Sterling Forest – Bare Rock and Fire Tower Hike

This is a pretty decent hike with a few view points, lakes and the parking lot is pretty big. The fire tower was closed when I did this hike but you can still see views while on the stairs. The trails are very interesting and offer different views so it is not boring. I would not recommend this hike during mosquito season though. Lots of those insects in this place. If you want to hike this during that time then I recommend getting insect nets. Other than that, this hike is pretty good.

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Sterling Forest – Bare Rock and Fire Tower Important Information

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

Difficulty: Easy To Moderate
Distance: 8 Miles
Elevation Gained: 950 ft
Portable Toilet At Parking: Yes

Trail Breakdown
Blue Trail + Road
Orange Trail
View Point
Orange Trail
Red Trail
Blue Trail Ascent
Red Trail Going Back
Blue Trail To Visitor Center

https://www.mapmyhike.com/workout/2159113799

Note: The information is just an approximation.

Parking

41.197757, -74.256059

 

Start Of The Hike

All I could hear was silence as we approached the visitor center from the parking lot. There was no one around, no other hikers in the vicinity, just us heading straight for the visitor center. The unfriendly dark clouds cast its shadow all over the land, creating a gloomy and fearful atmosphere while the turbulent winds agitated the flags on the tall metallic pole. We went inside the visitor center to use the bathroom while hoping the dark clouds would be gone when we come out.

 

Blue Trail

The blue trail took us deep into a narrow dirt footpath that was surrounded by short bushes and shrubs. Flat and even, the trail was easy to follow with lots of trail markers that showed us the way. The dark clouds would not disappear as they blanketed the sky. The thought of rain created fear inside of me as hiking in the rain would not be a pleasant experience.

 

River

The river gushed through a small opening underneath the wooden bridge. The stream was loud and noisy as it echoed through out our surrounding. Tiny mosquitoes of different sizes started buzzing around us, biting our skin, and annoying my group members. We sprayed some bug deterrent all over our skin, clothes and backpack, hoping it would keep the insects away.

 

Sterling Furnace

The Sterling Furnace was a gigantic structure, a lot taller than I had imagined. It had round pillars surrounding it and each pillar had metallic bars at the top that connected with each other. The furnace was no longer operational, it was just a structure to remember what this placed used to be. Still, I was in awe at how big the furnace was, and at how amazing human beings were for creating such a structure.

 

Blue Trail

We went back again to the wooden bridge and crossed it. The lake water flowed through a tiny opening that was made out of stone. It was obviously made by human beings and not a natural structure. The lake water gushed through the tiny opening with a lot of force as if a thousand gallons of water came pouring in every second. We passed the wooden bridge and ended up at a concrete road.

 

Blue Trail

The concrete road was long, smooth and flat but we didn’t see any bikers nor vehicles using the road. There was just us, a couple of hikers walking on a trail filled with bugs. The mosquitoes that once surrounded us dwindled down in this part of the trail and for that we were very grateful. The lake could be seen on our right, and a few houses could be seen as well but there were no portable potty’s or bathrooms that could be seen on the trail.

 

Ruins

The decrepit ruins stood out as the walls and doors looked old and forgotten. The surrounding area around the ruins were also dirty, full of trash. I could not see any trash made out of plastic but lots of branches, wood, metals and old dead leaves that scattered themselves on the ground. I didn’t go near the ruins as rubbish may end up falling on me or my group members. We took a quick look at it then went on our way.

 

Sterling Lake

The melancholy lake looked gloomy and dreary due to the dark clouds that propagated in the sky. The proud trees stood tall even though a cool breeze was blowing in. We stood near the edge, just enjoying the breeze that was caressing our skins while taking pictures, selfies and joking around with each other. The hike had been good so far but would have been better without the annoying insects that lived in this place.

 

Orange Trail

Near the end of the concrete road, the orange trail could be found on the left. The wide dirt road opened up to us and took us deep into a forest. It was a flat terrain with a multitude of dead leaves dispersed through out the dirt floor. We walked as fast as we could, hoping the insects would scatter as we progress deeper into the trail.

 

Orange Trail

The forest was filled with trees with branches that was almost barren. A few shrubs and bushes were starting to sprout new leaves as they get ready for the summer. Pools of murky water could be found through out the footpath with lots of insects buzzing over our heads. It was not a pleasant experience as swarms of insects gathered all around us, trying to take a bite off our skins and taste our blood.

 

Bare Rock

We found relief on Bare Rock as the swarm of insects seemed to have left us alone. Moist and cool, a soft gentle breeze came pouring in from across the viewpoint. A cool tingling sensation could be felt as it moved along my skin which was a nice change compared to the tiny insects that infested this place. The scent of spice, sandwiches, fruits and other types of food blanketed the area as we took out our lunches. It was the perfect place to eat as the swarm seemed to be afraid of the cool air that was coming in.

 

The cold lake glimmered under the soft skylight with a few green trees near its banks and barren trees devoid of leaves further up the mountain. I could feel the coldness of its waters as the lake wore an icy appearance due to the light coming from the sky. I crossed my arms along the viewpoint as an icy chill crept in from the valley. The hair on my arms stood up as the chilly wind traveled along my skin which made me wrap myself with my black jacket.

