the cool breeze on the Hudson River and the sight of the tantalizing cliffs. Avid hikers can hike on the Giant Stairs to experience rock scrambling. Visit the Peanuts leap falls and return to the Parking Lot. Parking Fee required Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the State Line Lookout parking lot Leaders: Chung Leung/MeiSheng Liu Saturday 7/20/2024 - Iron Mines trail, 6 & 9 miles Day Hikes/ Levels B & C Harriman State Park, NY Peep into the mining past of Harriman State Park by visiting the remnants of some old iron mines. Some of these mines became beautiful caves with natural skylights. Starting from Lake Skannatati, visit the Hogencamp Mine then to the Pine Swamp, Surbridge, Greenwood and Bradley mines. Return by visiting the Fingerboard Shelter to enjoy the view of Lake Tiorati and Connect to the A-SB trail back to Lake Askoti. Adventurous hikers extend the hike to Boston Mine with the bonus of the terrific views of Island Pond and atop mountain ridges. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the Lake Askoti Parking Lot Leaders: Iris Liu/Sharon Yan Saturday 7/20/2024 - Bearfort Mountain-Wawayanda -- 18 Mile Day Hike / Level F Wawayanda State Forest / , NJ From trailhead parking lot on Warwick Turnpike, take AT (white) east, turn right on Ernest Walter Trail (yellow), then turn right again on Bearfort Ridge Trail (white), change to Terrace Pond North Trail (blue), pass Warwick Turnpike and Clinton Road, switch to Old Coal Trail (red), turn left on Lookout Trail (white), then turn right on Cherry Ridge Road (unmarked trail), switch to Laural Pond Trail (yellow), pass Wawayanda Furnace and unmarked trail along the Wawayanda Lake. At boat launch place, switch to Iron Mountain Trail (blue), pass Wawayanda Road, turn right on AT Trail (white), pass Kazmar Pond and Parker Lake back to the parking lot. Meeting Time/Place: 8:00 AM at the trailhead parking lot Leaders: Jimmy Xing/Lucy Yu Saturday 7/20/2024 - The Grand Loop, GW Bridge, Cuomo Bridge, S. County Rail Trail 45 Mile Biking Bike over GW Bridge to NJ/ Tarrytown / Bronx NY From G. Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, bike over GW Bridge to Fort Lee —>then head north on Rt 9W to Piermont, NY—>continue on Piermont Rd—River Rd to S. Nyack/Mario Cuomo Bridge —>cross the Bridge to Tarrytown & Elmsford, then take South County Rail Trail to La Lanterna (option for a refreshing Italian lunch) then continue to Van Cortlandt Park/242 St. Either bike or take #1 subway back to the bus terminal. Meeting Time/Place: 9:00AM /GW Bus Terminal, Fort Washington Ave/178 Street Leaders: Ben Lee/Kenny Lip Saturday 7/27/2024 - two days Backpacking (2024/7/27-7/28) Harriman State Park South, NY The backpacking training prepares hikers to hike to destinations which are too far to be reachable on a day hike. Hikers check out their backpacking gears and practice walking on rugged terrains with a 30 pounds packs on their back. Learn to find a site to stay overnight and keep away from wild animals. Start from Lake Skannatati Parking Lot,follow A-SB to time square, change to red dot to catch AT and Long Path, follow Lichen trail to Bald Rocks shelter to camp overnight. The 2nd day, follow Dunning trail to Elk Pen and change to AT, follow R back to Parking. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at Lake Skannatati Parking Leaders: Iris Liu/Lucy Yu Saturday 7/27/2024 - Johnsontown Circle - Parker Cabin Mtn and lakes Hike / Levels B & C Harriman State Park, NY From JTC, follow Blue Disc Trail to climb up Dater Mtn. passing the rock formation of Elbow Brush. Go up Claudius Smith Den to enjoy the view of Blauvelt Mountain. Continue to walk on the mountain top to Black Ash Swamp. Take the Victory Trail to the Lake Skenonto. Avid hikers go up Parker Cabin Mtn. for more scenic views. After lunch, go along the bank of Lake Sebago to the Triangle (Yellow)Trail. Follow the Triangle and then the White Bar Trails back to JCT. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Sharon Yen/Sharon Yan Saturday 8/3/2024 - Stonetown Circular Hike, 7 - 9 Mile Hikes / Levels B & C Norvin Green State Forest, NJ Starting at the parking lot at Stonetown Road, climb up Little Windbeam, Windbeam, Bear and Board Mountains, a total of 6 peaks. However the views on the surrounding reservoirs and The waters of reservoirs, lakes and even the silhouette of the Manhattan skyline from a distance offer a great reward. *No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Iris Liu/XiaoJing Wei Saturday 8/3/2024 - Three Reservoirs / TMI Loop Hike, 6 - 8 Miles / Levels B&C Harriman State Park, NY Starting at parking lot off Rte 106, at the foothill of the Jackie Jones Mountain, follow the S-BM (yellow) trail for about half a mile. Then turn left to the unmarked road to visit the three reservoirs. Follow the unmarked trail to TMI. Then catch the Breakneck Mtn trail and the S-BM trail back to the parking lot. C Level hikers may hike on the unmarked Woodtown Road to reach TMI, turn right to reach (W) and turn right on (W) --> S-BM back to the parking area. