Harriman Tracks Series LbNA #2268 (ARCHIVED)

HARRIMAN TRACKS LETTERBOX SERIES

Harriman State Park
Bear Mountain, New York

Planted: April 5, 2002

Terrain Difficulty: Moderate hike with several steep areas and rocky terrain. About 3-4 hours for the first three letterboxes

Clue Difficulty: Easy

Suggested Equipment: Southern Harriman State Park Trail Map 3 Published by NY-NJ
Trail Conference, hiking boots, walking stick, compass, water.

Planted By: M & P

Directions to Trailhead: The Seven Hills Trail starts across the street from the Sebago
Lake Boat Ramp Parking Area which is located about 4 miles from the south end of Seven Lakes Drive. Seven Lakes Drive is accessible from the Palisades Interstate Parkway, route 17, and route 6.

Harriman Tracks #1 Wild Turkey (alive and well 4/25/04)

· Take the Seven Hills Trail (blue blazes)
o up Conklin Mountain past the newly blazed yellow Buck Trail on the left,
o down the slope of Conklin Mountain across Diamond Creek,
o past Monitor Rock where it turns sharply right,
o past a huge boulder called the Cracked Diamond,
o through the intersection with the Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy Trail (red dash on white),
o past another very large boulder with its own fern garden,
o up where it turns into a woods road and then again into a trail.
· The Seven Hills Trail reaches the top of Diamond Mountain where a curved blue- on-white blaze is painted on the bald rock and looks out over Lake Sebago to the North. (better views are ahead)
· From this spot go, at a bearing of 38 degrees, over the edge and behind the thin slab …………. your turkey tracks await.



Harriman Tracks #3 White Tailed Deer (alive and well 4/25/04)

· Continue along the Seven Hills Trail (blue blazes) across the bald rock ridge of Diamond Mountain enjoying the beautiful views as you go.
· Note the Diamond Mt. Tower Trail (yellow blazes) on the left.
· Continue on Seven Hills Trail past the 2nd curved blue-on-white blaze on the rocks.
· Note the Hillburn-Torne Sebago Trail joining from the right (the blazes are now orange, but used to be white and are so marked on the 1995 map.)
· Stay with the blue/orange trail to the top of the next ridge where you’ll meet the yellow trail (Diamond Mt. Tower Trail) again.
· Turn left onto the Diamond Mt. Tower Trail (yellow) and follow it down by a concrete structure.
· When the yellow trail turns sharply to the left, you will see an unmarked trail to the right.
· Take this short connector trail down to where it intersects with the red blazed Pine Meadow Trail
· Take the Pine Meadow Trail east over the stream.
· When you reach the intersection with the woods road, turn right and walk to the lake edge (Pine Meadow Lake)
· Stand at the V tree and note the unmarked trail at 15 degrees.
· Take this trail across the red trail and stop between the single and double trees.
· Follow the fallen, rotting tree at your left to its high end.
· You’ll find the tracks inside.



Harriman Tracks #2 Beaver (alive and well 4/25/04)

· Go back to Pine Meadow Lake.
· Follow the unmarked woods road north.
· Take the unmarked trail on the right soon after the waterfalls on the left. Notice the beaver lodge, beaver trails and stump on the left.
· Go up to Lake Wanoksink and turn left onto a narrow footpath along the lake.
· Stop at the beaver lodge to the right of the footpath.
· 55 paces along the footpath see a second lodge at 310 degrees and a 3rd across the swamp at 17 degrees.
· Return to the woods road.*
· Note the sawed-off post.
· Beaver track is under the rocks at 288 degrees.
*I know, I know, that part was unnecessary. I just thought you might want to see the area, but there are no good places to hide the box.
· Return to the parking lot by following the woods road north (Pine Meadow Road West) to a “major intersection” (avoid the ski tracks here).
· Turn left and then quickly right along another woods road (Woodtown Road West) also heading north here.
· Go along Woodtown Road West. Cross the red (Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy) trail and continue along Woodtown Road West to where it is joined by the blue (Seven Hills) trail.
· Follow the Seven Hills trail down across Diamond Creek and back to the Sebago Lake Boat Launch parking area.







