New York / Connecticut Camping Spots > Suggestions?

[trippclark]

I have been hiking the Appalachian Trail in a series of linear sections since starting in Georgia in October 2000. With a wife, family, and a mortgage, the 20-year plan is the best option available to me to complete the A.T. This fall, I plan to hike the next section of this journey, starting at the Bear Mountain Bridge and finishing at Bulls Bridge Road, CT.

For the past 6 years, I have been incredibly blessed to be accompanied on these trips by several friends. There are usually 4 - 6 of us in all. Some of the others hike with me, but often some of them choose instead to camp in the area, nearby or immediately beside the A.T. They assist those of us who are backpacking with drop-off and pick-up, and responding to any urgent situations that arise (i.e. on our June trip, one of the guys backpacking injured his ankle and had to be picked up early while the rest of us continued). They also like to provide a "rest area" for hikers, providing a place to sit, a soda or Gatorade to drink, and maybe a bite to eat. They have done this at numerous spots along the trail since middle Virginia. We affectionately call these guys our "B-Team."

On the June trip, when we were hiking from Branchville, NJ to Bear Mountain Bridge, NY, B-Team had an exceptionally difficult time finding a place to camp and a place to set up their "rest area" for hikers. Ultimately, they ended up having their "rest area" and hiker feed at the parking area along Arden Valley Road, and camped at a state park several miles away. It was less than ideal, but it worked. Lots of hikers consumed lots of pancakes, sausage, etc.

Since it is now evident to us that finding a good spot for B-Team to camp near the Trail is a bit more challenging in this part of the country than we encountered previously, I wanted to check to see if any folks more familiar with this area could offer any guidance as to suitable spots to consider for the October trip. In the past they have set up in National Forest land, State Forest land, State Parks, and a National Park. Ultimately, all they need is a legal and reasonably safe place to park a vehicle (maybe 2), hang a couple of hammocks, and set up a tarp and a few chairs. Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions that you may can provide.

[trippclark]

I will add that just judging from what detail I can see from Google Earth, there appears to be a perfect spot across from the parking lot at Dennytown Road (41° 25.283'N, 73° 52.211'W), but I have no idea what that spot is, who owns it, and if it is legal for camping (although there are several tents plainly visible in the Google Earth image). Anyone know anything about this spot?

[Berserker]

The spot at Dennytown Rd. is a huge open area, and it is a public spot for anyone who wants to camp there. When walking up the dirt road to it there is a very large open area at the end of the road. On the way to this large area there is also a smaller area off to the left with 3 picnic tables (as of 2011 anyway) that could accommodate several tents.

[rocketsocks]

Just wanted to wish you a great hike, finishing a goal such as yours must be a wonderful feeling. Cheers & Happy Hiking!

[trippclark]

Just wanted to wish you a great hike, finishing a goal such as yours must be a wonderful feeling. Cheers & Happy Hiking!

Thanks. I still have a LONG way to go though . . . but it gets shorter every year!

[trippclark]

The spot at Dennytown Rd. is a huge open area, and it is a public spot for anyone who wants to camp there. When walking up the dirt road to it there is a very large open area at the end of the road. On the way to this large area there is also a smaller area off to the left with 3 picnic tables (as of 2011 anyway) that could accommodate several tents.

Good info. Thanks. Sounds like this would be a good option for B-Team.

[Driver8]

Hi Trip:

Congrats on your progress so far. Just north of Bulls Bridge is a very nice Connecticut State Park that allows camping, Macedonia Brook in Kent. The A.T. used to run through it, in fact. It would be a good place for your support team to camp the last day or two of your hike, as it is a short drive to the parts of the A.T. near where it crosses the CT/NY line and is near a town with plenty of resupply opportunities, Kent. Kent is a bit pricey, so maybe a dozen miles south of it on Rt. 7 is New Milford, which is bigger and more middle class, with big grocery stores, etc.

