Tallman Mountain State Park

Tallman Mountain State Park (4/5/2009)

This is the Hike of the Week for 12/5/2002 as described on the NY-NJ Trail Conference website but with one important difference, a difference which brought us to the best look-out of the entire hike. On the return, instead of taking the bike trail all the way back, a gravel road with no views at all, I decided to hike the eastern-most dashed trail (which can be seen on NYNJTC map Hudson Palisades Trail map 109). We took this path back after the point where the bike path crosses the Long Path. We made a left on the Long Path and then, after less than 100 feet, a right onto this other trail. And boy were we glad. It afforded one of the most spectacular viewpoints of all, overlooking the marsh and with wonderful views of the Tappan Zee bridge and Hudson River. The site is identified by a star on the map.

In several places in the park we encountered a notice posted for "Suspicious Animal Sightings" which had occurred last month; see the sign in the first photo. Alas, we saw nothing resembling large black cats, but no doubt the photo collection would have been greatly enhanced if it included shots of escaped panthers!

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