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Ramapo Mountains, Torne Valley, and the Hudson Highlands Skip Doyle was so enamored with the landscape paintings of the late Jasper Cropsey that he wanted to view the subjects firsthand. Now he understands why Cropsey was so inspired. The AMC New York-North Jersey Chapter member often leads hikes to Ramapo Torne, about an hour from New York City. “It’s funny how I just stumbled upon [Ramapo Torne] and it’s become one of my favorite places,” he says. Beginning at the Reeves Brook trailhead, Doyle leads eager hikers on an 8-mile, figure-eight loop that includes a number of rock scrambles. And birders take note: Doyle has photographed numerous turkey vultures in flight. “Once you get to the top, the view is very mixed,” Doyle says. “You can see New York [City] to the south, the rolling hills of New Jersey to the west, and a recycling center in Rockland County to your east. There’s a marriage of preservation and economic development, and all those things come to mind when I’m up there.” Another Doyle favorite is following the Appalachian Trail out of the park and into Hudson Highlands State Park in Garrison, N.Y., to the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center. After breakfast with the resident Franciscan friars (don’t forget to make a reservation), he journeys to Anthony’s Nose, a 900-foot peak overlooking the Hudson River, Iona Island, and Bear Mountain State Park. “There’s no other place that has so many outlooks in the Hudson Valley in such a small area,” he says. From Anthony’s Nose, follow the Camp Smith Trail to a former tollhouse now serving as an information center.
South Mountain Preserve “The preservation of South Mountain was the overriding factor that started the Wildlands Conservancy in 1973,” says Tom Gettings, the nonprofit’s director of special projects. “Locals saw encroachment on the mountain, outside of a scattered house or two.” The conservancy, now part of the Highlands Coalition, manages 305 acres of the preserve, revered as the “best natural area” in Lehigh County by The Nature Conservancy. The towns of Emmaus, Allentown, and Salisbury have enacted environmental advisory commissions or secured open space to protect the remaining 380 acres. Once rich in iron ore and trees valued for the production of charcoal, the area helped spur the Industrial Revolution. “The mountain then became a green backdrop of the Lehigh Valley, and now it’s a recreation area,” Gettings says. “We’re continuing to put in trails and redirecting trails [away from] where we don’t want them to be. The mountain just continues to evolve.” Its residents, however, are mainstays; raptors, white-tailed deer, and wild turkeys are prominent. Vernal pools and nesting sites for 59 bird species also make this area a wildlife haven. On your way to the 1,000-foot summit, climb—or rest on—any of the 1.5-billion-year-old boulders along the Ridge Trail. This popular area is contrasted by the mountain’s base. “Down at the bottom [of the mountain], you’ll pass through brambles and small trees until you break out into a huge open area with 125-year-old trees,” Gettings says. Local mountain bikers have a vested interest in the mountain since they’ve helped create and maintain the trail system. For those exploring by foot, “this is one of those explorer trail systems…that you really can’t get lost in,” says Heisey, who’s led numerous hikes here. “If you hear a train, you know you’re getting close to the parking lot.”
Musconetcong Gorge Preserve After some extensive trailblazing, the Highlands Trail made its way to Musconetcong Gorge Preserve last year. Once completed, the 150-mile trail will stretch from New York’s Storm King Mountain to Riegelsville, Pa. “You’re now able to walk through other parks…that are close to Musconetcong,” says Mike Helbing, New York-North Jersey Chapter member and laborer for the Hunterdon County Department of Parks & Recreation. Before venturing off the preserve’s property, Helbing recommends trekking “some of the most rugged terrain in Hunterdon County.” The Ridge Trail (which eventually turns into the Highlands Trail) offers breathtaking views of the Musconetcong Valley, while the 1.5-mile nature trail is more kid friendly. “[The nature trail] goes downhill and makes its way within view of the [old Warren Glenn paper mill] and crosses over the Scout Run Creek,” Helbing says. Keep your eyes peeled for gushing waterfalls and rustic wooden bridges crossing the preserve’s numerous creeks.
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Hikers enjoy the view of Torne Valley in New York. Photo by Geoff Welch.
