Candlewood Hill Loop – Fahnestock State Park

June 12, 2021 – Putnam Valley, NY

Problem: Reasonable

Size: Roughly 3.3 miles

Max elevation: 986 ft.– whole elevation acquire roughly 779 ft.

Route sort: Lollipop Loop

Purchase Maps (Paper & Avenza): East Hudson Trails Map #103

Free Net Map: Fahnestock State Park Path Map 2020

Free Avenza App Map: Fahnestock State Park Path Map

Trailhead parking: 11 Sunken Mine Highway, Putnam Valley, NY 10579

Roadside parking for roughly 6 automobiles – No bogs on web site

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Overview:

Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park, also called Fahnestock State Park, is a 16,171-acre state park positioned in north central Putnam County with parts within the cities of Carmel, Kent, Philipstown and Putnam Valley. The park is traversed by the Taconic State Parkway, US Route 9, NYS Route 301 and a number of other native roads. Rail stations operated by Metro North Railroad are inside ten miles of the park at Garrison, Chilly Spring and Beacon. The park doesn’t have a single, formal entrance. The park is managed and maintained by the New York State Workplace of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Fahnestock is characterised by parallel ridges and hills that development in a southwest to northeast course. Steep slopes are sometimes discovered on the southeast and northwest features of a few of these ridges. Elevations vary from roughly 400 ft within the lowest space of the park alongside Clove Creek within the neighborhood of U.S. Route 9, to a most of over 1300 ft on a ridge west of Canopus Lake. The vast majority of the park is at elevations better than 600 ft.

Because the peaks of Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park are extra hills than mountains, the climbing is mostly much less strenuous than others within the area. This makes the park a well-liked vacation spot for informal hikers.

Candlewood Hill is an extended ridge with its summit at an approximate elevation of 986 ft above sea degree. It’s positioned on the southeast finish of Fahnestock State Park and is likely one of the park’s most outstanding peaks. The northern finish of the of the ridge is simply west of the Durland Scout Reservation (previously Clear Lake Scout Reservation), divided by Sunken Mine Highway. The southern portion of Candlewood Hill rises out of the western banks of Oscawana Lake. Present roadside parking alongside Sunken Mine Highway offers entry to the Candlewood Hill Path within the northern a part of this space. The southern portion of the Candlewood Hill Path descends sharply to Bell Hole Highway. Current acquisitions have prolonged the park southward. A few undesignated trails lengthen from the Candlewood Hill Path south alongside the ridge. There is no such thing as a parking space designated for entry from roads to the south.

This scenic space contains views of the hills and ridgelines of Fahnestock State Park and many of the East Hudson Highlands from the summit of Candlewood Hill. The panorama contains the encompassing hemlock forests, hills and valleys, and even a slice of the Hudson River and Indian Level viewable to the southwest.

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Historical past:

In 2004, NY state bought a 261-acre tract at Candlewood Hill in Putnam Valley and added it to Fahnestock State Park, saving it from residential improvement. The property contains woodlands and a couple of,000 ft of undeveloped frontage on Oscawana Lake, which is in any other case ringed with bungalows and homes. Two land conservation teams, the Open House Institute and the Belief for Public Land, negotiated the contracts for the state, which within the early summer time quietly purchased the land for $1.5 million.

For his farewell hike as Governor, George E. Pataki led a small entourage of aides, administration members, environmentalists and a few state troopers up the granite-flecked path to the summit of Candlewood Hill.

By way of a collection of acquisitions since 1995, Fahnestock State Park has greater than doubled in dimension, from 6,670 acres to 16,171, a rise of greater than 9,000 acres. The Belief For Public Land collaborated with its accomplice, the Open House Institute on a variety of the offers making up this growth. The Belief for Public Land labored with Governor Pataki, the workers of the New York State Workplace of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Division of Environmental Conservation to guard greater than 100,000 acres in NY state throughout his administration.

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Trails Overview:

This hike incorporates a bit of the unmaintained and unpaved Sunken Mine Highway that’s closed to vehicular site visitors from December to April. This street divides Fahnestock State Park from the Durland Scout Reservation (non-public property). Sunken Mine Highway is positioned inside Fahnestock State Park and is a gravel street that traverses the realm, working north from Oscawana Lake to Dennytown Highway. The street climbs steadily from the south earlier than reaching the trailhead for the Candlewood Hill Path.

The Candlewood Hill Path is marked with New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation “Taconic Area” crimson plastic discs. This path ascends, typically steeply to the 986-foot summit of Candlewood Hill to lengthy views in all instructions. It traverses a brief part of the ridge earlier than descending steeply to its terminus on Bell Hole Highway. The Candlewood Hill Path is nicely marked and simple to observe.

