What You Missed
Summer 2026
Summer 2026
On Thursday, June 25th, I wanted to get in another hike to make it three days in a row. I had ambulance coverage from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM so my I plan seemed doable. I decided to just go to Parksville and hike the rail trail even though it is under three miles out and back. I asked Cindy if she would like to go and she said "Yes". The catch was that she would not be back from her Bible study until noon! I knew the Little Beaverkill would be low as it had not rained much since our last trip. I did want to see how the Town of Liberty's work on the bridge was holding up. By the time Cindy got home and we ate lunch it was 12:30 PM but I knew we still had time to just walk the trail. The temperature was right 74 degrees on the back porch with blue skies and plenty of sun. As we were getting dressed, Sheena sniffed my clothes and became very excited. I got dressed in my Columbia OmniShade long-sleeved shirt. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I grabbed a pair of Leki Makalu Lite poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I decided to wear my OR BugOut gaiters as a defense against the ticks that are looking for a warm home and a meal! I put the ecollar on Sheena and turned it on. I put our gear in the back of the car and Sheena in the back seat. We left Livingston Manor at 12:45 AM and drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville. Just after Fox Mountain Road, I pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road. There was one car parked in the lot. We started out on the trail at 1:00 PM under blue skies with lots of sun. The temperature seemed cool but we both noticed the humidity was high.
The first part of the trail was just damp but drying quickly. We continued hiking and once we were on the trail and sheltered by the trees it was a little cooler with the breeze blowing. The trail was about as I expected some damp areas and some mud. There seemed to be less water and mud than during our last trip. Just as we were about to enter the trees a woman came walking toward us and I took Sheena to the side of the trail. As the woman walked by we exchanged greetings. The rail trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. The water level in the stream was not quite as high as the last time we had hiked along the trail. As we continued to hike, we passed several benches placed for people to rest in warmer weather. I did not stop at the area just before the wooden walkways and bridge as our objective was to hike as fast as we could. We walked across the long walkway and then we came to the bridge. We already knew the crew had finished their work and had done a great job! They had cleared all of the debris that was blocking the culvert udder the bridge. Large boulders now held back the dirt and stones that often wash down the hillside to block the flow of water through the culvert. The crew had added crushed stone on either side of the bridge to smooth the way on and off the brdige. More stone had been added to fill in the mud pit on the Parksville side. Some fencing had been added and the overall effect was very pleasing. In a very short distance we came to the area where a large mudslide had brought trees and dirt down onto the trail. This area had been partly cleared in the past but the Liberty crew had graded it and added some crusher run. They also removed much of the debris, erected some fencing, and added some hay to help grass to grow back. As we continued I noted the other places where they had done work and all of it seemed to be holding up well. We continued on the trail heading toward the falls. As we walked toward the falls, we could hear an increase in the noise from the stream and I knew the falls was just ahead.
We passed the path down to the falls as I wanted to save time and the falls looked the same as last time. Soon we were nearing the Parksville end of the trail. Many of the rundown buildings had beem removed or were being renovated. Several of the buildings showed that work had been done on them. The large dog across the stream was not present and I missed him. On the Parksville end of the trail we found the small garden and a very informative sign. The pack of barking dogs that always greets us was again present and voicing their concern. The sign listed the businesses and hotels that existed in Parksville during its heyday. The Young's Gap Hotel had room for 600 guests! The sign also explained the role of the railroad in the dairy industry which was a thriving one in all of Sullivan County. It was 1:30 PM when we headed back toward the car. We had covered the walk out in 30 minutes but I knew the walk back was usually quicker. We set what I thought was a faster pace on the way back but that did not stop Sheena from going into full zoomie mode. She was racing ahead and then sprinting back toward us. She added some growling and attempts to bite our feet! We passed the mudslide and the bridges and continued to keep a good pace. We crossed the bridge and the wooden walkway. As we neared the end of the wooded part of trail, I gave Sheena the "With" command and she fell in behind me. We were back at the car at 1:30 PM having walked the return route in 30 minutes. The whole hike took us 1 hour which I judged good.
On Wednesday, June 24th I was scheduled to hike at Walnut Mountain with Lisa at 10:30 AM. Lisa wanted tot show me the work that had been done to create the Walnut Mountain House walking trail. I knew this included signs to explain the history of the Walnut Mountain House and some benches. I had thought Cindy wanted to go with me but at the last minute she decided against it. I had ambulance coverage from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM so I had plenty of time to get in a few miles. By the time I started to get ready at 9:45 AM the temperature was 74 degrees on the back porch with blue skies amd plenty of sun. As I was getting dressed, Sheena sniffed my clothes and became very excited. I got dressed in my Columbia OmniShade long-sleeved shirt without a baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I grabbed a pair of Leki Makalu Lite poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I decided to wear my OR BugOut gaiters as a defense against the ticks that are looking for a warm home and a meal! At 10:00 AM I left home and got on State Rt 7 east toward Liberty. I got off at exit 100, tuned right off the traffic circle and headed into town. At the next traffic circle I too the second exit to get on South Main Street and drove to the traffic light. I turned left on Lake Street and followed it until it became State Route 55. In a short distance I turned right on Walnut Mountain Road, drove to the parking area next to the baseball field and parked. There were only two other cars in the lot. One car had just parked and the couple were getting ready to hike. It was only 10:15 AM and I knew I would have to wait for Lisa. The temperature was 76 degrees with sunshine and clouds in a bright blue sky with low humidity and a slight breeze. Lisa arrived at 10:25 AM and we began to get ready to hike stepping off at 10:30 AM.
