Hike Reviews
April 18, 2021
Easily missed blaze towards the end!
Very nice hike, BUT there is an extremely easy to miss blaze at the “shape left” portion of the directions right before the “trees damaged by forest fire” and steep decline” of the directions. We got turned around which added a mile and change o our hike!
December 08, 2016
Nice hike
I did this hike on November 25, 2016. Although I had printed the hike directions, We continued on the Dunning Trail instead of turning right at Island Pond Road. By the time I realized my mistake we were not about to double back. We ended up taking Dunning Trail to its terminus, where we then jumped on the white blazed Nurian Trail and turned right onto the red bar on white blazed Stahahe Trail. From there we caught the Arden-Surebridge (A-SB) Trail and back to Elk Pen. Very nice area and we enjoyed it.
For a virtual tour of this hike, please click here: https://scenesfromthetrail.com/2016/11/25/lemon-squeezer-and-boston-mine...
August 30, 2016
Reverse hike/swimming access?
Is there any recommendation against doing this hike in reverse? I was hoping to stop for a swim in Island Pond near the end of the hike, and I believe the boat launch/swimming area is on the north end of the pond, so in order to pass by there near the end of the hike, I'd have to do this loop in reverse. Has anyone tried this? Is it dangerous to go through Lemon Squeezer from the other direction?
October 13, 2015
Great day in Early October 2015
Did this hike on a beautiful early fall day in October. Weather was perfect - leaves just starting to change. I've done at least 6 Moderate to strenuous hikes in W. Harriman - this is one of the better ones. Directions are spot on if you pay attention. Lots of features: iron mine, abandoned structures, great pond surrounded by colors, swampy wetlands, and varied terrain. No real hard climbs and one pretty steep down hill. The distance was good for 4.5 - 5 hours if you minimize breaks < 1/2 hr total.
Foot traffic was not so bad for Harriman. I could sometimes go for an hour or more without seeing anyone.
This is a good one to do.
September 29, 2013
Island Pond looks like a Bob Ross Painting now!
Nothing at all to complain about this hike.
Very well marked and easy to follow.
There were lots of hikers out yesterday.
Island Pond is a fantastic place to spend a few hours, especially now with all the colors!
May 14, 2013
Long Path by Dismal Swamp
Great hike with varied terrain. We came across a deer skeleton on the Long Path just as we entered Dismal Swamp. The skeleton was completely intact, clean and placed directly in the middle of the trail. Would coyotes do something like that? It was an eerie sight to see just before entering the swamp section. Very happy to come to the junction with the A-SB.
May 05, 2013
this is a great place to get lost - twice
"When you once again encounter the red-triangle-on-white blazes of the A-SB Trail, continue ahead, bearing right at the fork. At the next Y-intersection, again bear right, and you will soon arrive at the ruins of a stone building, built by the park as a ranger station." The A-SB trail is very poorly marked in this area, and you can probably skip this excursion to the ranger station, so that you don't wind up getting lost and hiking on Island Pond Road all the way back to the A-T, which then takes you the long steep way around to get back to Elk Pen. Just saying...
April 26, 2012
I decided to spend Easter in
I decided to spend Easter in nature's cathedral and do a hike on the AT/Lemon Squeezer loop which is a good hike with plenty of variety. The trees were still pretty bare when I did this hike but I imagine that it would be very beautiful in the summer and the fall. I would recommend this hike. It was beautiful and not strenuous at all. I walked it slowly and completed it in four hours. The description/instructions above are easy to follow and are exact to keep you on the right path and keep you informed on what's coming up next.
Also I took public transportation to reach the trial and it couldn't of been easier. It was exactly as the bus instructions suggest. When I got on I told the bus driver where I wanted to get off and he didn't bat an eye at my request and dropped me right off at the parks enterance. Coming back to NYC was just as easy. I stood on the oppisite of the road and when I saw the bus come around the bend I just waved at the driver and he stopped right in front of me and picked me up. I would recommend that you look up the bus schedule so you know when the bus is coming back so you can be out on the road on time and not too early or too late. The best thing is when you get your round trip ticket at the Shortline bus ticket booth in the Port Authority make sure you tell them that you are hiking and they will give you a hikers discount.
Enjoy the trail.
November 30, 2011
Your hiking photos
Excellent pictures of this Harriman classic.
November 30, 2011
Hiking the AT/Lemon Squeezer
Instead of the mall on Black Friday, I took the AT/Lemon Squeezer loop... a good hike. The only caution was the slippery leaves on the trail... the views and scenery ... excellent. I can imagine this is best in the Fall at peak!
Alas, since I was hiking solo, I was unable to scale the rock face near the Lemon Squeezer. I would have like to see this accomplished! This hike has it all - forests, steep climbs, rock formations, Island Pond, Dismal Swamp... recommended.
View my images : http://www.flickr.com/photos/ sph001/sets/72157628207656729/ show/
Read my thoughts on this trail : http://www.taking-a-hike.com