Long Mtn.

Overview

Long Mountain is located just off Route 6 in Harriman State Park. It is not very high but offers awesome views of Harriman and Bear Mtn. State Parks, West Point, and the surrounding countryside. Long Mountain has two summits. One is 5 - 10 ft higher that the other. The true summit is located on U.S. Military Academy (West Point) Land and is closed to the public; it is at least 1,160 ft. high based on the contour lines on the map of the area. It offers limited views through the trees. The other summit is 1,155 ft. high and offers 360-degree views of the entire area. The Long Path is the only trail that climbs Long Mtn. It climbs to the lesser summit in a short but steep 0.65 miles. It can be climbed by anyone in any shape.

Long Distance Trails

Long Mtn. has a rich history of being crossed by Long Distance Trails. Before the U.S.M.A. expanded to its current size many trails of 15+ miles crisis-crossed Harriman and Bear Mtn. State Parks and connected the major mountains in the Parks. Some still exist today: Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (Ramapo Mtn. to Dunderburg Mtn.) 21.01 miles, Suffern-Bear Mt (Suffern, NY to Bear Mt.0 23.45, and Timp-Torne Trail (Popolopen Torne to the Timp) 11.15 miles. Another such trail was the Fingerboard-Storm King Trail (Fingerboard Mtn. to Storm King Mtn.) 15+ miles. When the U.S.M.A expanded to it's current size and no longer allowed hikers to traverse its land (1930’s) the F-ST Trail was abandoned. The trail up Long Mtn. was simply called the Long Mountain Trail and stopped at the top of the lower summit.
In 1968 the Long Path was re-routed over the lesser summit of Long Mtn. to take advantage of the views. After crossing the lesser summit it quickly descends in to deep hollow and rejoins it's original route.

Raymond Torrey

Raymond Torrey was a writer for the New York Post and an important figure in the building of the Appalachian Trail, he was the first treasurer of the Appalachian Trail Conference. He helped blaze the first 6 miles of the A.T. from the Ramapo River to Fingerboard Mtn.
He died in 1958. On October 31 of that year, members on the NYNJTC spread his ashes in to the wind on Long Mtn. because it was one of his favorite places to hike to. They also engraved a memorial to him on the summit rock.
Every year on Oct. 31 members of the NYNJTC hike to the summit of Long Mtn. to remember and thank Torrey for the work he did in promoting and protecting the A.T. and Hudson Highlands.


More Info on Torrey can be found here

Getting There

From I-87 exit at Exit 16 and follow signs for Route 6. Take Route 6 5 miles to the eastern eneternce of the Long Mtn. Parking Lot. (must use the eastern entrence because the parking lot road is a one way)

Red Tape

Long Mountain is in Harriman and Bear Mtn. State Parks and is part of the Palasides Interstate Park Comission. General Rules:

• No Hunting or Trapping of fish or wildlife in other than apporved areas
• No ATV's
• NO Alcoholic Beverages

Unless you have a permit, you can not;

• camp at unauthorized sites
• use, launch, and store boats of any kind
• perform archaeological digs of any kind.

Unless you are in a designated area you can not;

• ues or ride horses
• build, light,or mintain ANY fire
• have any pets unless they were leashed and muzled and not exceding 6ft. in length
• Use or operate a snowmobile

Camping

See Red Tape. Because a round trip hike up and down Long Mtn. in just over a mile you wont need to camp. However if you really, really wanted to camp near Long Mt. or ou are thur- or section- hiking the Long Path the closest LP shelter is Stockbridge Shelter. It is located 2.15 miles SOUTH of Long Mtn. it sleeps 6 and no water is avaiable at the shelter

When To Climb and Current Conditions

When To Climb

Long Mtn. can be climbed in any season. It is usually cilmbed and crowded on Spring and Fall weekends and any summer day because of the ease of climbing it and views. Care should be taken if the rock slabs near the summit are slippery or icy.

Current Conditions

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Images

View Long Mtn. Image Gallery - 13 Images