From the parking area we walked to the gate on the Mountain Overlook which is also a carriageway. The first interpretive sign is located here and ties general overview of the walking tour. From here the trail winds a little as it ascends to a junction with the West Lake West trail. Along the way was the second sign with a newly constructed bench next to it. The bench allows people to take a break if they wish. We continued to the junction with the West Lake West trail which continues straight ahead. We paused a minute before turning left. The Mountain Overlook Trail was now headed southwest as it continued its gentle climb. The third sign was cited at a junction where a trail branched off to the left. This sign pointed out the many rock ledges and had a picture of what they looked like at the turn go the 20th century! We continued straight ahead to the overlook. The view from the overlook was much open but it was a little hazy. It was easy to see down to Swam Lake and several housing developments. The sky was blue with some interesting clouds. I dropped my pack and took out my camera. I took some pictures of the lookout and then turned my attention to the view. I took numerous pictures of the landscapes and some of the sky. After I had finished, we turned around and started back the way we had come. In a short distance, at the trail junction, we stayed to the left and then the right to continue on The Walut Mountain House walking tour which followed the Mountain House Trail. On the right was another sign which pointed out the ledges which used to be wide open and afforded and even more spectacular view. We continued up the trail, which was a slightly steeper climb, until it leveled out. On the left was a large stone foundation which is all that remains of the Walnut Mountain House. It was constructed in 1887 and torn down in 1919. Other structures were built to support in but very little remains of these outbuildings. We turned left to follow a short trail around the foundation reading signs five and six. I dropped my pack and took a number of pictures fighting the bright sun for each shot. The work that has been done us very impressive and Lisa told me about the plans for more research. At this point Lisa had to get back but I had some more time so we parted way.
I had no particular route that I wanted to take and was more constrained by time than distance. I headed for one of the single track bicycle trails amd this one went up to the summit plateau of Walnut Mountain. The summit was wilder than I remembered with high grass and weeds on the trail and impressive stand on briars over the interior. We walked anticlockwise on the barely visible trail until we were on the west side where the trail was more discernable and there were some interesting rock ledges. I stopped to take some shots of the rock ledges and thought it would e nice to be below them to take some pictures from that angle. As we almost completed the loop around the top, I noticed a trail that went down and to the right. Thinking that trail might take us below the ledges, I turned right and started to loop back around the summit plateau im a clockwise direction but one level down. Soon we were looking up at the ledges where we had been looking down! I got out the camera and did the best job I could taking pictures. The problem was that the bright sunlight that made it such a nice day was not conducive to photography! When I was done, I packed up the camera and we continued to follow the single track bike trails until we were back at the site of the Walnut Mountain House. We turned left on the Mounatin House trail and followed it as it wound through several switchbacks until it ended at the Mountain Overlook Trail. We turned left and walked downhill to the junction with the Walnut Loop West Trail. We turned left and after a slight uphill the trail flattened and we passed by the Walnut Loop North trail that turned right and headed out to the West Lake parking area.
We followed the trail as it bent to the left and worked our way passed some large blowdowns across the trail. I was looking for a trail I had cleared for a cross country course. I knew it would be hard to find as it had not been used in at least 5 years and was not maintained. Soon the carriageway we were walking started to gain elevation and I knew I had missed the trail. I decided to retrace my steps to find it. I kept looking for the trail on the right just before the blowdowns. We turned right and started back up the mountain. The trail was actually in good shape until just before it ended and would require only a little maintenance. As we walked up the trail I wondered that I decided to make the course so hilly! At the top we tired right on the Sunset Trail which is mostly flat until it gains a little elevation at the end. This trail end at a junction with the Mountain House Trail and the Mountain Overlook trail. We continued straight ahead and then turned left on the Mountain Overlook trail. There was one hiker at the sign where we turned right on a connector trail and continued downhill to the lower lookout where we turned left on the Walnut Loop South Trail. We followed this passed the lower lookout where ether were new picnic table and a new bench at the edge of an open field. We continued until the trail entered the trees and started downhill passing the disc golf course. We walked by the finish line for the cross country course and then through and old red shale quarry. I look down and saw some arrows painted on the rock indicating the direction of travel for the runners. I was surprised that the painted arrow were still there after several years! We continued out through the trees to the playground and then to the car. It was 1:00PM when we finished. I estimated we had walked over 4 miles with about a 600foot elevation gain.