Storm King State Park....Sort Of

I visited Storm King State Park for the first time ever this week.  Having visited the Palisades Cliffs two days earlier and discovering my favorite trail, the Giant Stairs, was closed I decided it was time to expand my horizons.  After looking up a number of state parks within an hour of my town I decided to take Storm King State Park by storm-haha.  I parked at the second parking area on 9w once you've entered the park (near Butter Hill).  The view from the parking area was gorgeous so I was immediately excited to begin the hike.  While I brought a map (Trail Map 113 of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference) I hadn't really figured out what route I would take.  I have always been more of a fan of loop hikes, as opposed to just taking one trail to a destination and back.  There is just so much beauty out there and by doing loop hikes I feel that you get to experience more of it.  From the parking area I headed out on the Orange trail.  This trail pretty immediately brings you to great views, but as I said the parking area was gorgeous so that was no surprise.  You're quickly high above both the curvy Palisades Parkway and the glistening Hudson River.  The latter being my favorite part.  While I appreciate hiking as a whole, I always enjoy a hike with water views more.   

Once I reached the end of the Orange trail I turned left on the Yellow/Highlands trail.  The Highlands trail is a trail being created by the wonderful people that make up the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference.  When completed, it will stretch from Connecticut through New York and New Jersey and end in Pennsylvania.       

While on this trail I came across a project adventure type course, which I thought was very strange in the middle of the woods.  As I continued walking I discovered that I was in fact right at the edge of the woods and I came out of the woods onto a dead end street.  Trail markers still appear and provide you with the information you need to get back into the woods.  I passed the Storm King School, a private school founded in 1867, and then turned left on the next street as the trail markers indicate.  From here I walked through a one lane tunnel, after letting a car pass through, and continued on my way. 

Next up was Black Rock Forest, an entirely different park that I hadn't really planned on going to, but when you don't really plan out a route you wind up places you hadn't really expected.  

I continued on the Yellow/Highlands trail, which is across the street from the parking lot in which this sign stands.  This trail leads to the Upper Reservoir.  After walking around the reservoir, and once again enjoying some water views, I broke off from the Yellow trail and turned onto the Blue Trail.  This is a woods trail that passes closely to a parking lot by the Forest Lodge and Science Center.  There is a small wooden bridge that crosses over a small stream and soon after that I came upon the Red trail.  I took a right on the Red trail, leaving the Blue trail behind, and wound up back in the parking lot with the Black Rock Forest sign.  I followed Reservoir Road, the road with the one lane tunnel on it, and made my way back into Storm King State Park.  I got back onto the Yellow/Highlands trail in Storm King State Park and followed it all the way up Storm King Mountain, which proved to have some breathtaking views.  From there I could see Bear Mountain Bridge and Bannerman Castle on Pollepel Island.    

From the Yellow/Highlands trail I broke off onto the White Trail which came up on my left.  The White Trail acts as a by-pass between Yellow/Highlands trail and the Blue Trail.  I was on the Blue trail for a short while before turning off onto an unmaintained woods road, which lead me right back to the parking lot.  The hike was a total of 6.75 miles and, as usually happens on new hikes for me, I was stopped more then I was moving because I was so busy taking pictures and letting the greatness of it all sink in  Another hike over.  I enjoy hiking so much that each time I walk out of the woods and finish up another hike a little part of me is disappointed.  I hate having to walk away from all that beauty.