Jap Pinnacles & Cat Rocks from Route 17A

March 20, – Warwick, NY

Issue: Average

Size: Roughly 4 miles

Max elevation: 1,278 ft.– complete elevation acquire roughly 584 ft.

Route sort: Out and Again

Map: Sterling Forest Trails Map – Avenza – Sterling Forest State Park (FREE)

Trailhead parking: 385 NY-17A, Warwick, NY 10990

No bogs on web site – No entrance or parking charges

Ample Parking in two parking heaps on North facet of 17A and two parking heaps throughout the highway

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Overview:

This average out-and-back hike travels alongside the Appalachian Path, probably the most well-known marked footpath on this planet. It climbs to 2 fascinating puddingstone rock outcrops, with panoramic views north and east over the hills of Sterling Forest.

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Historical past:

The Appalachian Path is a 2,180+ mile lengthy public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral and wild lands of the Appalachian Mountains, from Georgia to Maine. When Congress handed the Nationwide Trails System Act in 1968, the Appalachian Nationwide Scenic Path was federally established as a unit of the Nationwide Park System that was to be “administered primarily as a footpath.”

Roughly 40 miles of that well-known foot path are in Orange County, NY and embrace a few of the most lovely, wild and difficult mountaineering in the entire Northeast. In truth, the Appalachian Path, probably the most well-known foot path within the Western Hemisphere, was conceived, deliberate and born proper in Orange County.

It started again in 1921, when forester, planner and conservationist Benton MacKaye, dwelling in Arden Valley on the time, started selling an concept for a path that may wind alongside the mountaintops of the Appalachians. Shortly thereafter, the newly shaped Palisades Interstate Park Path Convention adopted the plan and simply two years later, on Oct. 7, 1923, the primary official part of the Appalachian Path opened between Bear Mountain and Arden Valley.

The City of Warwick, NY, in Orange County, was designated an official Appalachian Path Group by the Appalachian Path Conservancy in 2012. Appalachian Path Communities are famous for selling and defending the Appalachian Path, along with being good neighbors to those that hike the AT.

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Trails Overview:

Though this hike is sort of totally on the Appalachian Path (AT), there are quick stints on blue-blazed trails. A Blue Blaze is a spur, bypass or connector path branching off of the Appalachian Path that can be utilized as an alternate route of the AT that rejoins it additional down the trail.

The paths on this hike are properly marked and straightforward to comply with. The one difficult sections are the place the AT climbs over the Jap Pinnacles and Cat Rocks. In each situations there’s a blue-blazed path that permits you to bypass the rock scramble. By bypassing the scramble over the 2 rock formations, you’d even be bypassing the views as properly.

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Hike Overview:

This hike begins on the car parking zone that’s adjoining to the Bellvale Farms Creamery. That is the parking space for the Mount Peter Hawk Watch. I selected starting the hike from right here to keep away from having to cross Route 17A. There are further gravel parking heaps on the alternative facet of Route 17A, straight throughout from the Creamery.

From the car parking zone on the identical facet because the Bellvale Farms Creamery, there are stone steps that lead as much as the viewing platform for the Mount Peter Hawk Watch. A blue-blazed connector path begins simply to the proper of the platform that connects to the AT in about 1,000 ft.

The AT travels alongside the ridge of Bellvale Mountain within the City of Warwick.  Alongside the way in which it climbs and crosses over the Jap Pinnacles, a puddingstone rock formation with dramatic views to the north and east.

The path descends, then climbs to Cat Rocks, one other fascinating puddingstone rock formation that protrudes out of the forest like a tower. Cat Rocks is the flip round spot for this hike. From there it’s simply retracing your steps alongside the AT, utilizing the Blue Bypass Trails for those who don’t really feel like reclimbing the rock formations.

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The Hike:

From the gravel parking space, climb the stone steps about 150 ft to the beginning of the Blue Connector Path. To the left is the Mount Peter Hawk Watch viewing platform. Take a second right here for those who like to take a look at the west-facing views.

Mount Peter Hawk Watch is one in every of a number of well-known hawk watches within the northeast and is the third oldest within the nation. This scenic overlook offers an expansive view of the Warwick Valley via which document numbers of migrating raptors move throughout fall migration.