As to places for the crew to set up for trail magic, I'd recommend two places, maybe three, in Connecticut:

1. NY/CT state-line area parking lot on Rt. 55, just east of the state line in Sherman, CT. Plenty of space there to set up. It'll be a very friendly welcome to CT. The CT/NY state line sign is just northeast of this spot - that's a misnomer, incidentally, since the stateline is where the trail, NOBO, takes a left off of Hoyt Road.

2. Bulls Bridge/Ten Mile River area. I don't know the lay of the land there, not yet having been there, so I can't say where and how exactly to set up, but I gather this is an area where it would be possible to do a trail magic table.

3. Rt. 341 crossing in Kent. This is near Macedonia Brook S.P. and maybe a mile west of the town center, where Rt. 341 crosses Rt. 7. It will be north of where you'll be hiking, but a convenient place for your crew if they camp at Macedonia.

Hope this is helpful and hope you enjoy your section!

[trippclark]

Thanks Driver8. That is good information. Some of the suggestions that are north of the fall trip might even be prospects for the next trip in summer 2013.

[LIhikers]

I will add that just judging from what detail I can see from Google Earth, there appears to be a perfect spot across from the parking lot at Dennytown Road (41° 25.283'N, 73° 52.211'W), but I have no idea what that spot is, who owns it, and if it is legal for camping (although there are several tents plainly visible in the Google Earth image). Anyone know anything about this spot?

I haven't been to that spot in a few years, but if my memory serves me correctly, just across the road there is a water spigot on the small brick building.

[Namaste]

The spot at Dennytown Rd. is a huge open area, and it is a public spot for anyone who wants to camp there. When walking up the dirt road to it there is a very large open area at the end of the road. On the way to this large area there is also a smaller area off to the left with 3 picnic tables (as of 2011 anyway) that could accommodate several tents.

I stayed here during first week of June finishing up my NY section. It was a disaster of monumental proportions due to some local riff raff that insisted it was "their land" because they paid a fee to rent the park for the weekend. It was a Friday night and the weather was horrendous. We were able to gather water from the spigot on the stone building just before the dirt road. Violent weather most of the day and we were all set up with the place to ourselves until 3 hrs. after when a group drove onto the site. I stood my ground and didn't leave but we didn't sleep all night. They just partied all night and smoked pot under their huge tents. I would never stay there again.

[BigHodag]

Just got back from hiking your planned section.

As stated above Dennytown has plenty of tent space. Not much for hammock hangers, but I found some suitable trees in the far back. There's a porta-potty at the tent site and well water from a tap across the highway.

There's a tent site atop Shenandoah just before RPH shelter. I didn't check it out.

There's a good open grassy area next to RPH for tents and could accomodate your group.

There's a bit of space around Morgan Stewart for tenting and hanging. May have to spread out a bit.

You can tent at Native Landscapes on the wood chip drive at the north end. Its a bit noisy with the adjacent trains and highway. They do allow you to recharge phones out front at the pond and there's two taps behind the main building for water. Get there before 5:30p and there's pizza and cold sodas for sale just across the highway at the rest stop.

About a mile before Bulls Bridge there's a large tent area along the Housatonic river. There's a large privy and a small cooking area.

[Berserker]

I stayed here during first week of June finishing up my NY section. It was a disaster of monumental proportions due to some local riff raff that insisted it was "their land" because they paid a fee to rent the park for the weekend. It was a Friday night and the weather was horrendous. We were able to gather water from the spigot on the stone building just before the dirt road. Violent weather most of the day and we were all set up with the place to ourselves until 3 hrs. after when a group drove onto the site. I stood my ground and didn't leave but we didn't sleep all night. They just partied all night and smoked pot under their huge tents. I would never stay there again.

Yeah, that's the risk ya take when camping near a road. When I camped there in 2011 the large area was 100% occupied by a huge group of gril scouts, or something of that nature. I camped in the area with the 3 picnic tables. Except for being a bit noisy there weren't any issues with them so I slept well that night.