Three Reservoirs



Three Reservoirs, Harriman State Park (5/23/2009)

This lollipop hike is one of my own inventions, using the Suffern-Bear Mountain (S-BM) trail for the first half, and then unmarked trails for the second half. We parked on Route 106 (just west of the Palisades Interstate Parkway) where the S-BM crosses the road. We took the S-BM south passing many interesting sites: the ORAK ruins (the ruins of the mansion of the vice president of the Karo corn syrup empire), an antenna tower, a fire tower, and the Big Hill shelter. Just after passing the Breakneck Mountain trail (coming in from the right) we made a left onto the woods road that skirts the northern bank of Third Reservoir, then Second Reservoir (after which the road is labeled Woodtown Road on the NYNJTC Southern Harriman Bear Mountain Trails Map #118) before finally reaching First Reservoir. Here we turned left on another woods road (labeled Old Turnpike on the map). After the Long Path crossed the woods road, we made a right on yet another unmarked trail which brought us back to the S-BM just east of the fire tower. Here we made a right and took the lollipop stick back to the car.

Total distance traveled was over 7 miles in about 4 hours.

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S-BM blocked to cars

Guard hut ruins at ORAK

Inside roof

Asphalt lot and ruins



View from inside

Tank in back

 

More ruins higher up

Grassy lot in back

Stonework almost like new

Wall
 


Continuing on S-BM

This guy almost bit me

Antenna tower

 


Fire tower

Dan climbing [photo by Laura]

View of antenna from tower

View of Hudson
 


The Hudson from fire tower

Lake Welch


 


Glimpse of Hudson from S-BM


Wood road crossing

Gnarly rhododendron thicket
 


Like Van Gogh's "Starry Night"


Toad

Antenna tower from Big Hill
 


Big Hill shelter

Inside shelter

Partial view from Big Hill

Big Hill shelter
 


Salamander hiding in rocks


Third Reservoir

 


Bank of Third Reservoir

Rock outcrop ...

[photo by Laura]

... over Third Reservoir
 


Path across the dam

Third Reservoir

Dam path

Second Reservoir
 


Second Reservoir


Fire ring at Second Reservoir

 


Second Reservoir: our lunch spot

Spill water at Second Reservoir

Another view

 


Woodtown Road

Second Reservoir dam

Woodtown Road

Skunk cabbage
 


Cascades on Woodtown Road

Ferns on Woodtown Road

Dam and building at First Reservoir

First Reservoir
 


First Reservoir buildling

First Reservoir

Pine cones

 

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