Windbeam Mountain

"IMPORTANT HIKERS: There are TWO 'entrances' for this hike to the top of Windbeam from Stonetown Rd. The MAIN entrance is the southerly trail entrance at the intersection of Westbrook Rd. and Stonetown Rd. - which is a continuation of the marked 'Green Diamond' trail - where you'd park off Westbrook Rd. by the bend in the road just past the reservoir inlet 'bridge' - and walk towards the 'opening' that is well-signed "The Highland Trail" at the Stonetown Rd/Westbrook intersection, but kind of dangerous to access (vehicles fly around the corner). However, the CONVENIENT entrance is the northerly one where 90% of hikers usually access (and complain about), which is diagonally across from the Stonetown Recreation complex off Mary Roth Rd. - where you can park. Some also park alongside Stonetown Rd. itself midway and walk uphill to meet the trail. Understand this part of the marked 'Green Diamond' 'lower trail' is an AUXILIARY leg of a "Y" and indeed is poorly marked - and that it just goes parallel to Stonetown Rd to avoid walking Stonetown Rd, yet be in the woods uphill. Know that eventually that AUXILIARY LEG meets up with the MAIN GREEN TRAIL (uphill from that MAIN entrance from the Westbrook/Stonetown Rd intersection) at that "Y" which then takes you to the top of the mountain in a single trail - again marked "Green Diamond", sometimes accompanied by another marker (which is a White Square with a Red Triangle within) which denotes the "Stonetown Circular Trail" - which is a master trail and encompasses some of these smaller hikes (i.e. Lake Riconda, Tory Rocks, Windbeam, etc...) blazed with different colors (i.e. Red Circles, Green Diamonds, etc.). Fully agree this trail needs to be on the list for maintenance and re-marking."

"Tl;Dr - worst trail I've ever been on. This was the worst trail I've ever been on and I regret going alone. I'm not an hardcore hiker but I've hiked VT, SC, NC, VA, CO, all over. The markings are so hard to find from being small, far apart, on skinny and fat trees, and being hidden by others. I got lost so many times it added an extra half mile. I have never gotten lost like this. I had to use AT map the whole time, and it's not 100% accurate (see other tracker vs AT). I went red/white, then it turned R/W/blue, then I saw a few red but then it turned back into red/white?? I didn't make it to the last vista because I got tired of being lost. I added photos of what the trail looks like, and the squares are now far apart the markers are. The climb up isn't hard - it's the dangerous horribly maintained trail that's hard. I slipped on tiny rocks, fallen trees all over, leaves, etc. Worst maintaince. There isn't even any signs/map pointing out the entrance, which is across the street OR down the road? I included a photo of it. Do not do this alone, don't bring your dog, don't go in anything but hiking shoes. I regret going alone because I was so scared I was going to get hurt."

"Nice views of reservoir, NY skyline, some steep inclination at times but quite manageable most times. Park at the Recreation center across the street, there is one portapotty away up near the field. Cross the street and look for white trail blaze with red triangle. As end of March there is little green leave and no cactus. Fun fact: when you reach the highest point looking right down from the US flag you can see the parking lot. When you exit the parking lot you can see the US flag right up."

"We park in the Ringwood Rec. department field parking lot across the street. There is a house across the way and the trail begins to the right of the house. Be careful not to miss the red trail. If you stay on the red triangle and green trail it is a longer and more strenuous hike. The red trail is hard to find, it’s spray painted on the trees not the typical metal rectangles you see on most trails. But the view you get is breathtaking! We saw two bald eagles, chipmunks, and woodpeckers along our walk. It’s definitely a hard trail so be prepared for very steep terrain and loose rocks on the way down. The top is flat, we always bring a snack."