Harriman Tracks #5 Coyote (Box alive and well and clues slightly edited on October 3, 2004)

Planted: May 18, 2002 by M & P
Terrain Difficulty: Easy, short hike. Less than an hour
Clue Difficulty: Easy
Suggested Equipment: Northern Harriman State Park Trail Map 4 Published by NY-NJTrail Conference, hiking boots,walking stick, compass, water.

Directions to Trailhead: Palisades Interstate Parkway or Route 17 to Seven Lakes Drive to the Tiorati Circle to Tiorati Brook Road*(road to the east in the circle). About .9 mile on Tiorati Brook Road you’ll see a sign on the left pointing to the Tiorati Workshop on the right. The driveway is gated, but you can park in the area before the gate as long as you don’t block it. If the gate is open, Do Not drive down and park because there’s no guarantee the gate will be open when you get back to your car.

*Tiorati Brook Road is closed from November 1st to April 1st. If you go on your search during this time, you’ll have to park at the circle and walk .7 mile along Tiorati Brook Road to the pyramid shaped rock on the right.

From the Tiorati Workshop driveway: Walk north about .2 mile to the pyramid shaped rock on the left. Go into the woods across from the rock and walk up the dry stream bed (most times) to the top. At the V tree go 32 degrees along the unmarked trail. Pass the swamp on the left. Go over the fallen trees and around the big one to a small clearing.
In front of you is the Tiorati Rock Shelter. It provided shelter to Native America hunting parties. If you visit the Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mt. you’ll find the Tiorati Shelter exhibit in the history museum with many of the artifacts found here by archeologist in the 1940’s (I think).

If you go into the very small ‘cave’ and look up and to the right you’ll see the natural chimney they used. Also notice the exploded tree to the west. Mary says it was hit by lighting. The water in the tree’s vessels instantly turned into vapor, and the pressure exploded the tree.

Walk around the East side to the top of the shelter. Stand on the highest point with 2 trees to your right and 1 about 5 steps ahead and slightly to your left**. There’s also a large rock slightly in front and below you. Look beyond the rock to a V tree about 40 feet away. Facing the high point you just came from, look about 6 steps to your right and see the dead fall.

Under rocks at the base of the dead fall is the box.

** We wanted to use compass directions here but found that we couldn’t get a good reading from the top of the shelter …… north just wasn’t where we knew it should be. There are many old iron mines in the area (many noted on the map, many more not) which may explain the problem.


Before you set out, please read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.

Harriman Tracks Letterbox Series
Harriman State Park
Orange County
Bear Mountain, New York

Harriman Tracks #4 River Otter
(alive and well 4/28/05)

Planted: July 12, 2002 by M & P
Terrain Difficulty: Fairly easy hike. About 1 ½ - 2 hour
Clue Difficulty: Easy
Suggested Equipment: Northern Harriman State Park Trail Map 4 Published by NY-NJ
Trail Conference, hiking boots, walking stick, compass, water.
Directions to Trailhead: Palisades Interstate Parkway or Route 17 to Seven Lakes Drive to the Tiorati Circle to Tiorati Brook Road* (road to the East in the circle). The trail head is at the second parking area about 2 ½ mile along Tiorati Brook Road on the left. You’ll pass the Tiorati Workshop on the right, go over the dam just before a sharp left hand curve, and pass a fairly large parking area also on the left. Your starting point is the Blue trail across the street from the parking area.**

*Unfortunately, Tiorati Brook Road is closed from November 1st to April 1st.

** This hike can be done a number of different way. We started from the second parking area rather than the first because the first was filled with buses at the time. It also can be done as a loop from either parking area. We didn’t so our directions will be a “there and back.” If you have a map you have options.

** If you have a current New York New Jersey Trail Conference Map of the area, and Tiorati Brook Road is closed, you can access the letterbox from the parking area at Lake Askoti and Lake Skannatati on Sevfen Lakes Drive.

§ Take the blue (Beech) trail west southwest until you come to the unmarked woods road.
§ Go northwest on the woods road until you come to a small cement bridge over a stream. (amount of water in stream depends on rainfall)
§ Form that bridge go south 26 walking steps to the twin-twin trees on the left.
§ Look under the rocks.