Sterling Forest State Park
McKeags Meadow / Red Back–McKeags Meadow Loop, 7 sights
6 mi · ▲ 747 ft · 2 hr 22 min
McKeags Meadow / Red Back–McKeags Meadow Loop, 7 sights is a 6-mile loop in Sterling Forest State Park near Lakeville, NY. It climbs 747 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 77/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
McKeags Meadow / Red Back–McKeags Meadow Loop, 7 sights
6 mi · ▲ 747 ft · 2 hr 22 min
Elevation 668–1,040 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 right onto Redback Doubletrack, heading SE.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Redback, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Redback Doubletrack, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading N.
- 350 ftReach McKeags Meadow, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Munsee Eagle South, heading NE.
- 1 miBear right onto Red Back Trail, heading S.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Redback Doubletrack, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Red Back South, heading SW.
- 0.9 miBear right onto Redback South, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Redback Hike Pink Blaze, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Redback South, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Redback Hike Pink Blaze, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto McKeags Meadow, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto McKeags Access, heading NW.
- 250 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 1.4 mi in (~46 min). Leave by 6:16 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:12 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
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
- Hutchinson Trail–McKeags Meadow / Red Back Loop, 9 sights 8.9 mi · ▲ 1,018 ft
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Hikes near Lakeville, New York