View Full Version : NJ/NY section less desirable?
mattyknacks
12-13-2006, 18:14
Hello everyone. I was just curious about something that has been on my mind and figured I would just throw it out there, so here it goes:
I am new to hiking and have been dayhiking on the weekends here in New York and have found out about the Appalachian Trail during my quest for info of trails in my area. I have hiked small pieces of to trail since discovering it and love it alot. I have been doing alot of reading, and it seems that the section I have been exploring and starting to love has the misfortune of being the least desirable section of the trail?
Is this true? And why?
Or am I just making this up in my head?
Lone Wolf
12-13-2006, 18:16
I like NY. It only sucks in July when it's 100 degrees. It's all good.
stickat04
12-13-2006, 18:34
New York was my least favorite state. Really was the pits for me. Bad water, overgrown trail, a little burned out. My mood picked back up going into Kent, CT.
***** no. It's fine. I sectioned from Bear Mtn. to Dalton in 2005, Bear Mtn to Lehigh Gap this year. NJ was fine. Bear Mtn, Lemon Squeezer, Island Lake, Fitzgerald Falls, Greenwood Lake, Unionville, Highpoint, the whole Kittatinny Ridge, with great views (but not of the Delaware River, till you're almost on top of it.) Heading north from Bear Mtn is a bit less exciting. But hey, you can order pizza by cell phone and have it delivered, at RPH Shelter. You could go for a swim in Canopus Lake, though I didn't dare try at "Nuclear Lake."
I've hiked all of the AT in NJ and most of NY also as day hikes. The trail is very nice and well maintained in both states. It is perhaps a little overused in areas like Bear Mountain and DWG. I never had a problem of any kind with anyone I met, or with parking my car at trailheads. Don't let anyone tell you there's anything wrong with the trail. Have fun.
If you want to try some bigger hills, the Catskills are not that far away.
http://www.catskill-3500-club.org/
SalParadise
12-13-2006, 18:49
New Jersey I could take or leave, and all the bears there are arrogant. New York was pretty rough when I hiked because the whole state ran dry, but as far as the Trail there, I really liked it. Good number of rock scrambles and it was definitely a nice change of pace from Pennsylvania and Jersey. I liked New York.
NY was my least favorite state. at the time i thought it all looked the same. it seemed that they ( as in the trail gods ) wanted to drag me up to the top of every rock pile they had, to show me yet another pile of rocks.... looking back at it . i think my opinion of the state was due to my state of mind more than anything. it was a hard state mentaly, it was very hot, there was a lot of trash, it's a young forest with lots of undergrowth, and i was walking 20 miles a day thru the whole state. I think the next time i walk in that area , i will try not to be so closed minded about it. oh yea , by the way the water in Nuclear Lake is oddly warm.
I don't know NY/NJ but I know PA. When I sectioned PA in 2000 I was very excited. I was actually walking on the AT!!! Big deal for me at the time. I was SOBO. All the NOBO thrus I ran into were bitching about the rocks. To a lot of them PA was their least favorite state. Well, so far. Anyway it's all subjective. If you like or don't like some place so be it. Don't let others opinions get you down.
This year I'll find out what my most/least favorite places on the Trail are. No matter what though my worst day on the trail will be better than best day at work.:)
Footslogger
12-13-2006, 19:24
NY/NJ go fast. And like Lone Wolf said ..."It's All Good" !!
'Slogger
Kerosene
12-13-2006, 19:29
I did the NJ state line through NY as a series of day hikes, one in late June, another in early June, one the day after Christmas, and another two days in late March. I enjoyed the AT through this section more than I thought I would.
I had a great day early summer's day hiking around Canopus Lake (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=58&catid=searchresults&searchid=5927). I enjoyed the younger forest in Harriman State Park. I hated the SOBO climb up Bear Mountain (it was really muggy and cloudy that morning). It was cool to hike over Shenendoah Mountain in deep snow, hearing the interstate far below but not being able to see anything through the clouds. I had the opportunity to hike past Nuclear Lake on a pristine December day with a few inches of fresh snow on the ground. I didn't mind the rock scrambles, but I was only wearing a light daypack. I had a nice early morning breakfast atop Pinwheel Vista (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=4014&catid=searchresults&searchid=5928) outside Vernon, NJ, with views all the way west to the High Point Monument (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=4187&catid=searchresults&searchid=5928).
I second STEVEM's suggestion to check out the Catskill trails.
Lotta trails to choose from:
http://www.terrapinphoto.com/cpg143/displayimage.php?album=6&pos=4
mattyknacks
12-13-2006, 20:42
If you want to try some bigger hills, the Catskills are not that far away.
http://www.catskill-3500-club.org/
I did purchase several guides for my area, including the "Catskill Mountain Guide" put out by the AMC. Looks like awesome trail, but I think they are alittle above my current skill level, which at this point is "walking upright on hard packed ground, level 1" but do plan to venture into the Catskill region when my skill level and hiking knowledge rise.
Bear Mtn to Great Barrington MA:
http://www.terrapinphoto.com/gallery/ATHike2005
Bear Mtn to Lehigh Gap:
http://www.terrapinphoto.com/cpg143/thumbnails.php?album=6
Have fun.
fiddlehead
12-13-2006, 22:16
Yeah, don't worry about what others think is better for you. I grew up near a part of the trail that many hate. I always thought it was awesome, only to find out that it's most hikers least favorite part of the trail. (Just south of Port Clinton, PA)
I still go up there dayhiking, jogging, cross country skiing, and love being on a part of the trail that some people don't think is cool. It's cool to me.
