Home ⎟ Hikes & Wanderings ⎟ New York ⎟Hudson Valley⎟ Harriman ⎟Seven Hills to Lake Wanoksink & Pine Meadow Lake

Distance: 6.2 miles

Time: 3.5 hours

Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous

Elevation Gain: 800 feet

Dog-Friendly: Yes.

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Driving Directions: From the northbound New York State Thruway, take exit 15A to NY-17 North.  Turn LEFT onto NY-17 North for 2.5 miles, passing through Sloatsburg and heading uphill to a traffic light where you’ll turn RIGHT onto Seven Lakes Drive.  Continue 4.2 miles to the Baker Camp Parking Area on your LEFT.

Hike Directions: From the trailhead parking area off Lake Sebago, walk back to Seven Lakes Drive and cross to find the BLUE-BLAZED Seven Hills Trail.  Follow the Seven Hills Trail 0.67 miles to Monitor Rock, where you’ll continue straight onto an unmarked path (instead of turning right with the blue blazes).  In a tenth of a mile, continue through an intersection with the red-blazed Tuxedo – Mount Ivy trail, follow the unmarked trail another quarter mile to an intersection of unmarked paths and heading neither right now left, continue straight on the unmarked path.  To your LEFT, Lake Wanoksink comes into view, and feel free at any point to walk down to her shores – they’re dotted with rock slab beaches and idyllic camping areas.From the southeastern end of the lake, pick up the unmarked path heading away from the lake (officially named “Conklin Road”) and in a quarter mile reach Pine Meadow Lake and a beautiful building in ruins.  Continue to the LEFT on the RED-BLAZED Pine Meadow Trail as you circumnavigate the lake, stopping from time to time at one of its many coves, beaches and tent sites.  Eventually the red blazes drift off to the left, but you’ll continue RIGHT, first onto the WHITE BLAZED Conklin’s Crossing Trail (for just a tenth of mile), the turn RIGHT again onto an unmarked trail that hugs the lake.  From the point at which you meet the unmarked trail, go a half mile to an intersection of trails and keep RIGHT, heading directly toward the lake.

Once at the lake,  turn LEFT and you’ll find a nice cove to enjoy, and a few hundred feet beyond, you’ll find beautifully historic Conklin Cemetery.  Continue past the cemetery for another 0.2 miles to meet the YELLOW-BLAZED Poached Egg Trail.  Continue on the unmarked path around the lake and eventually depart from the lake onto the RED-BLAZED Pine Meadow Lake Trail for 0.2 miles until you reach an intersection of yellow and red-blazed trails.  Continue straight onto a YELLOW-BLAZED Trail, ascending to the summit of Diamond Mountain (a short quarter mile beyond the intersection).  Once at the top, turn RIGHT onto the ORANGE/BLUE-BLAZED Trail for a quarter of a mile.  At a fork in the road, follow the BLUE-BLAZES RIGHT as the orange blazes depart to the the left.  After 0.7 miles you’ll return to Monitor Rock, veer LEFT and continue on the BLUE BLAZES 0.65 miles back to Seven Lakes Drive and the parking area across the street.

Scenery: 7/10