Joppenbergh Mountain Loop

June 23, 2024 – Rosendale, NY

Problem: Straightforward – Average

Size: roughly 2.2 miles

Max elevation: 482 ft. – whole elevation achieve: 471 ft.

Route sort: Circuit

Map: Joppenbergh Mountain Map 2021

Trailhead parking: Willow Kiln Park – 5 Hardenburgh Lane, Rosendale, NY 12472

Joppenbergh Mountain is freed from cost and open day by day from daybreak till nightfall to be used by the general public.

Moveable rest room situated close to the beginning of the path.

Overview:

Joppenbergh Mountain is an almost 500-foot tall mountain in Rosendale, NY (Ulster County). The mountain dominates the pure panorama of the City of Rosendale. It’s situated on the very northern finish of the Shawangunk Ridge and, north of the Rondout Creek. Newly marked trails result in the highest of the mountain from Willow Kiln Park, with a view of the Rosendale Trestle and the rolling hills past.

Willow Kiln Park is situated behind the municipal parking zone off Predominant Avenue, behind the Rosendale Theatre. Trails to Joppenburgh Mountain are accessed from the park. The park is the location of the previous cement kilns, which give the park its identify and in addition hosts a Farmer’s Market on weekends.

Historical past:

Joppenbergh, or Jacob’s Mountain, is known as after Colonel Jacob Rutsen, a service provider and the son of a Dutch immigrant from Albany. He based the primary settlement in what’s now the city of Rosendale within the late seventeenth century. The spelling of the mountain’s identify has been disputed, and has been rendered as Joppenberg and Joppenburgh. It has additionally been referred to as Jacob’s Nostril, Jacob’s Mount, and, in an early 18th-century deed, Jobsenbright.

In September of 2011, the Open House Institute’s land acquisition affiliate, the Open House Conservancy, bought Joppenbergh Mountain, a 117-acre parcel that towers over Rosendale, NY. Associates of the Shawangunks, by means of its land-trust affiliate, The Shawangunk Conservancy, agreed to lift $85,000 (46%) of the sale worth to be able to safe the mountain’s preservation.

Joppenbergh is laced with a community of previous roads, paths and trails. The mountain’s wealthy historical past is mirrored on this community. Farming, logging, mining, leisure sports activities and communication expertise have all had a spot at completely different occasions, and every of those has left its traces.

Over 100 years in the past, Willow Kiln Park was a really busy spot. The kilns that kind the parks backdrop burned all of the rock mined below Joppenberg Mountain. It’s this cement firm’s declare that its product constructed the Brooklyn Bridge, actually calling its cement “Brooklyn Bridge Model.” America’s first railroad steam engine, the Sturbridge Lion, handed by means of immediately’s park on a canal boat on the Delaware & Hudson canal situated on the south facet of the park.

In the present day the Wallkill Valley Land Belief (WVLT) owns and manages the property.

Trails Overview:

After I hiked Joppenburgh in 2018, the paths have been unmarked.

In 2019, the WVLT and its volunteers, added yellow blazes to the Lookout Path and constructed the Pink Path. In 2021, they started reducing extra trails, and in 2022 started putting in lavatory bridges alongside the Multi-Use Purple Path.

In the present day, the paths are principally properly marked with loads of signage and are properly maintained.

A leg of the Purple Path was closed off on the day of my go to. Unsure whether it is everlasting or only a short-term closure.

The paths are marked with WVLT spherical plastic discs of varied colours.

Trails used on this hike:

Entry Path/Hyperlink Path (inexperienced) is the primary path encountered upon leaving the Willow Kiln parking zone. It serves as a connector path to entry the opposite trails at Joppenbergh Mountain. I didn’t see any inexperienced markers, but it surely’s the one path till you attain the junction with the yellow-blazed Lookout Path.

Lookout Path (yellow) is the crown jewel of Joppenbergh mountain, providing path customers wonderful views of the Wallkill River, Rosendale Trestle, and the Shawangunk Ridge. It’s 1.02 miles lengthy and solely accessible on foot, not MTB. Heading up the Hyperlink Path from the Parking zone, the Lookout Path might be in your left and includes a fast climb as much as the look-out earlier than persevering with to the summit of Joppenbergh Mountain at 482 toes.

The Outcrop Path (purple) is reasonably simple to traverse. The outcrop path is known as for it’s distinctive geological options, with glacial erratics from the final ice age and bedrock ridges seen from the path. It’s a multi-use path, out there to each pedestrians and bicyclists. Lavatory bridges assist hikers and bikers traverse the moist areas of the path.