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Steve Lin/Tony Shu Saturday 8/10/2024 - Seven Hills Trail, 9 & 12 miles Day Hike/ Level B & C Harriman State Park, NY From the Reeves Visitor center, follow the 7 Hills Trail (blue),there are seven ups and downs along the trail. Some of them are quite steep. However you will be amazed on the expansive views on each climb. It is worth the workout. Visit Lake Wanoksink and have lunch at Pine Meadow Lake. Follow Pine Meadow (red) trail back to the parking lot. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Frank Song/Wei Chen Saturday 8/10/2024 - Aug 10-11; 2-Day Biking/Camping Taconic State park (Rudd Pond), NY Taconic State Park (Rudd Pond), NY Option #1: Bike in the Vicinity of Millerton & Copake Falls on open country roads with rolling hills, 40 to 50 miles Option #2: Bike the Harlem River Rail Trail with many scenic views, 30 to 40 miles Camping at Rudd Pond campground with flush toilet and hot shower. Camping fee: $15/person; costs-shared BBQ dinner Aug 10 Saturday. Limited space. Register before Aug 1st. Meeting Time/Place: Contact leaders for details Leaders: Steve Chan/Ben Lee/Kenny Lip Saturday 8/10/2024 - Ramapo Lake to Matapan Rock Hike, 7 - 10 Mile/ Level B&C Ramapo Mountain State Forest, NJ From the Trailhead, follow Castle Loop (white)Trail to Ramapo Lake. Climb Le Grande Hill for the view. Change to the (orange) for the views on top of Wanaque Ridge. Then follow the white trail up the hill to visit ruins and the Stone Tower. Continue on the Cannon Ball Trail to Matapan Rock. Visit the Millstone Hill. Follow the (Orange) trail, then (purple) trail back to the parking lot. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM Trailhead Parking Leaders: Sharon Yan/Davy Mak Saturday 8/17/2024 - Ramapo Valley Ilgenstein Rock Hike / Level B&C Ramapo Valley County Reservation, Mahwah, NJ From the parking lot, take the bridge across the Ramapo River. Go around the Scarlet Pond. Go up the mountain to Hawk Rock and Cactus Ledge. Go downhill to reach Ridge Overlook where there is a gorgeous view of the valley. Hike down the hill to MacMillan Reservoir. Go through the swamp to reach Bear Swamp Lake. Climb up the hill to Ilgentstein Rock. After enjoying the panorama view, go downhill to the Cannonball Lake. Follow the Swamp Brook downhill then follow the Yellow Silver Trail to return to the parking. *No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Lily Huang/Steve Huang Saturday 8/17/2024 - Mount Defiance & Five Ponds Hike, 6 & 8 miles / Levels B & C Ringwood State Park, NJ The hike starts on going up Mount Defiance. There are rocky vistas to view the surrounding Ramapo Mountains. Come down the mountain to tour the streams and woodlands. Take a leisure walk through the newly constructed Five Ponds Trail loop to see the beautiful ponds. Avid hikers can venture out to Ilgenstein Rock and the Bear Swamp Lake. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Jessica Liu/Davy Mak Saturday 8/24/2024 - Dater Mountain and Pound Mountain Hike / Level B &C Harriman State Park Starting from Johnsontown Circle, take the Blue Disc Trail then the Kakiat trail to visit the Dater Mountain Nature Park. The trails on the hilltop offer gorgeous views of the Ramapo River Valley. Return back to the Blue Disc trail to hike on the Pound Mountain visiting the rock formations of Elbow Brush and Claudius Smith Den. Continue to the Black Ash Swamp and use the Victory Blue trail to connect to the white bar trail back to the parking lot. Avid hikers continue to Lake Skenonto then return. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the Johnsontown Circle trailhead Leaders: Sharon Yan/Davy Mak Saturday 8/24/2024 - Seven Hills Trail, 7 & 9 miles Day Hike/ Level B & C Harriman State Park, NY From the Reeves Visitor center, take the Pine Meadow (red) Trail going south-west. Then switch to the 7 Hills Trail (blue) on the left. There are seven ups and downs along the trail. Some of them are quite steep. However you will be amazed on the expansive views on each climb. It is worth the workout. Have lunch on the ridge between North Hill and Chipmunk Mtn. When the blue trail meets the Pine Meadow (red) trail, continue on the 7 Hills (blue) trail up the Diamond Mtn. Change to yellow trail on the right to Pine Meadow (red) trail again. Make a right on the red trail and follow it back to the parking lot. C level hikers can make side trips to the Ramapo Torne, further up on Diamond Mtn Tower and the Pine Meadow Lake. