Does anyone know how hard it is to get to the AT from the Port Authority bus station in New York?

What would be another good northern point for a hiker to get onto the AT to head north?

The trail crosses the train tracks from NY city, near Pawling NY. I'm not sure which train to get out of port authority though to get to it.
(there used to be a good looking girl selling hot dogs right across the road from that crossing on weekends. yum yum!)

Miss J, its super easy. If you can get to the Port Authority then you can get to the train station in NYC. One of the metro north trains STOPS on the appalachian trail. I can't think of an easier/cheaper way to get there. It has kind of a weird schedule, I think the train only stops there once, maybe twice a day.
-super t

There is an alternative way, take the bus called "the short line" from the Port Authority, travel to Fort Montgomery and get on the trail at the Bear Mountain Bridge. This is where the AT crosses the Hudson River. I am sure the bus service covers many other intersecting cities so perhaps a little research with a road map may help. The AT is on the Rand McNally series of road maps. Good Luck, WB

Anyone planning to take the train to access the AT in NY should look at this website: http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/index.html. The applicable train line is the Metro North Hudson Line train.

Two ways to access the AT from NYC via train would be to take the Hudson Line to the Appalachian Trail stop near Pawling. Be warned: this train ONLY makes this stop on Saturdays and Sundays (see the schedule). Do not plan to get off at the next station up the line and hike in, you will be several miles away from the trail and it won't be a fun way to start your trip.

The other way that I know of to access the trail via train, north of the city, would be to get off at the Garrison station. That station is about a 3 mile road walk from the Greymoor Monastery, where you could get on the trail. Try not to go on Route 9 (or 9A, 9B, etc.) if you don't have to... it's basically a highway and will not be a fun experience.

To get from the Port Authority to Grand Central (to catch the train), a hiker could either take a cab or walk. It isn't very far at all although it will be an intense introduction to NYC (not as intense as it used to be, though...). Be advised, a hiker friend of mine who was passing through the Port Authority last month was targeted because of his gear and did lose some items to a con artist team, so be sure to look sharp in the station.

Jane in CT

I have taken a city bus a couple times out of port authority to bear mt,they sure were tripping at my attire,takes you thru the suburbs than out to bear mt lodge,just have to ask for the right bus I had no transfers.ky

The NJ Transit Bus Line runs a bus line with numerous runs from the Port Authority stopping at Willowbrook Mall, West Milford, NJ and crosses the AT at the Bellvale Creamery on NY 17A (just short of Warwick, NY). This is about 5 miles north of the NY/NJ line on the AT. So if you hike southbound on the AT for about 5 days, you could do the whole state of New Jersey and come out at Delaware Water Gap, then I believe there is a bus back to NYC from East Stroudsburg, PA. Or go north about a week and do the bulk of NY and you will wind up crossing the MetroNorth station just off NY 22 outside of Pawling. Use this link for schedule. (http://www.njtransit.com/sf_bu_town2town.jsp?Center=Town) Plug in New York City for origin & Warwick, NY for destination.

Miss Janet, while in NY, if anyone asks you "How do I get to Carnegie Hall" your reply should be "Practice, my friend, Practice". I know its an old joke and corny.

This page, from the NY/NJ Trail Conference, www.nynjtc.org/trails/no-car.html (http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/no-car.html) lists a number of ways to get from New York City to various places along the AT

Does anyone know how hard it is to get to the AT from the Port Authority bus station in New York?

What would be another good northern point for a hiker to get onto the AT to head north?

Miss Janet-

As several people have mentioned, you can take the Metro North line on the weekend to a stop right on the Appalachian Trail. This is about 7 miles from the Connecticut border, IIRC.

If you are arriving during the week, you can get off at Pawling, the stop before, and hike to the trail. It would be a couple of miles on the road, but I did it in 2003 and don't remember any major problems.

I can't remember the exact road route I took; I will check my journal and maps when I get home to see if they can help refresh my memory.

During my hike in 2003, I skipped New Jersey and New York, taking the Metro North up to the AT stop to continue hiking north; when I was finished in New England I got back to New York City and took the Metro North line on a weekday. That's when I had to get off in Pawling to hike south and finish up.

Overall, I thought it was a pretty convenient way of getting to the trail. You just have to get from the Port Authority to the train station.

