HARLEM VALLEY RAIL TRAIL NORTH LETTERBOX:

COPAKE FALLS, NEW YORK

-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-

Planted:                June 28, 2004

Length:                Copake Falls to Under Mountain road; 4 miles

                              Copake Falls to Letterbox; 3.6 miles

                              Under Mountain road to Letterbox; 0.4 miles

Difficulty:            Easy. Paved, flat trail.

Directions:

To start from Copake Falls; Take Route 22 to Route 344 east into Copake Falls (Taconic State Park is located here as well). The trail starts across from the Taconic State Park entrance. A parking lot is located here.

To start from Under Mountain Road; Take Route 22 south from Copake Falls and just past Route 3, look for Under Mountain Road on the left. The parking lot will be on your left a ways up this road.

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail right-of-way spans 46 miles from Wassaic to Chatham , NY . At present, 4 of the 6 sections of the trail are open, totaling about 14 ½ miles. The first-third sections are complete See; Harlem Valley Rail Trail South Letterbox .  Section four is scheduled for construction to begin in 2008. This Letterbox runs along the fifth section from Ancram to Copake Falls and the sixth section, up to Chatham is undeveloped. The New York & Harlem Railroad was built in 1851 and became the Harlem Division of the New York Central Railroad in the 1870's. For more information visit;  HARLEM VALLEY RAIL TRAIL .

Starting from Copake Falls ; The trail begins across from the entrance to Taconic SP, next to the old Copake Falls Rail Station.

Note; It's worth the trip to visit Bash Bish Falls just up the road and over the state line in MA. The remains of the old Copake Iron Works are also up the road.

There is a signboard located here and the old Station is now a camp store. You cross over a large bridge that spans Bash Bish Brook. After about 0.6 miles, you come to a short on road detour along a quiet dirt road. Head right down this road, where at 1 mile the trail will resume on your left. For a nice view, continue just up the dirt road for a view of the valley. The trail runs alongside the valley wall and is very secluded.  At 1.9 miles, you'll spot an old stone railroad mile marker on your left with the markings NY 103, thus New York 103 miles. There are two more along the trail, spaced 1 mile apart. There are also quaint "Tractor Crossing" signs along the trail and I've never seen so many rabbits hopping about in all my life. At 3.6 miles, you come to a bench on your left and a brown gate to your right. Walk 5 paces (1 pace = 2 steps) past the bench and you'll spot a large Oak tree up the hill to your left. Walk another 5 paces to a deer trail that will take you easily up to the tree, which is located next to a stone wall. At the backside of this tree, under a flat rock is the Harlem Valley Rail Trail North Letterbox. Continuing along the trail, you pass through a rock cut and then a berm with split rail fencing along the sides. At 4 miles you reach the Under Mountain parking lot.

HH

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LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON

NOVEMBER 2, 2008

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