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Amy Tien/Lian Jiang Sunday 8/25/2024 - Ramapo Lake to Matapan Rock Hike, 7 - 10 Mile/ Level B&C Ramapo Mountain State Forest, NJ From the Trailhead, follow Castle Loop (white)Trail to Ramapo Lake. Climb Le Grande Hill for the view. Change to the (orange) for the views on top of Wanaque Ridge. Then follow the white trail up the hill to visit the ruins and the Stone Tower. Continue on the Cannon Ball Trail to Matapan Rock. Visit Lake Vreeland and the Millstone Hill. Follow the (Orange) trail, then (purple) trail to visit Lake Tamarack and Todd Lake before returning to the parking lot. Meeting Time/Place: 8:00 AM Trailhead Parking Leaders: MeiSheng Liu/Jennifer Chen Saturday 8/31/2024 - The Timp and Dunderberg Mountain Hike / Level B and C Bear Mountain State Park, New York The hike walks portion of the unfinished Dunderberg Spiral Railway built in 1890. Visit remnants of the tunnels and graded railbeds. Starting from the R-D trail head roadside parking at 9W/202, follow the Timp-Torne trail (blue) to climb up to the Timp. Enjoy many lookout points of the Hudson River and Highlands along the ridge. After lunch, take R-D (red) trail through Bald Mtn & Cornell Mine to go back to parking lot. Short walk hikers can take short cuts. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Iris Liu/Cherry Lau Saturday 8/31/2024 - Hook Mountain - Hudson River Shore Hike, 6 -12 miles, Levels B&C Hook Mountain State Park, NY Hook Mountain is an extension of the Hudson River Palisades Cliffs north of Nyack. Its 730 ft summit offers spectacular views of the Hudson River valley. The Long Path Trail runs along the mountain ridge and slopes to a lower elevation to the north. Sections of the trail run along the western shore of Hudson River under the towering cliffs. The hike starts near the Rockland Lake State park and goes north to Haverstraw River Trail in a loop. Options are available to go south and visit the Nyack Beach State Park. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Mei Lu/MeiSheng Liu Saturday 8/31/2024 - Labor Day Camping (Limited to 30 people) THOMPSONS LAKE CAMPGROUND at Thacher State Park We’re at capacity. The waiting list is open. 8/31-9/2. With the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, Thompsons Lake campground features large, secluded and wooded campsites. Facilities on site include flush toilet, hot shower, and play fields. There are plenty of bike routes and hiking trails nearby. BBQ dinner on 8/31. Prepare your other meals and your camping equipment. Fees: $30 adults; $15 children under 12. Meeting Time/Place: Contact leaders for details Leaders: Kwok-Chi Ng/Chung Leung/Nancy Liang/Diana Lu Sunday 9/1/2024 - Thacher State Park 4-11 Miles Hike/ Levels B & C Thacher State Park, NY (Near Albany) The trail over Thacher State Park offers a series of fine lookouts, a varied terrain and waterfall. Meeting Time/Place: 9:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Kwok-Chi Ng/Diana Lu/Chung Leung/Nancy Liang Saturday 9/7/2024 - Silvermine Lake to West Mountain Loop Hike, 8+miles/ Levels B & C Harriman/ Bear Mountain State Park, NY Take the service road along Sivermine Lake to go up Black Mountain. Views on Black Mtn. can see as far as Manhattan. Follow the newly re-routed AT trail to West Mountain without walking across the busy Palisades Pkwy. Hike along the West Mountain ridge and stop over on all the lookout points. Descend West Mountain at Cats Elbow along the R-D Trail. Walk on the Ski/bicycle trail to Anthony Wayne Rec. Area (AWR). Walk on the unmarked trails back to Silvermine Lake. Avid hikers extend the hike at AWR to visit Queensboro Lake and Turkey Hill Lake. *No carpools available** Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at Silvermine Lake trailhead Leaders: Lucy Yu/Iris Liu Saturday 9/7/2024 - East Hudson 15 miles Day Hike/ Level D Clarence Fahnestock State Park, NY This is in the northwest section of Clarence Fahnestock State Park. Starting from the trailhead of the SM (White) by Hubbard Lodge, right turn to Fahnestock FS (blue), right turn to Perkins PT (yellow), left turn to Cabot CA (white), left turn to Charcoal Burners CB (red), continue to Wiccopee WI (blue), left turn to School Mountain SM (white), right turn to East Mountain EM (red), and right turn to SM (white) to back to the trailhead. For experienced hikers only. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM Hubbard Lodge Trailhead Leaders: Steve Lin/Frank Song Saturday 9/7/2024 - Bearfort Mt, Surprise Lake to Prospect Rock Hike / Level B & C Hewitt, NJ The Bearfort Mountain Ridge is famous for its reddish bedrocks, pitch pines and rocky outcrop lookouts. From the Highlands Preserve Parking, take the unmarked trail up to the Bearfort Ridge (green) trail. Follow the trail to Surprise Lake then follow the blue and AT trails to Prospect Rock and the Grand View lookout points. Enjoy the spectacular views of the Greenwood Lake. Return by the yellow trail for the view of the West pond. Continue on the West Ridge (pink) trail or the green trail back to the parking lot Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Jimmy Xing/XiaoJing Wei Sunday 9/8/2024 - Castle Rock/ Manitoga Preserve/ AT Trail Hike, 7 & 10 miles / Levels B & C Hudson Highlands State Park, NY Manitoga was the woodland garden of designer Russel Wright. Start from the parking lot at Castle Rock. Go south to visit the Sugarloaf Hill lookout. Continue south on the blue trail to the beautiful landscapes of the Manitoga Preserve. Walk towards Curry Pond. Catch the AT trail and head north to White Rock. Enjoy the view of the Hudson River and surrounding mountains. Avid hikers can extend the hike to the riverfront park of