When you’re able to proceed, search for three blue blazes on a tree and proceed forward on the Blue Path. The Blue Path descends in the direction of Route 17A then turns left paralleling the highway. In a couple of 1,000 ft there are three blue blazes on a rock signaling the tip of the Blue Path. Simply forward is the Appalachian Path (AT), which is available in from the proper. Proceed straight (Don’t flip proper. If you happen to cross the highway you’re going the fallacious approach.), now following the white blazes of the AT.

At first, the path parallels the noisy Route 17A, however the highway quickly bends to the proper, away from the path, and the sounds of site visitors disappear. The A.T. proceeds gently uphill, crosses a fuel pipeline, and continues via an space with dense hemlock and mountain laurel. It then begins a gradual descent.

About 1.4 miles from the beginning, you’ll discover the beginning of a blue-blazed facet path. You’re now just under a spectacular outcrop of puddingstone rock referred to as the Jap Pinnacles, and the facet path is supplied in order that A.T. thru-hikers received’t need to climb up the rock outcrop in unhealthy climate (the rocks might be very slippery when moist). Hopefully, you’ve picked a day with good climate on your hike, and also you’ll wish to comply with the white blazes forward and scramble up the rock outcrop, which presents magnificent views to the north and east over the hills of Sterling Forest.

As you start the climb of the Jap Pinnacles, there’s a shorter bypass path on the left (additionally marked blue) that lets hikers skip the primary steep climb.

The A.T. continues alongside the uncovered rocks, with extra views. You’ll have to make use of each your fingers and your ft to barter this path part.

That rock tower that protrudes out of the forest to the north, is Cat Rocks.

A zoomed in view reveals two hikers sitting on the prime of Cat Rocks having fun with a break.

On the finish of the Jap Pinnacles, the path involves the northern junction of the Blue Bypass Path.

The white-blazed A.T. now heads gently downhill. It goes via dense mountain laurel thickets and traverses a moist space, crossing a number of streams because it ranges off.

Quickly the path begins to climb reasonably then ranges off considerably.

The AT passes a skull-like rock formation alongside the way in which.

The AT then climbs to Cat Rocks, one other dramatic rock formation. Once more, there’s a blue-blazed path that bypasses this characteristic, however you’ll wish to comply with the white blazes to the highest of those fascinating puddingstone rocks. The east-facing view from Cat Rocks has largely grown in, however this outcrop is much more spectacular than the Jap Pinnacles due to the sheer drop from the highest of the outcrop and the deep crevice on the left on the north finish.

On the prime of Cat Rocks, the AT ranges off (this is similar spot the place we noticed hikers sitting in that the zoomed in view). Quickly the path begins to descend steeply to a junction with the opposite finish of the Blue Bypass Path.

Wanting again on the route from which we simply descended.

That is the flip round spot for this hike. Flip proper on the Blue Bypass Path and comply with it to its terminus at a junction with the AT and switch left.

Now you’ll be heading in a southerly path on the AT, retracing your steps.

If you attain the Jap Pinnacles, veer proper onto the Blue Bypass Path (except after all you wish to do the rock scramble once more) and comply with the blue blazes as they lead uphill with the Jap Pinnacles seen via the timber on the left.

On the finish of the Blue Bypass Path, flip proper, rejoining the AT. In about one other mile, The AT turns left to cross Route 17A at a junction with the Blue Connector Path. Proceed straight, now following the blue blazes till its terminus close to the Mount Peter Hawk Watch. Flip left and descend the stone steps that you just climbed originally of the hike, returning to the gravel car parking zone, the place the hike started.

You could wish to cease on the Bellvale Farms Creamery which is adjoining to the car parking zone. They’ve a few of the greatest ice cream round. They’re open from April 1st to October. Sadly for us, it wasn’t but open for the season after we did this hike.

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Evaluation: 

This hike was very pleasing and lots of enjoyable. Though we crossed paths with fairly a couple of hikers, it didn’t really feel crowded. Usually they had been entering into the wrong way. The AT is properly marked and maintained. The Blue Bypass Trails make it straightforward for anybody that doesn’t wish to do the rock scrambles to skip these sections. The views from the Jap Pinnacles are a few of the greatest round. A should do hike within the Hudson Valley.

Execs:

Jap Pinnacles, Cat Rocks, Appalachian Path, excellent views.

Cons:

Some highway noise originally and finish of the hike close to Route 17A.

Take a hike!

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Sources:

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