Mountain Lakes Park (North Salem, N.Y.)
Directions to trailhead
From I-684, ttake Exit 6 (Route 35) and turn right onto NY Route 35. it is 3.6 miles from the north bound exit of I-684 to where NY Route 121 joins from the right. Continue ahead on Routes 35/121 for 0.7 mile. When the roads diverge, turn left onto Route 121 North and continue for 4.5 miles to Hawley Road. Turn right onto Hawley Road and turn left in 1.1 miles. In another 0.3 mile, turn left again at the park entrance sign and drive to the park office entrance.
Hike Description
From the park office, proceed ahead on the paved road, passing a gate. As you head uphill, you’ll notice that the road is marked with orange blazes. You’ll pass the entrance to Camp Morty on the left and, as you approach the top of the hill, come to a gravel parking area on the right. Turn right into the parking area and bear right, past a locked gate onto a woods road with white blazes.
Follow the woods road, the route of the White Trail, which climbs gradually and reaches a turnaround at the crest of the rise. Bear right here, leaving the White Trail, and continue to a viewpoint by a cedar tree. A bench has been placed here, and you’ll want to take a break to take in the panoramic south-facing view over Lakes Waccabuc (to the right) and Oscaleta (to the left).
When you’re ready to continue, go back to the White Trail and continue ahead. The trail now follows a footpath through a ravine and bears left to climb stone steps below a large rock outcrop. After bearing right and continuing to climb, the trail reaches a seasonal viewpoint over Lakes Rippowam and Oscaleta from a rock ledge. From the viewpoint, the trail bears left and continues to climb.
When you reach the crest of the rise (910 feet), you’ll have climbed about 300 vertical feet from the park office. The trail now levels off and soon joins a woods road that runs along the park boundary, with private property on the right. The woods road descends gradually, curves to the left and ends at the park road which is the Orange Trail.
Turn right and follow the Orange Trail, which begins a steady, gentle climb. After curving to the right, the trail passes a trail on the left that leads to the Larch Lean-to and a rock outcropping. The trail now curves to the left and descends slightly to reach a junction. Bear right at the fork and continue on the Blue Trail, soon passing the start of the Green Trail on the right.
A short distance ahead, the woods road followed by the Blue Trail curves sharply to the right. Just beyond, as the road curves to the left, the Blue Trail (joined by the Yellow Trail) turns left and enters the woods on a footpath, but you should continue ahead on the road, now following the Yellow Trail.
With a house visible ahead, follow the Yellow Trail as it turns left and reenters the woods on a footpath. The trail descends to cross a stream and climbs to join a woods road. After crossing a cleared area for a buried utility line, look carefully for a cairn on the left that marks the junction with the Old Sib Trail (black “OS” on white).
Turn left onto the Old Sib Trail and follow it along rolling terrain. In 0.4 mile, you’ll reach another junction with the Yellow Trail. Turn right, follow the Yellow Trail for 50 feet, then turn left to continue on the Old Sib Trail. The trail now traverses an area with many stone walls. The trail crosses the last stone wall and bears left. It goes through a grove of cedars, crosses the AT&T right-of-way and trail begins a steady descent. Just before reaching a stream, the Old Sib Trail turns right, climbs a little, then descends to reach the Orange Trail.
Turn right onto the woods road, soon crossing a stone causeway that carries the road over a stream. Just beyond, the road recrosses the buried utility line. After passing a campsite (with a picnic table) on the left, the road curves to the left and begins a steady descent. Here, the North Salem Trail (black “NS” on white) begins on the right, but you should stay on the road, following the orange blazes.
Just before reaching a stone causeway that carries the road over Pine Lake, turn left following the Orange Trail onto a woods road and begins to run parallel to the eastern shore of the lake, passing the three Big Pine Lean-tos on the right. The road soon bears left and begins to climb rather steeply.
At the crest of the rise, follow the Orange Trail as it turns right, leaving the road. Several yurts that are part of Camp Morty are visible to the left. The trail parallels the inlet of Pine Lake, below on the right. It steeply descends a rock ledge, bears left, and passes Laurel Lake on the right.
At the end of the lake, the trail turns sharply left, parallels a stream, then turns right and crosses the stream on a wooden bridge. It climbs a hill to end at the park office, where the hike began.