Glenclyffe. Meeting Time/Place: 8:00 AM at trail head Leaders: Jennifer Chen/Chung Leung Saturday 9/14/2024 - Mid-Autumn Festival Cookout, Moon Viewing, and Night Hike Harriman State Park From the meeting location at Lake Askoti or close-by, hike up Black Rock Mountain to locate an excluded open space with a good view of the sky. Settle down and Cook out in the wild for dinner or enjoy your pre-prepared dinner from home. Relax and share thoughts on the moments of harmonious union while waiting for the moon to rise. Finish around 9pm, walk under the moon back to the parking lot using headlamps and/or flashlights. If you are also joining the day hike from Lake Askoti, let the day hike leader know and he will show you the moon viewing spot to meet the other moon viewing hikers. Meeting Time/Place: 3:00 PM, location to be determined Leaders: Diana Lu/Kwok-Chi Ng Saturday 9/14/2024 - Mid-Autumn Festival: Lake Askoti- Island Pond Hike, 7-9 mile, Levels B & C Harriman State Park, NY Take the A-SB (red triangle) trail to Time Square. Go up the Hogencamp Mountain and visit the lookout points on R-D and Lichen trails. Continue to visit the famous rock formation of Lemon Squeezer. Go west on the AT trail to the north shore of Island Pond. Change to a service road to a secluded spot, south of Island pond. Retrace back on the service road and follow the scenic Dunning (yellow) trail back to the parking lot. If you are planning to do the moon viewing, please also register for the moon viewing hikes and let the trip leaders know. The trip leaders will show you the moon viewing spot without returning to the trailhead. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at trail head Leaders: Steve Huang/Lily Huang Saturday 9/14/2024 - Mid-Autumn Festival Backpacking and moon viewing, Levels B & C Harriman State Park, NY Learn to prepare a light pack for an overnight camp out in the wilderness. From the trailhead meeting location, hike to Black Rock Mountain to look for a good location to camp and view the moon. The same location will be used by the other hikers who will do the moon viewing there but not stay overnight. Setup camp, do short hikes around the area and wait for the other hikers to join in for the moon viewing. Enjoy the night in the cozy tent under the bright moonlight. The next day, hike with the light backpack to return to the parking lot. Option to join the Sunday hikers for a longer backpacking hike. If you are also doing the Saturday day hike, let the day hike leader know that you are doing the moon viewing. The Day hike leader will show you the moon viewing spot to meet the other moon viewing hikers. Meeting Time/Place: starts in the afternoon, Contact the leaders for the Meeting time and location Leaders: John Li/Carina Li Saturday 9/21/2024 - Ringwood SP - Mt.Defiance - Hawk Rock Loop hike (9+miles / levels B-C) Ramapo Valley County Reservation, NJ Ringwood State Park - Mt. Defiance and Hawk Rock loop Take Schuber trail (orange) and pass MacMillan Reservoir, turn right to Red-Silver trail to Bear Swamp lake, turn left on Shore Trail (blue), then Cannonball trail (red) and Crossover trail (white), pass Ilgenstein Rock and Butler Mine, turn right on Ringwood-Ramapo trail (red), pass Mt. Defiance (1040 ft.) and Cupsaw Mountain shelter, change to Crossover trail (white), cross Morris Road and NJ Botanical Garden, switch to Halifax trail (green), pass Halifax Ruins and Hawk Rock, switch to Silver trail and parking lot. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Cherry Lau/Jessica Liu Saturday 9/21/2024 - Horse Pond Mountain and Monksville Reservoir Hike, 8 & 10 miles / Level B & C Long Pond Ironworks State Park, NJ The Monksville Reservoir was built in 1987 by damming on the Wanaque River in West Milford, NJ. The hike starts at the South Boat Launch parking area. Follow the Monks Trail to Monks Mountain for a southern view of the reservoir. Go around the northern bay of the reservoir to visit the remains of the Long Pond Furnaces. Change to the Highland Trail to go up Horse Pond Mountain. At the summit, the full view of the horse shoe shaped reservoir can be seen. Descend from the summit and walk on the Monksville Dam to return to the parking. *no carpool arrangement. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: YuShan Li/Sharon Yen Sunday 9/22/2024 - Elk Pen - Through AT RD and Nurian to Valley of Boulder-9 mile Level C Harriman State Park, NY From Elk Pen Parking lot, take AT (White) to Lemon Squeeze, stay on AT and change to Long Path south, A-SB and Lichen. Continue from Lichen to Ramapo-Dunderberg RD (Red)hike to the Nurian White. Then follow Nurian (White) passing Valley of Boulder to Stahahe Brook red stripe trail (red).Continue to Arden Surebridge red triangle (red) to AT and back to Elk Pen Parking. No carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:30AM at Trailhead Leaders: Jennifer Chen Saturday 9/28/2024 - Manitoga/ Canada Hill/ AT Trail Hike, 7 - 10 mile, Levels B & C Hudson Highlands State Park, NY Start from the Historic site of Glenclyffe parking lot. Hike to the Castle Rock Unique Area then Sugarloaf Hill for the views of Hudson River and surrounding mountains. Walk to Manitoga, which was the woodland garden of designer Russel Wright and is a National Historic Landmark for preservation. Tour the beautiful landscape of the garden and walk towards Curry Pond. Catch the AT trail and return to Glenclyffe. Avid hikers can extend the hike to White Rock and tour the riverfront park of Glenclyffe. