Sterling Forest Trail Conditions

[Cannonbill]

Anyone interested, Sterling still needs time to dry out. We went today after great conditions in Ringwood this week. Going to Sterlingl was a mistake. The ground was fine when the ground was cold, as soon as the thaw set it in, it was a mess

 

[oobaa47]

Any word out there for the conditions tomorrow morning? Thx

 

[goodvibe]

Any word out there for the conditions tomorrow morning? Thx

Rode there today. Overall pretty good. A couple of moist spots. Kudos to the dude that was there doing trail maintenance at the pipeline.

 

[MuniMan]

Rode there today. Overall pretty good. A couple of moist spots. Kudos to the dude that was there doing trail maintenance at the pipeline.

The park remains open. From the N.Y. State Parks website

COVID-19 UPDATE: New York state parks, trails and grounds of historic sites are open for solitary outdoor recreation. Governor Cuomo is urging all New Yorkers to stay home as much as possible. If you do plan on visiting, it should be for a solitary nature break.

Enjoy your nature break.

thanks @goodvibe, it was me updating the rock armor at the powerline.

Yesterday I did notice that there were more hikers on the trail than usual. I think the park visitor center (although closed) was giving out information recommending the trail. The people that I talked with all had the same printed map and said it was their first time on the trail.

Powerline work. Last photo is a piece of the old armor that I dug up on top of the new that I put in place.?

 

[jdog]

The park remains open. From the N.Y. State Parks website

COVID-19 UPDATE: New York state parks, trails and grounds of historic sites are open for solitary outdoor recreation. Governor Cuomo is urging all New Yorkers to stay home as much as possible. If you do plan on visiting, it should be for a solitary nature break.

Enjoy your nature break.

thanks @goodvibe, it was me updating the rock armor at the powerline.

Yesterday I did notice that there were more hikers on the trail than usual. I think the park visitor center (although closed) was giving out information recommending the trail. The people that I talked with all had the same printed map and said it was their first time on the trail.

Powerline work. Last photo is a piece of the old armor that I dug up on top of the new that I put in place.?

View attachment 122414
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Nice work. I sometimes I wish we had some rocks.

 

[MuniMan]

It’s this time of year again

This is on Hutchinson just before you get to the bridge by the rusty barrel when going CCW. It was in the area where the ditch drains go across the Road. I think it’s a female. I did an out/back ride and saw her both times. She let me know it with a rattle on my return.

Based on past experience they seem to hang out in the same area for a while so I have a feeling that she will be seen again. There was one last summer that was often seen by the bridge on ME as we were building it. One particular day a member of the crew had to spend a few hours watching the snake while others worked because it was next to the bridge and going nowhere very slowly.

The snakes are good. Remember that a big part of the reason that Sterling is a state park and not a golf course/gated community is because of them. So say thank you to the snakes if you see one.

As far as work in Sterling this summer; The Augusta Mine trail is in the final stages of approval. This trail will run from Hutchinson by the big rock where the trail first goes onto the road when coming from Caretaker over to McKeags Meadow. The NY State biologist is coming out this week to look for any rare/delicate plants (think Lady Slippers). Should anything be found it hopefully will just be a matter of moving the trail a bit.

So assuming we get approval and the Corona virus restrictions are lifted we will be able to schedule work days to build some new trail!!!!

 

[Greg-O]

It’s this time of year again

View attachment 131009

This is on Hutchinson just before you get to the bridge by the rusty barrel when going CCW. It was in the area where the ditch drains go across the Road. I think it’s a female. I did an out/back ride and saw her both times. She let me know it with a rattle on my return.

Based on past experience they seem to hang out in the same area for a while so I have a feeling that she will be seen again. There was one last summer that was often seen by the bridge on ME as we were building it. One particular day a member of the crew had to spend a few hours watching the snake while others worked because it was next to the bridge and going nowhere very slowly.

The snakes are good. Remember that a big part of the reason that Sterling is a state park and not a golf course/gated community is because of them. So say thank you to the snakes if you see one.

As far as work in Sterling this summer; The Augusta Mine trail is in the final stages of approval. This trail will run from Hutchinson by the big rock where the trail first goes onto the road when coming from Caretaker over to McKeags Meadow. The NY State biologist is coming out this week to look for any rare/delicate plants (think Lady Slippers). Should anything be found it hopefully will just be a matter of moving the trail a bit.

So assuming we get approval and the Corona virus restrictions are lifted we will be able to schedule work days to build some new trail!!!!

Yes, I just got back from a clockwise loop of Sterling an hour ago and saw a big rattler at the top
of The Redback climbjust before it turns into Hutchinson. Thankfully I saw It in time, as the fork in the trail split there and I took the Low Road around! It’s head was in the woods with its body and tail sticking out into the trail. It’s gets better....not even 10 minutes later on Hutchinson, I startled a young adult bear, about 1-2 yrs old. off to the left, just before the New Red Trail. I made it out alive!????

