Dunderberg Spiral Railway Hike

Dundenberg spiral railway is a pretty good hike that is somewhat strenuous but doable for a lot of weekend hikers. The views are pretty good and the hike offers a good workout. People can add a mile or two if they want more miles too. The hike is flexible but a little bit strenuous for people who have not exercised or hiked in a long time. The parking lot is small but can fit a few cars. Overall, a very good hike to do.

---

Dunderberg Spiral Railway Important Information

Trail Map: Trail Map 1
Suggested Phone GPS Apps: Alltrails.com, Avenza Maps, Google Maps

Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Distance: 7 Miles
Elevation Gained: 1,700 ft
Portable Toilet At Parking: No

Trail Breakdown
Red And Blue Trail
Red Trail
White Trail To Viewpoint
Red Trail Ascent
Red Trail Top Of Mountain With Views
Bald Mountain
Red Trail Descends
Red And Blue Trail Intersection
Blue Trail
Timp Torne Tunnel
Blue Trail Descends

https://www.mapmyhike.com/workout/3520012852

Note: The information is just an approximation.

Parking

41.281105, -73.962829

Start Of The Hike

I followed my heart and I found myself on this hiking trail. There was no end to the adventures in this life of mine if I always follow my heart. Whenever excitement flowed through my heart, I cannot stop nor can I deny it, I can follow it. I always find myself in the strangest of all places whenever I do. I loved finding myself on a trailhead, not knowing what I was going see, who I was going to meet, or what kind of adventures and scenery were waiting for me.

 

Red And Blue Trail

I stepped on the brown soil, embarking on my new journey. It was a gentle and flat footpath and yet there was worry in my heart as the cloudy sky looked like it was about to cry. I chose to move forward, knowing full well that I could be drenched and soaked in the middle of nowhere. There was courage inside me or just plain foolishness. Either way, I was going to find out.

 

Red And Blue Trail

The plant life looked weird as if I stumbled upon a portal and went to another planet. In the distance were barren trees with creepy vines hanging all over them. Even the grass in front of me did not look right. Their colors are duller and appear to sway differently. I’m all alone in this place and yet there was a little bit of excitement, just another day to explore a brand new world that I have never been to.

 

Red And Blue Trail Ascent

The ascent wasn’t that difficult or maybe I was too busy admiring the scenery to even notice. There wasn’t much to see, just a bunch of rocks, trees and the cloudy sky on top of me. Yet they were enough to take my mind off the old beaten footpath. The footpath wasn’t a straight incline to the top also. There would be even and flat terrain every now and then that allowed my body to recuperate and gain back the energy that I have lost.

 

Red Trail View

The viewpoint was empty, without a soul as far as I could see. I sat near the edge  where an opening could be found and took out a bottle of water from my backpack. I sipped, and sipped, till I felt the thirst in my throat disappear. It was a good place to rest with a gust of wind coming every now and then. There was nothing much to see but a few minutes sitting down on the roots of a tree felt good and allowed my body to recuperate.

 

Red Trail Ascent

Steep and rocky, the red trail became a fierce beast that my body could barely handle. I slowed down my pace to let my breath catch up as I could feel my energy leaking out of my body faster than I had anticipated.

 

Red Trail View

Blocked by a multitude of trees, the viewpoint offered very little to the entertainment of my eyes, but the chilly breeze coming from the landscape was very welcomed. I sat on a big rock, trying to recover my strength before moving on, with the cool wind that kept coming in and hitting my skin. Such comfort and relaxation was enough to make me very sleepy and droopy. So I moved on, kept going, before the laziness inside me took over and I may just sit next to a tree and fall asleep and forget about the hike forever.

 

White Trail

Short white trail that goes to a view point.

 

White Trail View

The relaxing cool wind followed me here, it ebbs and flows, it comes and goes. As the grass and trees swayed and danced to its music, I became very sleepy again. There was something infinitely relaxing with nature even though it was rugged, dirty, and even about to rain. It was as if I was at home where I felt at ease and comfortable. All of my worries and pain that I experienced in the modern world could never reach me in this place.

 

Red Trail Ascent

A breath of cool air slammed against my skin as I tackled the steep red trail. It was refreshing and nice, took away the fatigue and toll that was slowly accumulating in my mind and body. It was the last steep slope but it was also not a very easy one to conquer.

 

Red Trail Top

A gentle breeze pushed through the dignified trees surrounding me. The scent of fresh air with a hint of greenish leaves permeated through my environment. Such air was a rare case in the noisy city where I live in. I walked through the flat and pleasing terrain, savoring each moment and each second that passed by.

 

Red Trail Top View

I took a few pictures of the scenery but the valley and mountains was blocked by trees. I moved on without looking back. It was a viewpoint according to the map but it just wasn’t interesting enough to stay or even take a rest.

