Week 19 - Irvington Woods, Irvington

Both Friday, and today I had the opportunity to take a late afternoon trek through an area of woods that is a short distance from my house. I drove to the hike only because its access is on Cyrus Field Rd., a picturesque circuitous street which I have unfairly renamed dead man walking rd... because although beautiful during the day, its long shadows and unlit path freak me out when passing through at night.
The Irvington Woods are very well blazed thanks to the Eagle Scouts, and provide a nice alternative to the flat terrain of the nearby Croton Acqueduct. The eastern border of the woods takes you by the roar of the SawMill Pkwy, no worries, it is easy to bypass it and veer West. Again, I did hike these trails late in the afternoon, but I was still surprised at how empty they were. Cooper and I were rarely interrupted by other hiking pleasure seekers. One man we encountered today was digging with a shovel, guided by a metal detecting contraption.
There is a hike called Hermit's Grave, which fulfills its promise. I came across this solitary headstone way up on the hike. He died in the 1920s, but his legacy lives on. I have more exploring to do in these woods, so stay posted...Good parking, and nice map of trails at entrance. We came across this Bear Grill (Man Vs. Wild) shelter and campsite. Check out the photos.