Lakes Skenonto & Sebago

Lakes Skenonto & Sebago, Harriman State Park (12/11/2010)

This is another lollipop hike (with a very short stick) of my own invention comprised almost completely of Harriman paths we haven't previously hiked, much of it on unmaintained, unblazed paths and woods roads. It visits two beautiful lakes, Skenonto and Sebago, both of which seemed frozen solid, topped with a dusting of snowflakes from earlier in the week.

We parked on Route 106 at the Victory trail's northern trailhead and took that trail south, making a right on the Ramapo-Dunderberg (at the fireplace) heading west to take in two vistas on Parker Cabin Mountain, one looking east, the other looking south. After taking in the views we backtracked to the intersection with the Triangle trail, making a right onto that trail to head east on a sharp descent off Parkin Cabin Mountain. We took this trail all the way to the southern tip of Lake Skenonto then continued south to the bank of Lake Sebago. At this point we made a left on an unmaintained trail and headed north along the beautiful western bank of Sebago for about a mile. After we reached the picnic area, before the Sebago beach, we made a left on a crumbling old camp road and took that NW to the Victory trail. We turned right onto that trail and took it all the way back to the car.

This is an absolutely beautiful hike with terrific vistas and gorgeous lakes. There's a real sense of isolation at the two lakes, especially during the one-mile trek along the bank of Sebago on a unmaintained trail which is at times just a trace in the fallen leaves. But it's impossible to get lost, as long as you head north keeping the lake on your right.

Total distance hiked today was 5.5 miles, in about 3 hours and 45 minutes.

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