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at trail head Leaders: John Li/Carina Li Saturday 9/28/2024 - Ramapo Lake - Wanaque Ridge Hike, 7 - 10 Mile/ Level B&C Lower parking lot at Ramapo Mountain State Forest, NJ From the Trailhead, follow trails (BBK-B)Trail to Ramapo Lake. Climb Le Grande Hill for the view. Change to the (orange) for the views on top of Wanaque Ridge. Then follow the white trail up the hill to visit ruins and the Stone Tower. Continue on the Cannon Ball Trail to Matapan Rock. Visit the Millstone Hill. Follow the (Orange) trail, then (purple) trail back to the parking lot. *No carpool arrangement* Meeting Time/Place: 8:00 AM at lower trailhead Parking Lot Leaders: Homer Hsieh/Sharon Yen Saturday 9/28/2024 - Fall season Trail Maintenance, Shore Path along Hudson River Palisades Interstate Park, NY/ NJ Trail maintenance of the Shore Path trail along the Hudson River in New Jersey and New York; pick up trash, trim protruding branches, etc. Trip leaders will provide tools. Light refreshments will be offered at the end of the activity. This is a very important event for the club as it is our duty to serve our community and conserve the nature for the future. Please register early for getting a free parking permit from the park authority. Meeting Time/Place: 8:00 AM at trail head Leaders: Shui-Kei Ng/Tony Shu/Chung Leung/Kwok-Chi Ng Sunday 9/29/2024 - Popolopen Torne 8-10 miles/ Leveils B & C Bear Mountain, NY Starting from Brooks Pond, follow the Blue trail to Popolopen Torne. Some rock scrambling is required but the panoramic view at the Torne is rewarding. Descend from the Torne to hike on the Gorge Trail to Queensboro Lake. Hike along the trails going east to Hessian Lake. Visit Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery. Cross the highway and return to Brooks Pond Parking. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30AM at Brooks Lake parking lot Leaders: Jennifer Chen/MeiSheng Liu Saturday 10/5/2024 - Bearfort Mt, Surprise Lake to Prospect Rock Hike / Level B & C Hewitt, NJ The Bearfort Mountain Ridge is famous for its reddish bedrocks, pitch pines and rocky outcrop lookouts. From the Highlands Preserve Parking, take the unmarked trail up to the Bearfort Ridge (green) trail. Follow the trail to Surprise Lake then follow the blue and AT trails to Prospect Rock and the Grand View lookout points. Enjoy the spectacular views of the Greenwood Lake. Return by the yellow trail for the view of the West pond. Continue on the West Ridge (pink) trail or the green trail back to the parking lot Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Homer Hsieh/Jessica Liu Saturday 10/5/2024 - Wildcat Mountain - Indian Hill Loop, 9 & 13 miles / levels B & C Sterling Forest + Harriman State Park, NY The Wildcat Mountain and the Indian Hill offer many south-facing scenic views of the Ramapo Valley, Sterling Forest and Harriman State Park. The hilltop are dotted with scattered large rocks left behind from the glacial period. The loop trail starts from the parking lot at Route 17A. Follow the Wildcat Mountain (WC) and Indian Hill (IH) trails to the Appalachian Trail (AT white). Turn right on AT and enter Harriman State Park. Take the service road near Elk Pen to Valley of Boulder to White Bar. Crossing route 106 to Parker Cabin Hollow (O) and through Route 106 again to the parking lot. A shorter version is to follow the WC trail to Indian Hill. Hike a complete loop on Indian Hill and retrace on the WC trail back to the parking lot. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at trail head Leaders: Lucy Yu/Iris Liu Saturday 10/5/2024 - (10/5-10/7) Farm family camping and fruit harvest Chestnut Hill Vineyard, Rhode Island 2-3 days camping to experience modern farm living. Feed and pet the friendly pigs, goats and sheep. Harvest and take home winter squash, pawpaw fruits and vegetables. Take a walk at Newport Cliff and enjoy the autumn scenery. Camping 10/5 -10/6 and option to stay on 10/7. Bring your own sleeping bag, sleeping pad and cooking utensils. Option to sleep in the farm shelter or bring your own tent. Camping fee $50 includes site rental, 2 dinners, 1 lunch and 1 breakfast. Free for children under 12 years old. Space is limited and please register before 9/26. Meeting Time/Place: Contact leader for details Leaders: Li Kunin Saturday 10/12/2024 - 10/11 Fri - 10/14 Mon (4 days 3 nights) Camping + Hiking + Knowledge sharing Phoenicia Black Bear Campground in Catskill, NY Long weekend getaway - campsite is available on 10/11 Friday too. The trip is limited to 25 trip leaders or anyone interested in outdoor knowledge. We will have a day hike (Kaaterskill falls, section of the Devil's path, and