Morgan Hill Loop Trail

Great trail. We started about 2 miles east of the All Trails start point (just keep driving East on Shackham road, and you’ll see a pull off where the trail crosses the road again) which put the more desirable campsites (lean to, sites by waterfalls) right around the midpoint of the trail. The trail was moderately trafficked - I’d guess we saw 20ish other people, most of whom appeared to be packing in for the night. There were some muddy spots and abundant creek crossings. It isn’t necessary to carry much water, as long as you have a filter and the creeks are flowing.

Just completed this loop 5/21-5/22. Broke it into two days so I could try out some new camping gear. Parked at Shackham pond and went clockwise. Was a wonderful hike. Trails are very well maintained and the mud was minimal which was pleasant considering it is still May. As Rachel posted below me, you follow a road for approx 3 miles (She said 5 but I believe it was 3). However, I discovered that there are trails that run parallel to the road for most of the 3 miles that are a lot of scenic that a dirt/gravel road. They are not on Alltrails, but if you go to the NYS DEC's page for Morgan Hill State Forest, their downloadable PDF map shows several color coded trails that match the circular trail markers. Also, there is a reroute from the hang glider launch back to the stream. You do not go over Jones hill anymore. I believe it is private property and trail rights were revoked. Avoid trespassing. You cross streams very frequently so if you have a water filter, a 1 Liter bottle is more than sufficient. Otherwise bring sufficient water as the uphills are tiresome.

I would recommend doing an out and back rather than the loops as there were about 5 miles of state roads incorporated into this hike at the end. The trails through the forest were beautiful!

Trail was amazing. The scenic overlook and big water fall were highlights for me. Plenty of flowing creeks and river beds to take breaks at. Elevation changes are a bit challenging but very rewarding at the end. Took me about 6.25 hours to complete.

The trail itself was nice and not overly difficult. I was able to do this with my 11 and 12 year old boys. The down side was the day we went the trails where filled with people. We passed no less than 50 people and also picked up a lot of trash that was thrown on the trail.

Great trail! I think this route is not trafficked often. There are marshes in the low woodlands that you have to traverse, but it is worth it! Great views and a great workout. Make sure to bring enough food and plenty of water. Start early!

Great trail with great views! It’s not too hard of a hike with only a few relatively moderate elevation changes. The trails markers are mostly easy to follow but I recommend keeping your app open to make sure you’re following this loop. Otherwise it’s pretty easy to end up on a different trail. I will definitely be back to do this one again.

I have been trying for over4 months to find the lean to Keep ending up at the falls or hang glide overlook Trail is poorly marked if marked at all for some reason this app is not accurate

Very pleased with this trail! The mud was expected for a hike in early April. I forgot to record the first mile or so of the hike (amateur mistake) but we ended up hiking more like 13 miles of trail with little detours here and there. Most of the trail was marked with blue blazers, so it was relatively easy to follow. The eastern portion of the loop was mainly seasonal road, so that was the least favorite part of the hike. The rest of the loop was mainly ravines, forest, creeks and waterfalls, including the nice overlook of Labrador Hollow on the western portion of the loop, which all made this long trek totally worth every step. I did this loop with my 12 yrs old daughter, and we both handled it very well. Made sure we brought day packs with water bladders and a packed lunch, highly recommended.

It was nice to see so many hikers and families escaping COVID19 cabin fever. On March 21 the footing was muddy in spots but very manageable. Blow downs and leaf cover that obscure the trail in places will improve with spring and blue blazes are plentiful. Intersecting trails make for some confusion but GPS works well on 90% of the trail. It took me 6.7 hours to do the 12.2 miles including missed junctions. The trail includes nice hilltop views, water falls and stream-side paths, lots of elevation change, several parking areas, ponds and even a 19th century grave site. If pressed for time, I might avoid Morgan Hill Road that takes up 3 miles on the east side of the loop. Bring your cleats, hydration and poles!