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Quick Look - Hodge Pond and Mongaup Mountain
Difficulty Round trip Total climb Location Internet Maps
Trail difficultyTrail difficultyTrail difficulty 8.6 mi. 1650 ft. N41.98087 W74.73154 Google Maps

Where are the maps?

This route combines the Hodge Pond peak and Mongaup Mountain. Each could be done separately. The best way would be to hike as described to the Hodge Pond peak and then retrace your steps to the car. To hike only Mongaup Mountain reverse the hike as described and return directly after climbing Mongaup. The hike up Mongaup stays on road for as long as possible. It is NOT the shortest way but MAY BE the easiest.

Take Exit 96 Westbound (Livingston Manor) off State Route 17 (Interstate 86) and turn left at the bottom of the ramp onto DeBruce Road. Drive about 6 miles watch for Mongaup Road on your left. There is a yellow on brown sign labeled DeBruce Environmental Vamp on your right. This is the road to the Mongaup Pond state campsites. Drive a little less than 3 miles on this road until the it splits. The paved road to the right goes to the campsite. The dirt road to the left goes to the parking area for Frick Pond. Bear left and park in the parking area. Stay on the side of the road where you parked the car and find the red blazed Quick Lake trail. Follow this trail to Frick Pond bearing left where the trail splits just before the pond. Cross the bridge on the outlet of Frick Pond and again bear left where the trail splits to stay on the Quick Lake Trail. Continue for a total of about 1.4 miles to Iron Wheel Junction and bear left to continue on the Quick Lake Trail. The trail will continue to ascend and then start to level off. You will notice higher ground on the left so jump into the woods and head UP in a northwest north sort of way. At the top of the summit plateau wander around to "claim the high ground". Return the way you came or continue over the top to the northeast. The jeep trail marked on most maps is very prominent and hard to miss. Turn right on this trail and it will take you to Junkyard Junction and the beginning of the Flynn Trail.

Less than half a mile on the Flynn Trail will get you to the gate and the area where the trail turns right to go to Hodge Pond. Continue straight ahead to start your bushwhack toward Mongaup Mountain. CAUTION: The Mongaup Mountain marked on most maps and GPS units is NOT the highest Mongaup. You may run across a wide and well-maintained jeep road as you bushwhack. You can walk across this road and continue to bushwhack or turn right and follow the road. After a short distance, there are some old building on the right. This is what remains of the Beech Mountain Boy Scout camp. This area is part of the Beech Mountain Preserve which is "private" land. The general consensus is that hiking is allowed. The POSTED signs have no telephone numbers or address to contact for access. Just passed the buildings the road forks. The right fork will return you to Hodge Pond. Turn left as the road ascends with the area of the Sullivan County High Point on your right. The road winds up and then begins to level off and descend. Turn left or north and begin to bushwhack again. As on all bushwhacks, head for the high ground. Stay a little to the west of the "finger" or ridge line as the east approach is much steeper. Wander around at the top and be sure to get to the north part of the plateau as this seems to be the highest area.

After bagging and tagging the mountain retrace your path to the road and back to where it split near the boy scout camp. Continue straight ahead until the road meets the Flynn Trail in about .3 miles. Turn left on the blue Flynn Trail and walk .25 miles to the junction with the Big Rock Trail on the right. Continue straight ahead on the Flynn Trail for about 1.6 miles until you are back at the car.