 

[Rusty]

Yes, I just got back from a clockwise loop of Sterling...and saw a big rattler at the top
of The Redback climb...It’s gets better....not even 10 minutes later on Hutchinson, I startled a young adult bear... I made it out alive!????

assume it was your fastest time on that loop today?

 

[THATmanMANNY]

Um how are the snakes this year? lol
going to check this place out this weekend
i don’t fuck with rattles snakes

do they typically come out morning or day?

Best way for a group of amateurs? clockwise Loop? Will be starting from care taker lot

 

[MuniMan]

Um how are the snakes this year? lol
going to check this place out this weekend
i don’t fuck with rattles snakes

do they typically come out morning or day?

Best way for a group of amateurs? clockwise Loop? Will be starting from care taker lot

If amateur means less fit I’d say the best from Caretaker is clockwise because you will finish on Hutch which is the easiest section of trail.

 

[tmcmtb]

I've seen rattlesnakes 3 times this week, once on hutch and twice by the powerlines, each time was after 4:30PM.

 

[THATmanMANNY]

Less riding experience but fitness/gym rats
That seems the way to go with what I read before.
Thanks @MuniMan @tmcmtb

 

[LND]

*Cross-posting this here and in the Ringwood forum*

PSA for those who ride between Sterling and Ringwood: I Was asked today by the members of the Eagle Valley Volunteer Fire Dept. to get the word out that the short trail section that runs West of Eagle Valley Road, terminating at the parking lot of the Fire House (just before the intersection of Scott Mine Rd. and Eagle Valley Rd) is on private land. At minimum, the trail entrance accessed from the gravel firehouse parking lot is on private property owned by the Fire Dept. Not sure about who‘s property the duration of the trail goes on before it dumps out on Eagle Valley, just before Eagle Lake.

There’s a short section/network of paths there that looks like was burned in by locals with motos and quads, maybe a 1/2 mile or so total distance one way. A lot of people (myself included up until today) take this as an alternate to riding Eagle Valley Rd all the way to/from the turn before the golf course. if you skip it, you’re not missing much. The folks at the FD seems that they’d be pretty thankful if people stopped crossing through their property. Be safe.

 

[MuniMan]

Less riding experience but fitness/gym rats
That seems the way to go with what I read before.
Thanks @MuniMan @tmcmtb

And keep in mind that you can shortcut from MunseeEagle over to Redback on the powerline service road should someone be looking like they are not happy. Like when someone’s significant other says ‘You told me this was going to be an easy ride......’

 

[THATmanMANNY]

Can you help me out? Where is Munsee? This is from trail forks

 

[MuniMan]

Can you help me out? Where is Munsee? This is from trail forks
View attachment 133318

Munsee Eagle is the blue with white blazed trail that is called Flowworks and Palisades 17/18 on Trailforks.

 

[THATmanMANNY]

Wow this some wicked trails and I felt like I was far far away from NJ. Great trail work. Tough for my brother. Attempted the monster roller. Slid out. Luckily did not get hurt but got hurt on a fire road... sucked. Then my nephew had an allergic reaction so he got called about that. Not the best ride but some awesome trails. I don’t know if I would have enough energy to go counter clockwise. It seem like most of the rock rollers were in the earlier trails but then we skipped a lot of the palisades and flowworks.

 

[DontBiteMyDog]

Wow what an incredible place. I give all the props in the world to the trail builders over there. Everything’s really well thought out. We did the clockwise loop from the caretakers lot, and what a blast we had but I haven’t been this sore after a ride in a long time.

 

[Cannonbill]

I did not know this, thanks for sharing.

*Cross-posting this here and in the Ringwood forum*

PSA for those who ride between Sterling and Ringwood: I Was asked today by the members of the Eagle Valley Volunteer Fire Dept. to get the word out that the short trail section that runs West of Eagle Valley Road, terminating at the parking lot of the Fire House (just before the intersection of Scott Mine Rd. and Eagle Valley Rd) is on private land. At minimum, the trail entrance accessed from the gravel firehouse parking lot is on private property owned by the Fire Dept. Not sure about who‘s property the duration of the trail goes on before it dumps out on Eagle Valley, just before Eagle Lake.

There’s a short section/network of paths there that looks like was burned in by locals with motos and quads, maybe a 1/2 mile or so total distance one way. A lot of people (myself included up until today) take this as an alternate to riding Eagle Valley Rd all the way to/from the turn before the golf course. if you skip it, you’re not missing much. The folks at the FD seems that they’d be pretty thankful if people stopped crossing through their property. Be safe.

 

[pixychick]

If you go across the street at the end of Eagle Valley, that double track loop around pond is part of NYS property and open to use. I believe NY owns most the property on the fire house side, but all those trails are social aka/ illegal built and lead on to fire house property. I have never been stopped, but I have not gone on them in a few years. They sorta suck too.

Conditions at Sterling are awesome right now.