Dater Mountain Nature Park

Could 9, 2021 – Sloatsburg, NY

Issue: Average – strenuous

Size: Roughly 4 miles

Max elevation: 958 ft.– whole elevation achieve 836 ft.

Route sort: Lollipop Loop

Purchase Map: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Map #118

Free Map: Dater Mountain Nature Park Path Map

Trailhead parking: Johnsontown Street – Sloatsburg, NY 10974

Parking obtainable for about 4-5 autos, no restrooms on web site.

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Park Overview:

Dater Mountain Nature Park is a Rockland County park positioned within the New York/New Jersey Highlands within the city of Sloatsburg, NY. The 350-acre park is adjoining to Harriman State Park’s southwestern border. It’s a closely wooded undeveloped park with steep inclines and rocky slopes with plenty of mountain tops and valleys crossed by a number of small streams.

A view of the Village of Tuxedo, The New York State Thruway, and Orange County could also be seen from the excessive elevations, some rising 940 ft above sea stage. Dater Mountain Nature Park incorporates eight federally designated wetlands and supplies habitat for 2 NY State endangered species, the Northern Cricket Frog and the Allegheny Woodrat; and one threatened species, the Timber Rattlesnake. Orange and Rockland transmission strains traverse the western part of the park.

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Historical past:

Dater Mountain Nature Park has many native tribal and household histories. The Munsee Indians as soon as inhabited the property. It’s the westerly a part of the Spence Patent, that contained 1,820 acres of land, considered one of 4 grants given to officers of the British Military by George III on January 18, 1775. Dater Crossing introduced the locality into contact with Route 17 and Tuxedo. The realm was extensively logged within the later 1700’s and into the 1800’s; bushes have been burned in pits to provide charcoal for the smelting of iron ore. Many of those pits might be discovered all through the property.

The land was acquired by Rockland County in two phases;

In 1981, 150 acres have been obtained by way of tax delinquency. At the moment, the park was landlocked by personal property and had restricted public accessibility.

In 1991, the Village of Sloatsburg reviewed a proposal to subdivide an adjoining property into 71 single-family heaps. The previous homeowners indicated that if the Johnsontown Street Property was not bought by the county, they might suggest the same subdivision.

Part 2 included the acquisition 237 acres of land in 2004 as a part of Rockland County’s Open House Acquisition Program. Rockland County offered the overwhelming majority of the funds for the $4.9 million buy. The county acquired a $350,000 grant from the State of New York Environmental Safety Fund to help within the acquisition.

The brand new acquisition of open house, connects Dater Mountain Nature Park to the adjoining Harriman State Park through its community of trails. The small parking space was constructed to make the park extra simply accessible.

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Trails Overview:

The path system in Dater Mountain Nature Park was established in August 2005 and consists of roughly three miles of marked trails that weave their method by way of the park. There are additionally a number of unmarked footpaths and woods roads that one can discover as nicely. The Orange and Blue Trails connect with kind a couple of 2.5 mile loop. Hikers can proceed on the Orange Path to its terminus at a T-intersection with the white-blazed Kakiat Path and enter into Harriman State Park for an extended hike.

The paths are nicely blazed and straightforward to observe. Aside from a number of blowdowns, which might be simply negotiated, the paths are nicely maintained and freed from litter. The paths are managed and maintained by the Rockland County Parks Fee.

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Hike Overview:

Because of a late begin on a Sunday morning (Mom’s Day), I used to be on the lookout for a hike shut by the place the parking space wouldn’t be crammed by the point we bought there. Though the parking space can solely accommodate 4 or 5 vehicles, after we arrived shortly earlier than 10am, there was just one automobile within the small parking space.

This Lollipop Loop features a detour to Nearly Perpendicular, simply past the park’s northeastern border with Harriman State Park. This add-on is price the additional mileage and elevation achieve that it takes to get there. It additionally supplies the perfect view on this explicit hike.

This Lollipop Loop follows the Orange Path till it’s terminus at a junction with the white-blazed Kakiat Path, then turning left on the Blue Disc Path to Nearly Perpendicular, the turnaround spot. From there, retracing steps again to the Orange and Blue Trails junction, persevering with on Blue till its terminus at a junction with the Orange Path and retracing steps again to the parking space.

The added elevation achieve and steepness of the Blue Disc Path to Nearly Perpendicular, will increase the extent of problem. This detour into Harriman State Park might be skipped, retaining the hike fully in Dater Mountain Nature Park, making it a shorter and easier hike.

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The Hike:

To the left of the parking space, there’s a triple-orange blaze on a rock. This marks the beginning of the Orange Path. Observe the Orange Path because it parallels Johnsontown Street a brief distance earlier than it turns sharp proper. The Orange Path now begins a relatively steep ascent on a footpath.

