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 |
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View from inside |
Tank in back |
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More ruins higher up |
Grassy lot in back |
Stonework almost like new |
Wall |
Continuing on S-BM |
This guy almost bit me |
Antenna tower |
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Fire tower |
Dan climbing [photo by Laura] |
View of antenna from tower |
View of Hudson |
The Hudson from fire tower |
Lake Welch |
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Glimpse of Hudson from S-BM |
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Wood road crossing |
Gnarly rhododendron thicket |
Like Van Gogh's "Starry Night" |
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Toad |
Antenna tower from Big Hill |
Big Hill shelter |
Inside shelter |
Partial view from Big Hill |
Big Hill shelter |
Salamander hiding in rocks |
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Third Reservoir |
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Bank of Third Reservoir |
Rock outcrop ... |
[photo by Laura] |
... over Third Reservoir |
Path across the dam |
Third Reservoir |
Dam path |
Second Reservoir |
Second Reservoir |
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Fire ring at Second Reservoir |
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Second Reservoir: our lunch spot |
Spill water at Second Reservoir |
Another view |
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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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Photographs and content copyright © Dan Balogh Web design by Dan Balogh |