Dater Mountain Loop

This loop can be accessed from the west via Tuxedo Station or the east via Johnsontown road. If accessed from Tuxedo Station, there is a trailhead parking lot. From there it is still a .5 mile walk by road to the start of the trail. It is also popular with commuters from NYC that do not have cars.  Hikers can take a train to Tuxedo and walk the road to the trailhead.

From the trailhead, take the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (red dot markers) for .2 miles. Here the R-D trail makes a sharp right where the Triangle trail starts.  Note, it is easy to miss this hard right.  If you are hiking on a trail with yellow triangle markers, you missed the turn.  Follow the R-D trail for .6 miles where the Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy trail begins.  Leave the R-D trail and follow the Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy trail for .35 miles.  At that point, you are at the Claudius Smith Den junction.  Take the short side trip to the top of Claudius Den for great views. Descend Claudius Den the way you went up where you will then see Blue dot markers.  This is the Blue Disc trail. Follow this for 1.55 miles to the trail junction with Kakiat Trail.  Blue Disc trail will take you to the top of Dater Mountain, another popular location with great views. The trail makes a sharp right from the top to a steep descent where you reach the trail junction with the Kakiat Trail. Turn right on the Kakiat Trail (whiter markers) and follow to the trailhead (1.5 miles).

There could be a lot of people at Claudius Smith Den and Dater Mountain summit, especially on weekends and summer time.