Sterling Forest State Park
Hutchinson Trail–McKeags Meadow / Red Back Loop, 9 sights
8.9 mi · ▲ 1,018 ft · 3 hr 29 min
Hutchinson Trail–McKeags Meadow / Red Back Loop, 9 sights is an 8.9-mile loop in Sterling Forest State Park near Lakeville, NY. It climbs 1,018 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 80/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Hutchinson Trail–McKeags Meadow / Red Back Loop, 9 sights
8.9 mi · ▲ 1,018 ft · 3 hr 29 min
Elevation 692–1,096 ft
Loop · Sterling Forest State Park
Trailhead: McKeags Access · 41.18205, -74.25574
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
- Start on McKeags Access, heading E.
- 300 ftSharp left onto McKeags Meadow, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto McKeags Meadow / Red Back, heading NE.
- 0.5 miBear right onto Red Back, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Hutchinson Trail, heading NE.
- 1.5 miTurn right onto Munsee Eagle North, heading NE.
- 3.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Redback Doubletrack, heading SW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Redback Douubletrack, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Redback, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Redback Doubletrack, heading E.
- 150 ftBear right onto Redback, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Redback Doubletrack, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Red Back South, heading SE.
- 0.9 miBear right onto Redback South, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Redback Hike Pink Blaze, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Redback South, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Redback Hike Pink Blaze, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto McKeags Meadow, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto McKeags Access, heading N.
- 200 ftThe loop closes back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~53 min). Leave by 6:09 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:20 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from McKeags Access Trailhead
- Redback Hike Pink Blaze–Redback South, 3 sights 4 mi · ▲ 754 ft
- McKeags Meadow / Red Back–McKeags Meadow Loop, 7 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 652 ft
- McKeags Meadow / Red Back–McKeags Meadow Loop, 7 sights 6 mi · ▲ 747 ft
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