Complete hike details, photos, and video on our Sterling Forest page.

Finally a “cool” 80 degree partly-sunny day… what a nice change.

Sterling Forest is just over the NJ-NY border in New York, to the west of Harriman State Park. We hadn’t been there in awhile, and decided to check out the Bare Rock trail and Greenwood Lake overlook. There is a small viewpoint trail from the Bare Rock trail that leads to an open area with a wide view over Greenwood lake and makes for a nice break spot.

After that we just put our route together as we went, and ended up at the fire tower, which was open.  Even though it was overcast that day, the 360° views were nice. There are two other nice small overlooks, before and after the fire tower. Near the visitor center, you can check out an old iron furnace and some other building ruins.

8.1 miles. Trails are very well marked, and there are signs posted at junctions to really make things clear. A lot of Sterling is old woods roads that are quite rocky. We’d rate this route as moderate, with the exception of the approach to the fire tower that is up a steep rocky section, with a little scrambling.

Trail quality overview…  the beginning short BLUE section is nice, then you are walking along a paved park road with the Lake to your right. The first part of ORANGE was just OK. In general the trails are nicer when they are trails and not following woods roads, and this route felt more interesting after the lookout over Greenwood Lake… in our opinion anyway.

Route: From the visitor center… BLUE – ORANGE (Bare Rock) – BLUE STRIPE on ORANGE (Viewpoint Spur) – WHITE STRIPE on RED (Fire Tower Trail) – BLUE (Sterling Ridge)/TEAL (Highlands) – ORANGE (Bare Rock) – BLUE

Map: You can print this Sterling Forest Map PDF, or get one at the visitor center. For clarity and a larger covered area, we really prefer the Sterling Forest Trails Map

Parking: Parkway N to cross into NY, to 87N to exit 15A for 17, to 72 (Sterling Mine Road) to right onto 84 (Long Meadow Road). Follow signs to visitor center. Lot is on the right, walk across the road to the Visitor Center. It’s nice, has several displays, a ranger, maps, regular bathrooms. Takes about 1.5 -1.75 hrs from central NJ (New Brunswick-ish).

NJ Hiking Sterling Forest Moderate, Viewpoint