Bear Magnet
Jonathan Amato

Anyone planning to take the train to access the AT in NY should look at this website: http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/index.html. The applicable train line is the Metro North Hudson Line train.

Two ways to access the AT from NYC via train would be to take the Hudson Line to the Appalachian Trail stop near Pawling. Be warned: this train ONLY makes this stop on Saturdays and Sundays (see the schedule). Do not plan to get off at the next station up the line and hike in, you will be several miles away from the trail and it won't be a fun way to start your trip.

The other way that I know of to access the trail via train, north of the city, would be to get off at the Garrison station. That station is about a 3 mile road walk from the Greymoor Monastery, where you could get on the trail. Try not to go on Route 9 (or 9A, 9B, etc.) if you don't have to... it's basically a highway and will not be a fun experience.

To get from the Port Authority to Grand Central (to catch the train), a hiker could either take a cab or walk. It isn't very far at all although it will be an intense introduction to NYC (not as intense as it used to be, though...). Be advised, a hiker friend of mine who was passing through the Port Authority last month was targeted because of his gear and did lose some items to a con artist team, so be sure to look sharp in the station.

Jane in CT

If the train schedule to the AT does not fit, you can take the same Hudson Line to Brewster station and grab a cab there. They wait out front of the station at all hours of the day and night. Expect to pay $15-$20 for the cab ride. Brewster also has a small convience store/deli or two, a diner, a coffee shop, and a bar or two! All are located adjacent to the station.

Just to clarify, it is actually the Harlem Line of Metro North that goes to Brewster, and not the Hudson Line... ;)

If the train schedule to the AT does not fit, you can take the same Hudson Line to Brewster station and grab a cab there. They wait out front of the station at all hours of the day and night. Expect to pay $15-$20 for the cab ride. Brewster also has a small convience store/deli or two, a diner, a coffee shop, and a bar or two! All are located adjacent to the station.

One other quick point on taking the train... be sure to purchase your ticket before you get on board, either from the ticket window or a ticket machine. Metro North has added a hefty surcharge to the price for people who don't purchase beforehand. It used to be $5 and I think it's even more now!

Jane in CT

On my thru I met hikers from NYC who weekends take a bus to Harriman State Park, then hike to Bear Mountain, then take a bus right back to the Port Authority. They seemd supprised that more New York City hikers didn't take advantage of the super backpacking trips that were onle a short inexpensive bus ride from the Port Authority in NY City.Their backpacking was all done by a subway ride, a bus ride, a couple of days on the trail, then home and back to work. I wish we had a transportation system to the trail in Maine as convienent as NYC.

Just to clarify, it is actually the Harlem Line of Metro North that goes to Brewster, and not the Hudson Line... ;)

Doh! And I only took it for 12 years!

Harlem Valley-Wingdale Station is 4 miles west of the AT, NY-Conn state line.

1-800-METRO-INFO

The EASIEST way to get from Port Authority to Grand Central Station is to simply take the 'S' subway shuttle. It runs constantly back and forth between the two stations.

On the Wingdale station issue, my advice would be to take the "green" trail that heads south for a bit and then hooks up to the AT. Don't repeat my mistake and try to take a shortcut through the abandoned mental institution that sits across the road from the train station (Harlem Valley Hospital). It will NOT be a pleasant experience.

On the Port Authority => GCT transfer point, if it were me I'd just walk it. It's just a straight shot along 42nd Street, as long as you're heading east you can't go wrong, and I'd think it would be easier to do that rather than finding the station, finding the right entrance for the S, buying a Metrocard, using a Metrocard, etc. etc. etc., all to save a 6 block walk. But that's just me, maybe somebody else is dying to have the experience of riding the New York City subway!

Jane in CT

Miss J....It's a short walk cross town east on 42nd st. to grand central, where you pick up the Harlem line to the AT station. It only stops there on weekends, but you can take the train to Pawling and walk the tracks north for 45 minutes to hit it.

Not to sound like a know-it-all on this, but PLEASE if you are considering track walking, be unbelievably careful. The trains shoot through, very frequently, at very high speeds and I would just hate to see any hiker killed walking on the train tracks or in the train bed. Plus, if there are any Metro North workers around, they WILL chase you off (I have had this happen).

Jane in CT

Thank you all for your advice. I had passed this thread on to the hikers that needed to get to the trail near New York so I didn't know how many of you had contributed advice! You all are so helpful as always!