 

Red Trail Descending

The footpath along the top of the red trail was simple. Mostly a few short slopes going up and going down. The elevation change wasn’t that huge which was perfect for daydreaming, or talking to another person while on the hiking path.

 

Red Trail Ascending

There was a dead silence that plagued these woods. There were no birds chirping, chipmunks scurrying along nor any other animal. No creature could be found, only the deafening silence could be heard. I walked upwards with only my thoughts as my companion. Silent words, wishful thinking, and scenarios that could never happen, echoed through my head as these thoughts were the only sound that whispered to me within these woods.

 

View Point Covered By Trees

The views in this hike were pretty much a disappointment as I have been used to amazing vistas and breathtaking valleys. Still, the forest was very cuddling, and loving. The trail was mostly flat and the weather wasn’t hot and wasn’t cold either. Just the right temperature for a good hike.

 

Trail Descends

The narrow brown footpath descended downward. Nothing too hard, nor exhausting, just a short and gentle slope that was enjoyable and easy on the knees. I walked with a little bit of appreciation as I was always hiking on a mountain with high elevation gain with an unforgiving terrain. In here, every slope, every footpath and every trail had been somewhat easy and pleasant to my feet.

 

Bald Mountain

It was a cold and gray day with the wind carrying the taste of rain. I traced the edges of a coarse rock with my hands and fingers, pushed it a little just to see if it would budge. It didn’t, it was a good solid rock to sit on and enjoy the view. I took a couple of deep breaths and allowed my body to rest. This was the best view and it was pretty good, maybe it could have been more amazing if the sun was shining down on the valley. However, it was good enough for my tired body. A good safe sanctuary to help my body rejuvenate and cleanse away the fatigue that it had accumulated.

 

Bald Mountain Outlook

To the right was a path that leads to a vista overlooking a river and a bridge. It looked like Anthony’s nose but I wasn’t sure. The bridge looked awfully familiar. I walked to the edge, trying to get a better view of the landscape.

 

Bald Mountain View

I breathe in a sigh of relief, just appreciating the wind and the scenery in front of me. It may not be the best scenery but I welcomed it as I tried my best to give my body a rest. My eyes began to sink and close after a few minutes as I felt my body preparing itself to go to sleep. The breeze and the land provided so much comfort that my body was being lulled to sleep.

In that instant, I knew that I had to leave. I strapped my backpack on my shoulder and tightened the hip belt. I looked for the trail markers and moved on.

Trail Kept On Descending

Slowly but surely, I moved down carefully, making sure I don’t hurt myself. My legs ache with every step that I had made, a sure sign that I haven’t hiked in a while. My confidence was low as normally I would run trails like this one but today, I was taking it slow. Just making sure I made it at the bottom in one piece.

 

Red And Red Trail Intersection

This is the red trail and red trail intersection and there is a big cairn at the center.

 

Red And Blue Trail Intersection

Going south, I came across the red and blue intersection.

 

Blue Trail

Beyond the thickly laid trees of the forest, a clearing could be found at the edges of a mountain. Thin branches with tiny sprouting leaves allowed me to see glimpses of a viewpoint, as my body instinctively move towards it, hoping to take a few pictures or even take a nice rest.

 

Blue Trail Views

It was a decent view along the trail before heading down the mountain. With sturdy boulders people could sit upon and a gentle breeze would come every now and then from the valley. A nice place to take refuge if I was very tired. However, I still had energy left, and all of my thoughts were focused on my grumbling stomach that was begging for food. I scurried along the trail, wanting to get to the parking lot as soon as possible.

 

Blue Trail Going Downward

My feet ran like the wind as a drop of rain touched my cheek. A sense of fear took over my body just imagining a downpour and I’m still a mile or two away from the parking lot. Move! I told my feet, move!

 

Timp Torne Tunnel

There was nothing interesting with the tunnel. I only sensed danger and death the closer I got to the entrance. The dark water filled the ground, too dark for people to see how deep it was. The hair on my arms stood up as nervousness filled my heart. The tunnel was scary, there was no telling what I would find if go inside it. But my heart was too weak to even try.

 

Flat Trail With Huge Rock Formations At The Left

As I ran towards the parking lot, I couldn’t help but notice these huge rock formations to my left. A natural work of art made by mother nature. A towering wall that I may come back someday so that I can climb and conquer it.

 

End Of Hike

The trees looked weird as I got closer to the parking lot. They looked like trees from another planet, like flowers blooming on a very green landscape. I walked slowly, admiring the unique scenery I found myself in. It was beautiful but I was too tired. As much as I wanted to stay, there was nothing more that I wanted other than getting to my car and going to a restaurant. As I got back to my car, I said goodbye to the park and went on my way.

 

For More Hikes

For more hikes similar to this one, you can go to my Best NYC Hikes Or Best New Jersey Hikes.