Dater Mountain Nature Park

As usual we did a mixture of trails, loved this hike, for us it started with a normal walk and then as the hike progressed view and challenging aspects kept on increasing. We reached the lake first and and then took the elevation trail which took us to the peak, way down on white and blue trail gets little challenging as you will have to use your hands in some spots to get down the rocks. Park management has done a great job with the markings. You will feel like you are lost at some spots but will find the trail markings.

So many trails from difficult to easy....many mountains and lakes. There are amazing places to camp and fish and an easy place to get away from it all without traveling far. I highly recommend exploring Harriman State Park and have yet to see it all after 20 years of traveling here! Views range from the Hudson to Caves and old abandoned Iron Mines. See For Yourself!

Nice fairly easy hike of just over an hour. My biggest disappointment was the vicinity of the major highways took away from my overall enjoyment of nature. I like to be enveloped by nature and I personally found the noise of the traffic took away from that experience. We brought our dog which is permitted on the trail and the views were nice and there is a nice overlook about 1/2 way through the trail of the valley below and the freeway.

Real backcountry, an hour from Manhattan. Buy a map (NY NJ Trail Conference #118 &119) or download one from the Playstore (Avenza maps- if cell service is available your location is GPS'd to the map), and learn how to read it. Topographical lines close together- incline or decline, very close together-steep, and lines far apart- flat terrain.Trails are marked by blazes (painted or metal rectangles) on trees. Your map will have the color of the blaze encircled (R red, B blue, etc.) on the trails. Carry water or purify; the area is under severe drought so the only reliable water sources are lakes. Streams I have pumped from in past years are completely dry. Wear proper footwear (boots, hiking shoes); trails are rocky and sometimes steep. Trekking poles are also a good idea. I have spent over 40 nights in Harriman over the last 4 years; camping is allowed in or around shelters. People also camp around lakes. Hang food in a bear bag or carry a bear proof canister. Park is carry in, carry out. There are no garbage cans available. Apply insect repellent: you can find deer ticks (they carry lyme disease) even in November. Fires allowed at shelters, make sure they are out when leaving (400 acres burnt near Tom Jones Mountain and shelter recently). Figure on hiking about a mile an hour with a large pack, a little more on a day trip. Parking lots are marked on the map. You can also walk into Harriman from Tuxedo Train Station where 3 trails begin (Triangle, Ramapo Dunderberg, and Kakiak). You can also enter at Sloatsburg where the trails from the Visitor Center heading to Pine Meadow Lake are crowded on weekends. For secluded hikes avoid this area.

As usual we did a mixture of trails, loved this hike, for us it started with a normal walk and then as the hike progressed view and challenging aspects kept on increasing. We reached the lake first and and then took the elevation trail which took us to the peak, way down on white and blue trail gets little challenging as you will have to use your hands in some spots to get down the rocks. Park management has done a great job with the markings. You will feel like you are lost at some spots but will find the trail markings.