Hiking nowadays I seek out unfrequented spots, such as the Red Pine Trail. In yesterday’s post we started on a path that opened and changed with the building of a new footbridge over Fish Kill. Here we are on the other side.
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Turn left after the bridge on this narrow footpath between Fish Kill and a steep hill, almost a cliff. The path turns, up the hill in switchbacks crossing muddy patches. Difficult to find and follow. At top is a pine forest and this view where Fish Kill undercuts the hill. Enjoying the view. This is the well marked Finger Lakes Trail into Treman Park. I turn off the trail onto this service road I know intersects with the Rim Trail of Treman Park.
I meet no other hikers, though at the foot of the hill, where the path turns to climb, I pass a tent on a spot overlooking Fish Kill. This portion of the Finger Lakes Trail traverses the forested southern rim of Enfield Gorge (Treman Park) close to private lands, occasionally emerging for short distances on roads. It is the little known, and true, Rim Trail. The park’s named Rim Trail runs below on the side of the gorge.
Here is where the service road intersects with the Rim Trail, beyond the fence is a cliff dropping to Enfield Creek on an approach to the dramatic Lucifer Falls through the Devil’s Kitchen. With COVID-19 the park trails are one-way to reduce hiker interactions. The Rim Trail is one-way, up the gorge. I turn left.
Cool that they are able to make the trails one way. It’s a free for all in nj with people who never hiked before packing the trails for lack of anything else to do. I went on one group hike and won’t go again until it feels safer. I got to a few parks by myself in the early morning and that was better, but then I didn’t want to go too far into the woods alone
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Pam and I went together on the “one way” Gorge Trail and found it was anything but for the first 1/4 mile. People returned without masks and the trails are too narrow for the 6 foot social distancing. Later, we were overtaken by a jogger, no mask. At a place where the trail was along Enfield Creek there were 20 somethings in bathing suits (no swimming is allowed), no mask, no social distancing. We will not go back.
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