North Mt. Loretto State Forest

Mount Loretto Unique Area and North Mt. Loretto State Forest, Sunday, June 21, 2026
This hike is a 5-6 mile loop through the north and south sides of Mt. Loretto, a complex on Staten Island comprised of the Mount Loretto Unique Area, a gentle, hilly public area adjacent to the Raritan Bay, and the North Mount Loretto State Forest, a woodland between Catholic Youth Organization property and the Staten Island Railroad. Other than a hill adjacent to the bay, the terrain is mostly flat. Trails in the Unique Area are for the most part wide and well maintained, some being paved roads (not for vehicular traffic). Trails in the State Forest are more rough, although still flat; those in Long Pond Park are rougher yet. The leader will meet hikers in the waiting room of the Whitehall Ferry Terminal for the 9:00 am Staten Island Ferry to connect with the 9:36 SIR train to Pleasant Plains Station. From there the group will walk to the State Forest parking lot at Amboy and Cunningham Road where the hike will begin. FYI, other than the possible exception of a restroom in a Wendy’s close to the station or a CYO building at Mt. Loretto, only a port-a-potty is available at the Unique Area, and nothing else for the duration of the hike.
Lunch will be at a shelter at the top of the Unique Area bluff (hopefully unoccupied). Hikers will exit through the State Forest and a portion of adjacent Long Pond Park to return to the ferry from Richmond Valley Station, however, the S78 bus with a transfer to the S79 is an option to Bay Ridge 86th St. Station, Brooklyn. Hikers are advised to check the Ferry and MTA schedules before the hike for service changes. Also, the SIR train will be an extension of a single trip if hikers use the same card or device to pay their fare; the same applies on the return. Bring lunch and sufficient water; Mosquito/tick spray is also advised. In the event of rain, the hike will be postponed until Saturday, June 27, same times. Hikers not from The Outdoors Club are asked for a $5.00 donation to help cover expenses.
Leader’s contact: 646-675-5787 & [donrecklies@earthlink.net](mailto:donrecklies@earthlink.net)