Lake Sonoma/Overlook Rock/Manaticut Point Long Loop from Crescent Drive

To the left of the boulder, you'll notice a triple yellow blaze that marks the start of the Manaticut Point Trail. Head into the woods on this trail. Soon, you'll cross two branches of a stream on rocks, with several abandoned sections of concrete pipe adjacent to the stream, and pass by a cliff. A short distance beyond, you'll cross another stream below an interesting V-shaped rock formation and continue uphill, parallel to the stream.

About a mile from the start, the orange-blazed Lake Sonoma Trail joins from the right. The trails run jointly for a short distance, but when they diverge,  you should continue ahead on the orange-blazed Lake Sonoma Trail, which crosses the inlet stream of Lake Sonoma, turns right and soon reaches a viewpoint over the lake. The trail parallels the lake for a quarter mile but does not approach the lakeshore.

The Lake Sonoma Trail recrosses the woods road, briefly parallels a stream, then crosses it below an attractive cascade. It immediately turns left and begins a steady climb. At the top, it bears left, briefly descends, then turns sharply left at a switchback and climbs gently to reach a junction with the white-blazed Overlook Rock Trail, which joins from the right. When the trails diverge in 150 feet, follow the Lake Sonoma Trail as it makes a short, steep climb to its terminus at Overlook Rock - a massive exposed rock face with a panoramic east-facing view over Lake Sonoma and Windbeam, Bear and Board Mountains, with the Ramapo Mountains in the background. You've now gone about two miles from the start.

After taking in the view, go back and descend from the rock, turn right and retrace your steps along the joint orange-and-white-blazed trail for 150 feet, then turn left onto the white-blazed Overlook Rock Trail. The trail descends gradually, crossing a woods road and then a stream. It turns right and parallels the stream, soon joining a level woods road, which it follows for 0.2 mile.

Immediately after crossing another stream, the Overlook Rock Trail turns left, leaving the road, and climbs to reach a long rock outcrop. It parallels the outcrop to the left, then bears right and climbs to the top, with another broad east-facing view.

The trail descends from the outcrop and again begins to climb, soon joining a woods road. After passing under power lines at the crest of the ridge, the Overlook Rock Trail ends at a junction with the blue-blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail.

Turn left and proceed south on the Hewitt-Butler Trail, which parallels the power lines. It soon heads back towards the power lines but then turns further west, away from the power lines. It passes a panoramic west-facing viewpoint from open rocks, continues south for another quarter mile, then turns left, emerges onto the power line clearing and briefly joins the service road that runs under the power lines.

In 200 feet, the trail bears left and continues along a woods road just east of the power lines. Soon, the power lines diverge to the right, while the woods road bears left and begins to head southeast. About half a mile after leaving the power line service road, another woods road joins from the left. Just beyond, the Hewitt-Butler Trail turns left, leaving the road, and climbs rock steps. It soon makes another steep climb, continues to head southeast, and emerges onto a rock ledge with several cedar trees.

After descending a little, the trail climbs to another rock ledge, marked by a single cedar tree, with views to the southwest. This point marks the southern end of the white-blazed Overlook Rock Trail. Continue ahead on the blue-blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail, which descends briefly, then climbs steeply to the crest of the ridge. It heads southeast along the ridge, passing a viewpoint to the right over Saddle Mountain, then descending gradually. At the base of the descent, there is a small pond on private property to the right.

After climbing through a cleft in the rock, you'll reach a junction with the yellow-blazed Manaticut Point Trail, which comes in from the left. Follow the joint blue/yellow trail, which descends a little and then climbs steadily to a panoramic viewpoint from Manaticut Point - an open rock ledge. Windbeam Mountain is directly ahead (east), with Bear and Board Mountains to its left. To the south, you can see a quarry, with the New York City skyline visible on the horizon.

The trail now descends very steeply. Watch carefully for a double blaze painted on a rock, and follow the yellow-blazed Manaticut Point trail as it turns left and continues to descend more gradually. It soon joins a grassy woods road, which it follows downhill, bearing left at a fork along the way. When you reach the trailhead at the paved Crescent Drive, turn left and follow the road a short distance back to your car.