Sterling Valley Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Yellow Trail starts at improvised parking lot where the asphalt road ends. It leads through heavily vegetated area along forest road. It goes on steady incline all the way to intersection with Highlands (blue) trail reaching highest point of route.

There is a parking lot of rt. 17A that could be another starting point option to finish for hiking. There is also portable restroom at that parking lot. From that point trail goes mostly on decline along forest road. There are some very muddy and wet parts. Combination with slippery rocks can be an issue. I fell down pretty hard at one of these spots.

Trail continues all the way to Sterling Lake and joins with Blue Trail. That part is most beautiful. There is awesome view of lake itself with few excellent spots for rest on rocks by the water. After lake part trail turns north. Blue and yellow trails split. The rest of yellow trail goes along wide forest road and is pretty flat.

Last very short section before reaching parking lot leads along asphalt pavement along Ironwood Drive.

Snapping turtle, snakes, birds, frogs