Overlook Mountain) and knowledge sharing session (map skill, navigation, equipment, backpacking, teamwork...) each day. Bring your own camping equipment (tent, sleeping bag, cooking utensil, etc.) or backpacking gear (if you have). Campsite provides flush toilet/hot shower. Register before 9/30. Fee: $80 (covers campsite/3 breakfasts/3 lunches/2 dinners). Leaders reserve the right to screen members. Meeting Time/Place: to be announced Leaders: Tony Shu/Bon Chiu/Chwen (Jun) Best/Iris Liu Saturday 10/12/2024 - Elk Pen/ Time Square Hike, 8 - 10 mile, Levels B&C Harriman State Park, NY From Elk Pen Parking lot , take the Arden-Surbridge trail up to the viewpoint at Green Pond Mountain. Switch to a service road to visit Boston Mine. Then follow the Dunning trail and R-D (red) trail to Ship Rock, Hogencamp Mountain and Times Square. Change to A-SB trail to visit the famous rock formation of Lemon Squeezer. Follow the Appalachian Trail to the tranquil Island Pond and return to Elk Pen. Fast paced hikers can extend the route to Valley of Boulders. Continue to R-D (red) trail to hike along the ridge of Black Rock Mountain to Time Square. *Limit to 20 People and No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Kwok-Chi Ng/Diana Lu Saturday 10/12/2024 - (10/12 - 10/14) Camping-Biking Tour Dutchess Rail Trail at Lake Taghkanic State Taghkanic State Park, New York The campground sits next to the pretty Lake Taghkanic and a perfect place to relax after a day's biking. The nearby Dutchess Rail Trail is a 40-mile paved-over retired railroad with many scenic views. It’s relatively flat & easy with no vehicular traffic. It ends with the famous footbridge walking over Hudson River to Catskill. Day 2: Bike the more difficult Rhinebeck Loop on country road with hilly sections to visit the old towns and farms. You can bike or hike to visit the historic sites: 1. Mills Mansion, 2. FDR National Historic Site, 3. Vanderbilt Mansion, 4.The Culinary Institute of American etc.Camping Fee: $25/person; Share cost on (10/12)BBQ Dinner & meals. Register before (9/30) Meeting Time/Place: Contact leaders for details Leaders: Ben Lee/Kenny Lip Sunday 10/13/2024 - Silvermine Lake - Black Mtn - Queensboro Lake fall foliage hike / Level B & C Harriman State Park North, NY Starting from Silvermine lake, walk along the North-East shore to go up Black Mountain for the view of the surrounding mountains and New York skyline. Descend the mountain on the 1779 Trail passing through forest with variety of fall foliage colors. Continue hiking to Queensboro Lake and Turkey Hill Lake to see different foliage colors. Hike on the Long Path along the Stockbridge Mountain ridge to the shelter for the western view of the mountains. Descend to Lake Nawahunta and back to the Silvermine Lake parking lot. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Chung Leung Saturday 10/19/2024 - Storm King Mt to Pitching Point Loop Hike / Level B & C Cornwall, NY From the Route 9W (North) trailhead parking lot, ascend Storm King Mt. on the Butter Hill Trail (orange). Then follow the yellow Stillman Trail through many scenic viewpoints overlooking the Hudson River. Change to the blue Howell Trail to loop around North Point with a view that looks like a Scandinavian fjord. Return via Pitching Point with more viewpoints. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trail head Leaders: Nancy Liang/Davy Mak/Lian Jiang Saturday 10/19/2024 - Minnewaska State Park Hike / Level A & C Minnewaska State Park, NY Minnewaska State Park Preserve is situated on the dramatic Shawangunk Mountain ridge, which rises more than 2,000 feet above sea level and is surrounded by rugged terrain. The hike takes you around Lake Minnewaska and the Awosting Falls. Walk along the carriage road to the sheer cliffs and ledges opening to beautiful views. Hikers choose to hike the Castle Point Loop or the Gertrude's Nose Loop.*No Carpool Arrangement* Meeting Time/Place: Meeting Time/Place: 9:00 AM at the Trailhead parking lot Leaders: XiaoJing Wei/Wei Chen/Jianming Wang/Chung Leung Sunday 10/20/2024 - Anthony's Nose Hike / Level A & C Bear Mt State Park, NY Anthony's Nose is a mountain peak on the eastern side cliff of the Hudson River. Anthony’s Nose Hike, option hike to Bear Mountain. Start from Route 202 offsite Parking Lot, visit Bronze Elk Statue, then cross the Bear Mountain Bridge. Continue up to the Anthony’s Nose via AT and blue trails. This is the best time and place to see the fall foliage scenery. