Harpuers Pond Peak West

A small pair of unamed peaks on the binghamton university nature preserve present some nice hiking chances in the town of vestal. With about 5 to 10 miles of trails, a swamp, a pond, abundant wild life and 2 small peaks with about 500-600 foot climbs it is a must see area in broome countey. For decent veiws from a old farmsted take the sadle trail up to east peak, a few trails provide a nice loop trail, with mud for the feild trail or dry footing for the sadle past feild to the east summit. The higher west peak is less intresting veiw wise, but a harder hike to the top, as you follow the ant hill trail to the near the top of the double peaked west summit. The high point is on the eastern side of west peak, 30 feet higher then the western side. Some veiws may be possable by off trailing, but be carefull of the huge eastern harvester any hills all over, some are up to 6 feet across and 3 feet high (meaning 20 to 30000 angry ants). Next to the preserve is stair park, while the woodland trail is not all that great, (flood debris past the stone benches), just inside the park are 3 waterfalls,  with a total drop around 35 feet or so, and a cascade up the woodland trail about .25 miles with a 4 foot drop. Under the bridge lower stairs falls, a cascading fall with a few 4 foot drops, totals about 11 to 15 feet. The next falls is middle stairs falls, a sheer drop of 10 to 15 feet, 300 or 400 feet upstream upper stairs falls drops 2 to 5 feet. Farther upstream is the cascade, not asmice as the lower 3 falls are.

Take Rt 17/86 to nys 201, follow it to binghamton university,  on the back side of BU their is visitor parking for 5$, off of murry hill road, washingto place (road) a right turn followed by a left turn can provide limited free parking in legal street parking areas, park in a no parking area and you probaly will end up towed, its a high money area. Parking would also be possable in stairs park off of murry hill road.

Refer to the BU map for details on all the trails they have, summits are on anthill trail and saddle trail www.binghamton.edu/nature-preserve/

No camping, no fires, all pets on a leash, no ice fishing or hunting

All year

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