", I drove up route 23 north, made a U-turn in the entrance of South Shore Drive and parked in a small lot on the south bound side. The gravel lot, big enough for three cars max, is next to a narrow strip on land that is part of the Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area. There is a large sign indicating “The Trust for Public Land” fifty feet south of that lot. Mt. Gerard’s summit lies within that narrow portion of land. I started my hike on a fairly wide ATV trail to the right of the lot. It was quite overgrown, so it appears no one has ridden there in a while. After a few hundred feet, the path widened out, and tire grooves became a bit more evident. In a quarter mile or so, I saw a Private Property sign to my right. At the same time I saw a wooden chair; put there recently as it was in near pristine condition, propped up against a large tree. I then turned to my left, where I immediately saw a narrow worn path leading up Mt. Gerard. I assumed this might be the red blazed trail described by some hikers in the past, but there were no blazes to be found. That narrow, well-worn path was easy to follow, weaving up the northern side of the mountain, and eventually leading t..." — michaelzandonella • Jul 6, 2025