Hike of the Week 11/21/2002

Description:

From the southern entrance to the parking area, proceed west, crossing the park entrance road. You’ll notice three yellow blazes and three blue blazes on a utility pole to the right of a chained-off gravel road. These blazes mark the start of the Indian Trail (yellow) and the Rocky Ridge Trail (blue).
        Continue ahead along the gravel road. You’ll cross under high-voltage power lines in 100 feet. Here, the Rocky Ridge Trail departs to the left, but you should continue ahead, following the yellow blazes of the Indian Trail, which soon goes around a yellow steel gate.
        About 500 feet from the start, you’ll notice three red-on-white blazes on either side of the trail, which mark the start and end of the Old Cedar Trail. Turn left, leaving the gravel road, and follow the red-on-white blazes.The Old Cedar Trail now proceeds through an oak-beech forest, passing a park building to the left. It soon crosses the blue-blazed Rocky Ridge Trail, continues through a low area with abundant surface roots, and recrosses under the power lines.
        After crossing the park entrance road diagonally to the right, the Old Cedar Trail follows a rocky path between the park entrance road on the right and I-287 on the left. It bears sharply right, leaving a wide path, and soon begins to parallel an old stone wall to the left. Half a mile from the start, just before a cul-de-sac parking area on the left, the red-on-white blazed trail recrosses the paved road and goes over an intermittent stream on a wooden footbridge. After a short climb, it bears right, then turns left and again passes under the power lines.
        Just beyond, the green-blazed Beeches Trail proceeds straight ahead, but you should turn sharply left, following the red-on-white blazes of the Old Cedar Trail. You’ve now left the developed portion of the park, and the trail begins a steady, gradual ascent. It bears right to cross a stream and then parallels it. Soon, it bears right, away from the stream, and continues its winding, gentle ascent.
        As you reach the crest of the ridge, the blue-blazed Rocky Ridge Trail joins from the right. When the two trails diverge in another 25 feet, continue straight ahead, now following the blue blazes of the Rocky Ridge Trail, which continues along the ridgeline on a rocky footpath, descending slightly. After passing through an area with many cedar trees, the yellow-blazed Indian Trail joins from the right, and both trails cross a rusty water pipe. Continue ahead for another 250 feet to an expansive east-facing viewpoint at the top of the ski slope. To the left are the hills of Harriman Park, and in the center is northern Bergen County, with Mahwah in the foreground. The Palisades can be seen on the horizon, and the Manhattan skyline is visible to the right on a clear day. This is a good place to take a break.
        After you’ve rested a little and enjoyed the view, find the utility pole on the west side of the clearing which is marked with three blue and two yellow blazes (which signify the terminus of the Rocky Ridge Trail and a sharp turn on the Indian Trail). Continue along the yellow-blazed Indian Trail, which heads northwest.
        In another 500 feet, the Indian Trail ends at a junction with the red-on-white-blazed Old Cedar Trail. Turn right, and rejoin the Old Cedar Trail, which curves to the east and descends gradually. In about half a mile, it reaches the north end of the large parking area for the ski area. The trail follows a berm along the edge of the parking area. At the end of the berm, the trail bears left  and reenters the woods. After descending along a hillside, it turns left and crosses Fyke Brook on a wooden bridge. The Old Cedar Trail then curves to the right and gradually ascends to reach a junction with the white-blazed Dogwood Lane Trail.
        Turn left at this junction and follow the white-blazed Dogwood Lane Trail for about 500 feet to its terminus, near the intersection of some old stone walls. Now bear right and continue ahead on the pink-blazed Gray Birch Trail, which follows a level path through the woods. It crosses the park entrance road and briefly parallels another stone wall. In about a third of a mile, it reaches the northern end of the main parking area. Follow the pink blazes around the parking area to the trail’s terminus at the southern of the parking area, where the hike began.

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