An deserted part of Bell Hole Highway is used to attach the Candlewood Hill Path to Sunken Mine Highway. This street climbs alongside the western flank of Candlewood Hill and though unmarked, is nicely outlined and simple to observe.

Chances are you’ll encounter some diamond formed mild blue blazes with an “HT” on them all through this hike. You possibly can disregard them. These blazes signify the Hudson Path, an extended distance climbing path from Excessive Bridge in Manhattan ultimately reaching Mt. Marcy within the Adirondacks, overlaying present trails and making use of public roads. It’s a work in progress. In Fahnestock State Park it makes use of the Candlewood Hill Path in addition to a number of others.

Except the summit, the paths are principally nicely shaded and provide some safety from the recent solar.

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Hike Overview:

I used to be in search of a brief hike to do earlier than the rains got here on a Saturday morning, however sadly the rain got here as we had been starting the hike. With the rain got here the fog and obscured views, which was disappointing. We accomplished the hike nonetheless, however not with the ability to benefit from the views caught with me. The next week we determined to go again as much as the summit only for the views and it was nicely value it. Our second journey was a brief out and again to the summit to benefit from the views earlier than it bought too scorching. This publish incorporates pictures that I captured from each visits up till the summit.

This average loop hike is ideal for these seeking to do a brief hike with some nice views and a few shaded trails. On each visits, we didn’t encounter another hikers. The hike begins close to the southern finish of Sunken Mine Highway the place there may be pull-off parking for about 6-8 automobiles simply earlier than the gate.

Though there are some steep sections on this hike, they’re brief lived.

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The Hike:

Proceed previous the gate on Sunken Mine Highway (typically known as Sunk Mine Highway) because it heads steadily uphill. Sunken Mine Highway is positioned inside Fahnestock State Park and is a tough, unmaintained street that’s closed to vehicular site visitors from December to April. On the left aspect of the street (west), you could discover NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation indicators. To the correct (east) of the street there are indicators to “Hold Out” of the Durland Scout Reservation. Proceed uphill on this scenic street for a couple of half mile.

In about 0.5 mile, The trailhead for the Candlewood Hill Path shall be on the left, marked by a wood publish and crimson markers. Flip left right here and observe the crimson blazes as they lead uphill, steadily at first then extra steeply. You’ll be following the crimson blazes for the following 1.2 miles.

In late spring and early summer time, the Mountain Laurel is in bloom alongside the path.

The path steepens some extra because it nears the summit of Candlewood Hill, climbing over naked rock. To the correct of the path there are restricted views as you close to the highest.

Simply earlier than reaching the summit the place the path turns left, go away the path and switch proper on a faint footpath to broad ranging views from northwest to southwest. The hills of Fahnestock State Park will be seen to the west in addition to many of the East Hudson Highlands.

A zoomed in view to the southwest reveals a sliver of the Hudson River and the Indian Level Nuclear Facility within the Village of Buchanan, close to Peekskill, NY.

If you find yourself able to proceed, return to the Candlewood Hill Path and proceed forward alongside the summit to a different rock out crop with extra views.

That is the view on a foggy morning with mild rain falling.

That is the view on our return go to the next week.

The path turns left on the rock outcrop and descends just a little, ducking slightly below the ridgeline then leveling off, with some attention-grabbing rock formations on both aspect of the path.

Quickly the Candlewood Hill Path descends steeply, turns proper on a woods street and descends on a extra average grade. A brief distance later, the Candlewood Hill Path ends at Bell Hole Highway.

Flip proper on the deserted part of Bell Hole Highway and observe it uphill for the following 1/2 mile. You could possibly see and listen to Canopus Creek down beneath on the left as you stroll alongside the street.

Bell Hole Highway ends at a junction with Sunken Mine Highway. Flip proper right here and observe this scenic street uphill for about 420 yards. Search for a woods street on the correct, marked by boulders, that leads uphill a brief distance to a different viewpoint.

Flip proper on this unmarked woods street and observe it uphill for about 350 ft, to views of Candlewood Hill and the encompassing space. This makes a great spot to take a break.

If you find yourself able to proceed, return to Sunken Mine Highway, flip proper and proceed in a southerly course. A brief distance later you’ll move the trailhead for the Candlewood Hill Path. Keep on Sunken Mine Highway because it heads downhill, now retracing your steps, again to the parking space, the place the hike started.

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Assessment:

A very nice hike with spectacular views. The paths/woods roads are straightforward to observe in a seemingly unfrequented part of the park. The realm is freed from any litter and when you resolve to go to, please hold it that method. An fulfilling and scenic average hike that the majority would get pleasure from.

Execs:

Excellent views, nicely maintained path, straightforward to observe woods roads, quiet space, litter free.

Cons:

None.

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Take a hike!

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Sources:

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