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the Trailhead parking lot (Route 202 offsite parking) Leaders: Jennifer Chen/Chung Leung Saturday 10/26/2024 - Bull Hill & Breakneck Mountain hike/ Levels B&C Hudson Highlands State Park, NY Bull Hill (Mt. Taurus) is located next to the famous Breakneck Ridge in the Hudson Highlands. Hiking up Bull Hill offers sweeping views of the Hudson River and neighboring peaks from rock outcrops but without the rock scramble like Breakneck. Descend from the summit of Bull Hill. Cross over to the northern section of the Breakneck Ridge by the Notch trail for more views. Finish the hike by walking downhill on the Cornish trail along the Breakneck Brook. *No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the Washburn Trailhead Leaders: Chwen (Jun) Best/Sharon Yen Saturday 10/26/2024 - West Mountain Range 10+ miles Hike / Level B/C Bear Mountain, NY Starting at the Anthony Wayne Parking Area, follow the White trail, then the FAWN (red) trail and then the Timp-Torne (blue) trail to meet the AT trail at West Mountain. Enjoy all the lookout points along the ridge. After the West Mountain Shelter, continue to The Timp and back to Red Cross trail, follow Yellow S-BM (Y)trail,return to Parking by R-D. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at Anthony Wayne Parking Leaders: Iris Liu/Vincent Yu Saturday 11/2/2024 - Norvin Green/ Weis Nature Center 6 - 9 Mile Hikes, Levels B & C Norvin Green State Forest, NJ From Weis Center, go up Ball Mtn. to the Vista point. Come downhill to Roomy Mine and view the cascades along the Blue Mine Brook. Continue on the Highland Trail to visit High Point which is famous for its rock ledges, pitch pines and panoramic view. Branch off to visit the lookout points at Carris Hill. Return to Weis Center by the service road. Avid hikers can extend the hike to the trails on Buck Mtn. *No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at New Weis Center Parking Lot Leaders: Nancy Liang/Mei Lu Saturday 11/2/2024 - Stony Brook & Diamond Mountain 8-10 miles/ Level C Harriman State Park, N Y Start from Reeves Visitor Center, take Pine Meadow Trail and Yellow on the left to cross river to continue to Stony Brook Trail (Y) to the end and continue with TMI & Seven Hill (B) to Lake Wanoksink & Pine Meadow for waterview. After the break, taking Yellow to Diamond Mt for panoramic view. Coming down to Kakiat trail to visit Cascade of Slid and continue to Pine Meadow Trail back to parking lot. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at Reeves Visitor Center (Seven Lake Drive) Leaders: Saturday 11/9/2024 - Elk Pen - Through AT RD and Nurian to Valley of Boulder-9 mile Level C Harriman State Park, NY From Elk Pen Parking lot, take AT (white) to Lemon Squeeze. stay on AT and change to the Long Path south, A-SB and Lichen. Continue from Lichen to Ramapo-Dunderberg RD (red) hike to the Nurian White. Then follow Nurian (white) passing Valley of Boulder to Stahahe Brook red stripe trail (red). Continue to Arden Surebridge red triangle (red) to AT and back to Elk Pen Parking. *No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:30AM at Trailhead Leaders: Vincent Yu/Danielle Liang Saturday 11/9/2024 - West Mountain to Timp Torne Hike, Level B & C Bear Mountain State Park, NY Starting at the Anthony Wayne Recreation Parking Area, follow the White trail, then the FAWN (red) trail to the Timp Torne (blue) trail. Hike along the (blue) trail to enjoy the gorgeous views along the ridge of West Mountain. Take a break at the Shelter and continue to Timp Pass. Change to the R-D (red) trail to the Beech Bottom Service Road and continue to go back to the parking. Avid hikers venture out to The Timp from Timp Pass. Make a loop on the R-D and 1777 trails, visiting the Herbert Mine then go back to Timp Pass. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area Leaders: Davy Mak/Nancy Liang Saturday 11/16/2024 - Fingerboard - Stockbridge - Goshen Mountains Loop 12 Mile Day Hike / Levels D Harriman State Park, N Y Starting from the Lake Tiorati Trail (triple B) to the crest of Fingerboard to connect AT southbound, then change to Long Path (north B) near Dismal Swamp. Continue LP to Stockbridge Shelter and change to Menomine Trail (Y), passing Silvermine Lake to Brien Memorial Shelter. After shelter change to RD passing Goshen Mt to return to parking. Meeting Time/Place: Recommended 8:30 AM at the trail head Leaders: Iris Liu/Lucy Yu Saturday 11/16/2024 - Silvermine Lake/ Stockbridge Mountain Hike / Level B & C Harriman State Park, NY Starting from the Silvermine Lake picnic area, follow the yellow trail to the Brien Memorial Shelter.Then change to RD. Cross over to the Long Path near Lake Tiorati. Follow the Long Path to visit the Hippo Rock and the Cave shelter. Return by the Yellow Menomine trail back to Silvermine Lake Picnic area. *No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: HY Lee Saturday 11/23/2024 - Three Reservoirs / TMI Loop Hike, 6 - 8 Miles / Levels B&C Harriman State Park, NY Starting at parking lot off Rte 106, at the foothill of the Jackie Jones Mountain, follow the S-BM (yellow) trail for about half a mile. Then turn left to the unmarked road to visit the three reservoirs. Follow the unmarked trail to TMI. Then catch the Breakneck Mtn trail and the S-BM trail back to the parking lot. C Level hikers may hike on the unmarked Woodtown Road to reach TMI, turn right to reach (W) and turn right on (W) --> S-BM back to the parking area. **No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: Meeting Time/Place: 8:30AM at Trailhead Leaders: Jessica Liu/MeiSheng Liu Saturday 11/23/2024 - Beacon Mountain and Fishkill Ridge Fall Foliage Hike / Level B - C Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve, NY Beacon Mountain is a popular spot for a fall foliage hike. The lookout points on the trails offer incredible panoramic views of the Town of Beacon, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, the Hudson River and the neighboring mountain ridges. The hike starts from the parking lot of the Mount Beacon Incline Railway which was built for the now ruined Casino Resort in the mountain and was the steepest railway in the world during its operation. Visit the ruins of the Incline Railway and Fire Tower. Continue to hike to the scofield Ridge, Fishkill Ridge, Lamb Hill and downhill to the parking lot. