The rain finally passed through during the night with the worst of it a little south. My friend Andrea texted me a picture of the downed telephone pole and electric wires in her front yard. She was stuck in the house until the power company could take care of it.
But, by morning, the sky was blue, the air chilly and crisp and the conditions were perfect for a day on the trails. This would by far make up for the washout of the previous day. I was packed up and out nice and early.
First stop of the day was back at the Ramapo National Forest. If it hadn't rained the previous day, I would have done the long double loop. But, I did have another trail planned for the afternoon. There was still plenty to see on the three mile single loop.
It all begins on this fire road...
At the point I turned around the day before, the trail leaves the road and goes through some rocky terrain. In the end, I found out I could have just walked this road. But, it was a great morning and I didn't mind at all.
Remember this spot?
While the trails seemed surprisingly dry, the rain had created numerous small streams to step over.
At the bottom of the hill you come to Lake Ramapo, the local reservoir.
The trail then follows another dirt road along the lake shore.
This is where the trail really gets interesting...
From here, the trail goes...up. The next marker is on top of that hill.
The climb is definitely worth it...
This is also where you'll find the ruins of the Van Slyke Castle. William Porter built the castle in 1900 and named it Foxcroft since it sits on Fox Hill. William died in a car accident in 1911. His wife Ruth remarried and renamed it Van Slyke Castle after her new husband Warren Van Slyke. After Warren's death in 1925, Ruth retreated to the castle permanently and lived here until her death.
The castle changed hands numerous times before being abandoned around 1950. A few years later, vandals burned it to the ground.
A little further up the trail it the castle's original water tower...
A relatively short trail downhill leads back to the parking lot.
The second trail of the day promised excellent views and an odd, quirky, man made feature of mysterious origin. The trailhead was a short drive to the border of Bloomingdale and West Milford. The red trail is a straight shot to the overlooks. The blue trail loops around. What I wanted to find is on the blue trail.
It starts with a short climb...
Just a bit off the blue trail sits an anomaly. No one knows who built it or when. People just started noticing it. Naturally, I had to find it, too. Only in the mountains of New Jersey will you find The Stone Living Room... It's a ring of stone chairs.
Complete with a separate stone sofa, with one heck of a view...
Back on the blue trail, I had a decision to make...
The "steep and rocky" trail definitely lived up to the description. I wound up crab walking down some of the rocks and just really taking it slowly. It's one stretch of trail I was happier going down than up.
The reward, clear skies, no haze and a view of the Manhattan skyline, from forty-one miles away.
Remember the story of the skyline from the Turnpike? I sent this one to my friend Jenna with the caption, Extreme drive-by. I doubt there are many days when you can see the skyline this clearly.
Seen along the red trail as I looped back to the car.
In hindsight, I couldn't have asked for a better day on the trails. The previous day's washout was all but forgotten. Now to head south and meet with some old friends.
I realize my friends have other commitments and can’t always get together on one spot. I get it. Tonight, Jeff was in PA, Ann had a someplace she had to be until 11P, Eric was working and Andrea was trapped in her house by those downed power lines. So, it was just Jean and myself at our usual place, the Stirling Hotel. No worries, we talked up a story over a few local craft beers until last call at 11P.
Coming Up,
You can't get there from here
You can't get there from here
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