Buteo Path (pink/pink?) is a multi-use path that’s appropriate for Climbing, Path Operating, and Mountain Biking. It’s a good, broad path for many of its size. A number of the markers on the path could seem extra pink than pink.

Hike Overview:

Not lengthy after I did this hike in October 2018, I learn that they have been reducing new trails and including blazes to the present trails. I lastly obtained round to mountaineering Joppenbergh once more, and I’m glad that I did.

Except for the birds-eye view of the Rosendale Trestle and past, it is a comparatively quiet spot to hike. I solely encountered two separate hikers throughout my time there. The canopied forest offers ample shade from the new solar, making it an excellent hike in any season.

This clockwise loop begins and ends in Willow Kiln Park.

As you’ll be able to see from the graph beneath, after the preliminary steep ascent, the grade moderates considerably.

The Hike:

There may be loads of parking within the Rosendale Municipal Parking Lot, which is adjoining to Willow Kiln Park. The Farmer’s Market was organising after I arrived at simply earlier than 9am on a Sunday morning in June.

As you stroll alongside the rear of the park, you might need to take a minute to take a look at the cement kilns earlier than you embark in your hike.

The kiln wall which runs 100 toes alongside the park, is 35-foot-high wall (at its tallest part) and is constructed of stone rubble and grout core, with a stone and mortar face.

The hike begins on the japanese finish of the park, to the far proper of the kilns. There’s a kiosk with a map. Should you don’t have a printed map, then you might need to take an image of the map on the kiosk. That is the Inexperienced Path as proven on the map. I didn’t see any inexperienced markers, however the indicators point out the best way.

Observe this gravel path because it bends to the left and crosses the hillside above the kilns.

In a brief distance, the path involves a junction. On the left is the yellow-blazed Lookout Path. That is the shortest distance to the point of view. Observe the Yellow Path because it begins to climb regularly.

The path climbs steadily alongside the southern slope of Joppenbergh Mountain, with the City of Rosendale is seen by means of the timber beneath.

After about 0.6 mile from the beginning, the path reaches a small rock outcrop with views to the south and west. You could need to take a couple of minutes to benefit from the view.

The view level is small, and it’s a must to stand on a slanted rock to get the complete view, however what a view it’s. Use warning when making an attempt to get a glance. Particularly whether it is moist or icy.

The Northern Shawangunks, together with Big’s Ledges Pocket Park.

Rosendale Trestle is a 940-foot lengthy former railroad trestle rising 150 toes above Rondout Creek. When it was inbuilt 1872 it was the very best span bridge in the US. Since 2013 it has been a pedestrian walkway on the Wallkill Valley Rail Path, a 22-mile path by means of Ulster County.

Simply after leaving the point of view, a big department got here crashing down, taking different branches with it, simply off the path.

The path continues to climb, quickly reaching the peak of land, simply west of the summit. It then ranges off considerably, earlier than starting a gradual descent on an eroded woods highway.

We arrived at a detour. I consider that that is the southern leg of the Purple Path, however I didn’t see any markers. I wasn’t planning on going that manner. I turned left and took the northern leg of the Purple Path.

The Purple Path meanders by means of the northern finish of the property, spending some attention-grabbing trying rock formations alongside the best way.

Keep alert for mountain bikes. I didn’t see any, however you by no means know.

Lavatory bridges pave the best way alongside moist sections of the path.

The Purple Path climbs slightly because it curves to the south.

The Purple Path then ends at a T-intersection with the Pink Path. Flip proper on the Pink Path (among the blazes could look pink), and observe it in a southerly route.

While you come to a junction the place the Pink Path goes each left and proper, TURN RIGHT, now heading southwest.

The Pink Path passes some rock formations with timber rising out of them.

On the path map, the Pink Path ends at a junction with the southern leg of the Purple Path, however continues forward on the woods highway because the Inexperienced Path. It passes a brief blue blazed bike path on the left. Proceed descending on the woods highway passing by means of a powerlines reduce.

A brief distance later, the path reaches the junction with the Yellow Path. Bear left at this junction and retrace your steps again to Willow Kiln Park, the place the hike started.

Evaluation:

Though the mountain now has marked trails, it may possibly nonetheless be slightly complicated. There may be sufficient signage for hikers to search out their manner round, however it’s worthwhile to listen. This was a beautiful hike by means of a very scenic space. The perspective overlooking the Rosendale Trestle, is the spotlight of the hike. The plush, inexperienced forest and attention-grabbing rock formations make exploring the opposite trails worthwhile. I’d positively advocate this hike to rookies and seasoned hikers alike.

Execs:

Scenic panorama, good view, not closely used, higher marked trails.

Cons:

Path map wants updating.

Take a hike!

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