I love the section from DWG to High point and have hiked it entirely too many times. I'll prob do it again before my thru though just because its so easy for me to get to and from the trail heads. I also really love Harriman in NY. That place is where I have taught myself how to backpack. I am prob close to having hiked every trail in the park. Waywayanda park is also near and dear to me. I saw my first bear(s) there, first porcupine, first of many many types of wildflowers. JERSEY RULES!!!
yeah, the bear/harriman state park area is crowded, but it's also absolutely beautiful. i pitched my tent in the rain next to island lake and woke to one of the best sunrises of the entire trip. i think a lot of hikers are anxious to get to vermont/new hampshire/maine and therefore don't give too much thought to new jersey or new york.
yeah, the bear/harriman state park area is crowded, but it's also absolutely beautiful. i pitched my tent in the rain next to island lake and woke to one of the best sunrises of the entire trip. i think a lot of hikers are anxious to get to vermont/new hampshire/maine and therefore don't give too much thought to new jersey or new york.
I agree. I wasn't particularly looking forward to this last section -- and was very pleasantly surprised. Even PA was a treat.
mattyknacks
12-14-2006, 07:06
Bear Mtn to Great Barrington MA:
http://www.terrapinphoto.com/gallery/ATHike2005
Bear Mtn to Lehigh Gap:
http://www.terrapinphoto.com/cpg143/thumbnails.php?album=6
Have fun.
Thanks for these links! I love the pics.
Actually I had been looking forward to NJ (fewer rocks than PA?). Then I read the thread on WB about a Mountain Lion having been spotted there near Wayawanda!
Sky Rider
(walessp)
littledragon
12-14-2006, 09:25
I have done all of NJ now! I enjoyed it- got some great views! We even got views of New York City since the weather was so good for us. We also enjoyed some time with the mayor of Unionville. That is one fine gentleman- he really goes out of his way to make hikers feel welcome.
Enjoy the parts of the trail you do- after all, you are the one who counts in the scheme of things.
Actually I had been looking forward to NJ (fewer rocks than PA?). Then I read the thread on WB about a Mountain Lion having been spotted there near Wayawanda!
Heading south, the rocks actually start on the Kittatinny ridge, in NJ. I didn't notice a huge change in "rockiness" after crossing the Delaware.
Personally, I'm a bit skeptical of the mountain lion report. But for sure, there are bears in this neck of the woods.
Hello everyone. I was just curious about something that has been on my mind and figured I would just throw it out there, so here it goes:
I am new to hiking and have been dayhiking on the weekends here in New York and have found out about the Appalachian Trail during my quest for info of trails in my area. I have hiked small pieces of to trail since discovering it and love it alot. I have been doing alot of reading, and it seems that the section I have been exploring and starting to love has the misfortune of being the least desirable section of the trail?
Is this true? And why?
Or am I just making this up in my head?
i enjoyed ny/nj.all the AT is great:cool: neo
TurkeyBacon
12-14-2006, 11:52
I personally didn't like it. The trail was the most overgrown section of the entire trail and the climbs up rock piles and then directly back down them got a little old. The worst part of the state was the people. New York seemed to be the least concerned that the trail went right through it. Buisneses right next to the trail did not seem to care (which most places did seem to care). It was not all bad, but the bad ones seem to stick in memory more. Hitch hiking was the worst of any state, no one pulled over. I beleive that a large part of the people problem is it goes real close to a city that has a reputation for being very hardnosed and not freindly (I'm not making that up, its a real reputation), and the people who did not know of the trail, far outnumbered the people who did know of the trail. The good people were there, they were just outnumberd. Maybe it was just my bad luck. I'm sure the heat made the memories worse too.
I do have very good memories of a state park (I forget the name) with a lot of exposed bedrock, very cool.
I'm not saying it was evil, just my least favorate.
I was very impressed with NJ.
TB
Sleepy the Arab
12-14-2006, 21:37
NY is not my favorite state, mostly because any other state on the trail will blow it away on several levels. Views are okay, but not compared to the other 13. The shelters are sub-par. The camping is hard to come by. The trail has the general feel of wandering through the suburbs of the city. Nah, New York just isn't the best state the trail goes through. I might consider it the worst depending on what day of the week you ask me (New Jersey is the partner in this Neptune-Pluto relationship).
And getting heat exhaustion this year didn't help New York at all in my eyes. Neither did my zeros in Pawling.
New Jersey is the partner in this Neptune-Pluto relationship
There were fine views in NJ. I'll tell you what.. of all the AT states, the one I dreaded most was PA. And so far, from what I've seen of it, no problem. Not the most exciting, but not that hard, either.
I only had one rough day in NY, but it was Day 2 of my section hike this year. Day 2 always sucks. ;)
I'll tell you what.. of all the AT states, the one I dreaded most was PA. And so far, from what I've seen of it, no problem. Not the most exciting, but not that hard, either.
The rocks are overrated. Come here expecting to enjoy yourself and you will!;) You might also take some time to see what we have to offer off the A.T. There are few places its equal in that regard. If you like history, we've got it!:)
Keep up the positive comments ...
Welcome to New Jersey-Where the Weak are Killed and Eaten:D