Friday: Hike Westmoreland + optional Butler
Details
Overview:
- 9:30 am, Friday, July 31
- Westmoreland Sanctuary, Mt Kisco, NY
- Terrain: 5.5 miles (low-moderate for Westmoreland only). Optional Butler add-on of 2.4 to 2.9 miles (moderate)
- Pace: moderate
- No bushwacks or rock scrambles; the optional second part of the hike (Butler) may include some minor stream crossings
This Meetup announcement is informational only. Please register at: https://activities.outdoors.org/s/oc-activity/a5UVX000001EfkH/act00022771
Details: Our main hike is the low-moderate terrain of the Westmoreland Sanctuary's full outer loop, with the option to join the hike leader for an additional 2.4 to 2.9 miles on the Red, and possibly Orange, trails at the adjoining Arthur Butler Nature Conservancy.
The Westmoreland trails are mostly flat to gently inclined; hiking counter-clockwise, the first hour is easy (Spruce Hill, Hemlock, Cole Kettle), followed by a few low-moderate and moderate climbs at Fox Run, Wood Thrush and the three-year old Raptor Ridge trail towards the end of the loop.
We'll stop for short breaks but with an estimated return to the starting point by 12:30 no lunch stop is planned en route. There are picnic tables next to the park office where those of us continuing on to Butler can eat lunch; everyone else is welcome to bring food and enjoy a bite with us as well. There is also a public indoor bathroom at the Westmoreland office.
After lunch, everyone interested in a further 2+ miles \can join me and cross Chestnut Ridge Road for a seven minute walk on a paved access road to the Butler trailhead. At Butler, we'll take the Red Trail (and possibly the Orange Trail too) counter-clockwise, between 2.4 and 2.9 miles and featuring some moderate climbs in the further-optional last mile.
Dogs are not permitted at Westmoreland.
RSVP only for "Yes," by Thursday 7 pm please, by clicking here. A pre-hike update will be sent to all confirmed participants on Thursday evening. Questions about this hike can be emailed to me at any time.
AMC Health Advisory: Covid and other respiratory illnesses are circulating in our communities. Do not participate in this hike if you, or someone who you have recently been in contact with, is either infected or symptomatic.