Rockland County High Point Trip Report

Rockhouse Mountain (1,283 ft)

Date: March 24, 2000
Author: Dan Case

From the NYS Thruway (I-87), get off at Exit 15 and follow signs to NY 17 north. Go up through Sloatsburg into Orange County, then head east on County Road 106 at overpass with NY 210 (the westbound road). Go over Thruway and cross into Harriman State Park. Follow 106 for several winding miles to circle intersection with Seven Lakes Drive. Nearest official parking area is about a half-mile up on the right, between the two lakes.

For some strange reason, Rockhouse has remained trailless. So my plan was to follow the aqua-blazed Long Path out of the parking lot to County Road 106 (still shown on the Thiells quad as NY 210, but it is no longer a state road), then along 106 to the blue-blazed Beech Trail, which curves around the mountain and might give me better access to the summit.

However, after reaching height of land on the Long Path just past the telephone line, I looked to the northeast and saw the peak rising and decided to bushwhack along the ridge to it. I passed some fantastic views south and west over the rest of the park. The summit, a bunch of boulders grouped together (not how the mountain gets its name, however ... the "Rock House" is a formation off 106 to its south) was about 3/4 mile along the ridge. Despite the prevalence of unmarked trails and roads throughout Harriman, there are none up here.

Total ascent: about 380'. Mileage this way: about 1.1.