It was a beautiful viewpoint and I was certain that it would be more beautiful during the Summer and Fall.

 

Orange Trail

The orange trail was mostly flat, with a couple of twist and turns out of which dark trees with a few baby leaves on their branches could be seen pointing high up to the clouds. I placed my jacket over my head and covered as much of my body, shielding myself from the mosquitoes that started following us again. It was nice gentle trail but we were too concerned about the mosquitoes to even care.

 

Red Trail

The footpath of the red trail was filled with mud and soft wet soil while being covered by thick brown leaves that made walking on it somewhat troublesome. I walked along its edges, avoiding the mud and hidden dangers that maybe lurking underneath the thick bed of leaves. The trail was mostly straight then a quick right where we saw a beaver dam.

 

Beaver Dam

A dead beaver could be found at the side of the dam. It lay resting at the bottom of the lake but its corpse could still be seen. The swarm of mosquitoes intensified as we reached this place and we could not see where the next trail marker. After a few minutes of searching, the trail marker was a few feet to the right of the dam. Somewhat of a ‘U turn” if I looked at it starting from the muddy red trail. The trail marker led us to a shallow end of a river where we had to cross in order to get to the other side.

 

Red Trail

I looked back to where we used to be where there was a beaver dam. Lifeless dead trees protrude from the lake water giving the place an eerie and creepy atmosphere. Not to mention that there was a dead animal on the other side of this lake. We moved on, trying not to touch the ghoulish water as the water might contain bacteria and other harmful organisms that we couldn’t see.

 

Blue Ascent

Jagged rocks, ghastly trees and big boulders awaited us at a steep incline on the trail. Huffing and puffing, I tried my very best to climb upwards. I could feel my energy leaking out of me with each step that I made. I felt the heaviness of my backpack as I reached higher and higher. My breathing became more erratic and heavy, and my steps became sluggish and slow but still, I trudged on. Moving closer and closer to the top.

 

Blue Ascent

Near the top were massive boulders and rocks that obstructed our way. I grabbed the edges of a stone in order to balance myself, its texture was rough and cold on my fingertips while using my legs to propel myself upwards. I felt a multitude of insects swarming around my head, waiting for an opening to take a bite. I waved my hand a couple of times in front of my face to try and scare them away but it was no use. They just kept coming back.

 

Blue Trail Lookout

Tired and fatigued, we took a quick rest at the top of the blue trail. The horde of mosquitoes dissipated with a few still flocking over us. The mountain wind was too much for most of them as a lot of them left us alone while we rested at the vista. I stood at the top of a rock, admiring the insurmountable amount of trees that was in front of me. The forest was changing as it wore a bright green appearance while some parts were deep dark green. It was a sure sign that Summer was coming and the trees were preparing for it.

 

Sterling Fire Tower

The Sterling fire tower rose out of the thickly laid trees of the forest. It towered above all others and looked menacingly creepy underneath the dreary sky. I could see my group members from a distance as they climb a skeleton made out of metal. I ran towards the tower, hoping to get to the top and look at the view. The swarm of insects followed me with every step that I made, but they could not get through the shield of clothes that I surrounded myself in.

 

Sterling Fire Tower Warning

To my disappointment, the top of the Sterling fire tower was closed. The tower looked decrepit and old with the wooden steps chipping out and its metallic bones having a lot of rust spots. We stayed near the top to take a rest while enjoying the cool breeze that was blowing in.

 

Sterling Fire Tower View

The swarm of insects tried their best to get to us but they couldn’t fly high enough. The cold mountain wind was too much for them. I could see a few of them fly near us, then drop straight back down to the forest. We found relief and relaxation at the fire tower, and for that I was grateful.

We stayed at the fire tower, enjoying the wind that was caressing our skin while looking at the clouds that were slowly moving towards us. I heard muffled conversations from my group members talking about jackets, ski gear and hiking equipment while I sat at the stairs… enjoying the few minutes of peace that I found myself in. Away from the buzzing insects and into a state where I could enjoy the wind, enjoy the view and daydream of happy times that were not too long ago.

 

Red Trail Descent

The red trail was a slope that took us down to the bottom of the mountain. It was dirt footpath with thousands of dead leaves that scattered themselves all over the trail. The slope was easy on the legs, and not that steep which allowed us to move in a much quicker pace. We moved faster and faster towards the bottom as the swarm of mosquitoes followed us. We didn’t talk, stop, nor rest. All we did was move, and walk with a strict focus as if our lives depended on it.

 

Back To Visitor Center

The once dark and cloudy sky was now gone as the gentle light of the afternoon sun showered its rays onto us. It was as if the heavens were giving a signal that we made it and we were now safe. I looked at my group members as they waited for me near the visitor center. I walked with a big smile on my face because the hike was over and the grueling battle between us and the insects were now far behind us.

It was not a bad hike. The trail was gentle, the atmosphere was cool, and the trail had pretty good views. However, the mosquitoes that followed us made this hike very miserable and dreadful. I may do it again in August or in the Fall where the mosquitoes would be gone.

 

For More Hikes

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