 

 

As you close to the crest of the hill, you’ll discover a triple-blue blaze on a tree to the left. This marks the beginning of the Blue Path, which shall be your return route, however for now, proceed alongside the Orange Path, which turns sharply proper. After climbing a little bit extra, the Orange Path descends to cross a small stream in a slim hole, with a rock ledge looming above.

 

 

 

The path continues to climb till you attain a panoramic south-facing viewpoint from open rocks to the best of the path. You may see the hills of Harriman State Park, with the Reeves Brook Customer Middle seen in your proper when there aren’t any leaves on the bushes.

 

 

 

 

 

Proceed alongside the Orange Path, which ranges off for a brief distance, then continues to climb. Once you attain the peak of the land, there’s a view of Dater Mountain from open rocks about 50 ft to the best of the path.

 

 

 

The Orange Path now descends to achieve an intersection with the Blue Path, which begins on the left. Flip proper right here and proceed following the Orange Path, heading northeast alongside a pleasing woods street.

 

In about 0.3 mile, after crossing an open space the place the path traverses a slab of bedrock, the Orange Path ends at a T-intersection with the white-blazed Kakiat Path. Flip proper and observe the white blazes alongside a woods street, quickly coming into Harriman State Park.

 

 

 

In about 450 yards from the junction with the Orange Path, the Kakiat Path crosses a woods street, the route of the blue-on-white blazed Blue Disc Path. Flip left right here, leaving the Kakiat Path and start following the blue-on-white blazes.

 

The Blue Disc Path now begins a steep climb alongside the woods street. About midway up, it turns proper, crosses a stream, and climbs much more steeply over rocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roughly 1.7 miles from the beginning of the hike, you’ve got reached the highest of Nearly Perpendicular, a dramatic viewpoint from the highest of a cliff. You may see Seven Lakes Drive instantly under, with the Ramapo Mountains within the background.

 

Nearly Perpendicular, a reputation given to a cliff on Dater Mountain in Harriman State Park by the Contemporary Air Membership in in 1936.

 

 

 

Since that is your flip round spot, when you’re able to proceed, retrace your steps on the Blue Disc Path, descending steeply.

 

 

 

Once you return to the junction with the Kakiat Path, flip proper and observe the white blazes again to the junction with the Orange Path and switch left.

Observe the orange blazes again to the junction with the Blue Path and proceed straight on Blue because the Orange Path leaves to the left.

 

Observe the Blue Path alongside a woods street. Simply past the intersection, you’ll cross a stream, the outlet of a wetland on the left. You’ll move a number of wetlands alongside this part of the path. As you proceed, you’ll start to listen to the sounds of visitors on the New York State Thruway, under to the best, which develop louder as you method Sleater Hill.

 

 

About three-quarters of a mile from the beginning of the Blue Path, the woods street adopted by the path curves sharply to the left. Right here, a facet street to the best leads a brief distance to a big glacial erratic and a panoramic west-facing viewpoint at an influence line tower. The Thruway is instantly under, the Village of Sloatsburg is simply past, and the hills of the Ramapo Mountains in New Jersey and Sterling Forest in New York are within the distance. It is a great spot to take a break.

 

 

 

 

 

Once you’re able to proceed, return to the Blue Path and switch proper. Simply past, the Blue Path leaves the woods street and continues on a footpath. It climbs Sleater Hill, passing simply to the best of the summit, after which descends, quickly reaching a rock outcrop on the best which affords a south-facing view over the Mirror Lake space of Sloatsburg, with the Thruway seen on the best when there aren’t any leaves on the bushes.

 

 

 

Please word: the path turns sharp proper, however a nicely outlined, however unmarked path continues forward. This flip is straightforward to overlook.

 

The Blue Path continues to descend. After crossing a woods street, it ranges off, then resumes a gradual descent, ending at an intersection with the Orange Path. Bear proper onto the Orange Path and observe it downhill, retracing your steps to the parking space the place the hike started.

 

 

 

 

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Evaluation:

A very good hike the place we encountered only a few hikers. The views from Nearly Perpendicular are spectacular and just about the spotlight of the hike. Dater Mountain Nature Park is nicely maintained and the paths are straightforward to observe. We encountered a household of 4 moving into the wrong way alongside the Blue Path and nobody else all the time there. The views are good and the park is price a go to to keep away from the crowds.

Execs:

Nearly Perpendicular, scenic views, glacial erratics, nicely marked trails, litter free.

Cons:

Thruway noise might be heard alongside the Blue Path.

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Take a hike!

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