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Chwen (Jun) Best/Sharon Yen Saturday 11/30/2024 - Pyramid Mountain & Reservoirs, 7-10 miles / Levels B&C Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, NJ This is a natural preserve in the heart of the suburban Morris County, NJ. About 18,000 years ago, the Wisconsin Glacier deposited a number of extraordinary boulders and created beautiful landscapes with numerous swamps and streams in the area. Those in turn, help nourish the amazing array of wildflowers, birds and wild animals in this densely forested park. The area contains a maze of trails with many hidden viewpoints like the Tripod Rock, Bear Rock and to just naming a few. Therefore follow the trip leader and take your time to visit these interesting places. For faster hikers, they can extend the hike to Turkey Mountain and visit the reservoirs. *No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:00AM at PMNHA Visiting Center, Kinnelon, NJ Leaders: XiaoJing Wei/Jimmy Xing Saturday 11/30/2024 - Deep Hollow - Lake Skenonto Loop; 10 Miles Hike / Level B & C Harriman State Park, NY Starting from Tuxedo train Parking lot, take RD trail for 0.2 mile then turn to yellow triangle trail until cross RD trail again nearby Parker Cabin Mt. Change to Victory Blue, passing Lake Skenonto and change back to RD at Tri Trail Corner. Taking RD all way back to Tuxedo Train Station. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM Tuxedo Train Station Parking Lot. (Parking fee required) Leaders: Rosa Melgar Saturday 12/7/2024 - Dunderberg Mountain 7 & 11 miles Day Hike / Levels B & C Bear Mountain State Park Start from the parking lot at 9W/202, follow the blue trail to trace the route of the Railway. Continue to the Timp. Change to the red R-D Trail to Bald Mountain and Cornell Mine. Follow the R-D trail to the viewpoint on top of Jones Point. There is the view of Indian Point Power Plant across the Hudson River. Come down on a steep grade to the parking. The longer route: from the Timp, take Timp-Torne Trail (blue), pass West Mountain, turn left on S-BM trail (yellow), then turn left on R-D (red), then join the shorter route. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at trail head Leaders: HY Lee Saturday 12/7/2024 - Otter Hole to Ball Mountain Loop Hike, 6 - 9 Mile / Levels B & C Norvin Green State Forest, NJ Start from the Otter Hole trailhead. Follow the blue, then white trails to Chikahoki Falls. Climb up Carris Hill to Yoo-Hoo Point. Yell Yoo-Hoo so people at High Point can hear you. Continue on the blue trail to connect to the Otter Hole (green) trail back to the trailhead. Visit all the viewpoints along the way. *No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at the trailhead Leaders: Vincent Yu Saturday 12/14/2024 - Hasenclever Mine Loop 8-10 Miles / Level B & C Harriman State Park N Y Staring from Lake Askoti Parking taking ASB red trail and change to Red Cross passing Hasenclever Mt to parking lot by Lake Tiorati. Changing to Beech Trail (B) passing Nat House Mt, Civil War period cemetery until end at Long Path. Taking LP return to Askoti parking. For the longer hike: from parking lot take Long Path to Time Square, and change ASB toward Askoti Lake to Red Cross Trail to continue to Hasenclever Loop. Meeting Time/Place: 8:30 AM at Askoti Lake Parking Lot Leaders: Chwen (Jun) Best Saturday 12/14/2024 - Splitrock Reservoir Loop, 12 Mile Day Hikes / Levels C Farny State Park, NJ This loop combines a section of the Four Birds Trail with the Splitrock Trail to circle Splitrock Reservoir. Enjoy views of the reservoir and Misty Pond from Indian Cliffs. It\'s challenging. The relentless minor elevation changes of the Highlands terrain gives you a good workout. *Limit to 20 People and No Carpool Arrangement Meeting Time/Place: 8:00AM at Split Rock Reservoir parking lot Leaders: Iris Liu/Vincent Yu Saturday 12/21/2024 - Appalachian Trail (AT) section Loop hike, 17 Miles / Level E Bear Mountain State Park, NY Going eastwards from Elk Pen, the Appalachian Trail (AT) passes through Green Pond Mountain, Fingerboard Mountain, Black Mountain and into West Mountain. There are gorgeous views on the mountains. Hikers aim to hike through this section of the AT as much as time permits, then find the quickest way to return to Elk Pen. Daylight is short and good time management is required. Experience hikers only. Meeting Time/Place: 7:30 AM at trailhead Leaders: YuShan Li/Frank Song |
