Sterling Forest State Park
McKeags Meadow / Red Back–McKeags Meadow Loop, 7 sights
4.9 mi · ▲ 652 ft · 1 hr 58 min
McKeags Meadow / Red Back–McKeags Meadow Loop, 7 sights is a 4.9-mile loop in Sterling Forest State Park near Lakeville, NY. It climbs 652 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 79/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
McKeags Meadow / Red Back–McKeags Meadow Loop, 7 sights
4.9 mi · ▲ 652 ft · 1 hr 58 min
Elevation 692–1,040 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 ftContinue straight onto McKeags Meadow, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Redback Hike Pink Blaze, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Redback South, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Redback Hike Pink Blaze, heading SE.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Redback South, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Red Back South, heading E.
- 0.9 miBear right onto Redback Doubletrack, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Red Back Trail, heading NE.
- 150 ftReach McKeags Meadow, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 200 ftBear right onto Redback, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Redback Doubletrack, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Redback, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Redback Douubletrack, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Redback, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Redback Doubletrack, heading W.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Red Back, heading N.
- 0.6 miBear left onto McKeags Meadow / Red Back, heading W.
- 0.5 miBear right onto McKeags Meadow, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto McKeags Access, heading W.
- 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 (~44 min). Leave by 6:18 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 6 mi · ▲ 747 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