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Welly®
03-03-2007, 09:59
(New York/New Jersey section)

Is there an easy way of reaching the trail from Manhattan using public transport? I'm not particularly bothered what section of the trail I hike, but I'd rather not spend half a day switching trains, buses and cabs in getting there.

Many thanks.

jettjames
03-03-2007, 10:31
amtrak runs a train right to gainesville.

pt

TinAbbey
03-03-2007, 10:32
can't you walk there on the new york long path?

rafe
03-03-2007, 10:33
What part of the AT? You can take the train from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie (about 45 minutes) and a cab from there to the Bear Mountain Bridge.

spittinpigeon
03-03-2007, 11:25
Uhhhh, take the train to The Appalachian Trail stop RIGHT ON the AT. :) Check your local listings, because it is selective when it stops there. (think, weekends)

LIhikers
03-03-2007, 14:49
For info on how to get to area hiking trails, including the AT, by public transportation see this web page www.nynjtc.org/trails/no-car.html (http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/no-car.html) on the NJ/NJ Trail Conference web site.

If your talking about getting to GA to start a thru hike take Amtrak out of Penn Station.

John Klein
03-03-2007, 20:50
What part of the AT? You can take the train from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie (about 45 minutes) and a cab from there to the Bear Mountain Bridge.

Yes, you can take Metro North on the Hudson Line from Grand Central but get off at Peekskill to take the cab to Bear Mountain. If you take the cab from Poughkeepsie (the end of the line) to Bear Mountain, the cab might cost over $100.

BirchBark
03-03-2007, 22:27
I'll tell you, 'cause I did the same thing fairly recently.

Go to the Port Authority, hop on a bus to Bear Mtn Inn. Enjoy the 45 minute ride. Once there, any park worker will be able to direct you to the Trail (the Bear Mtn. Bridge is about 1/4 mile from the Inn).

If you see that dead rat floating in the lake near the picnic grounds, tell him I said hello. He'll have a good laugh over it.

B.B.

doggiebag
03-03-2007, 22:29
Since I've got my cattle dog with me ... most public transport is a nogo for me. Unless I could keep a straight face and pretend like my dog is a service animal/seeing eye dog (the public humiliation and pariah treatment is not pleasant to imagine if we get busted - I'm not that much of an assclown anyway). I'll rent a van for my 10 hour trip down to the closest town that I can turn in the vehicle. I'm targeting the 3rd week of this month I will post the exact date when known. I'll assist most anyone needing a ride just help out with fuel and wheel time. I'm leaving from the Baltimore/DC area.
ps. -no assclowns allowed, I'm already driving.

dperry
03-03-2007, 23:21
For info on how to get to area hiking trails, including the AT, by public transportation see this web page www.nynjtc.org/trails/no-car.html (http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/no-car.html) on the NJ/NJ Trail Conference web site.
.

Hi, Welly,

This may also give you some ideas:
http://www.amc-ny.org/recreational-activities/transportationcodes.pdf (requires Adobe, obviously.)

With both of these pages, double-check with the agency or company involved to make sure that schedules are still current and, if using the bus, that it still stops in the same location.

orangebug
03-03-2007, 23:40
Yes, you can take Metro North on the Hudson Line from Grand Central but get off at Peekskill to take the cab to Bear Mountain. If you take the cab from Poughkeepsie (the end of the line) to Bear Mountain, the cab might cost over $100.Another reasonable stop is to Garrison and take a cab back to Bear Mtn Bridge.

Askus3
03-03-2007, 23:46
Short Line bus out of the Port Authority stops at Arden (AT crossing of NY 17). Then hike north (east) into Harriman State Park. If late afternoon, go one mile or so and camp at beautiful Island Pond. Or go south (actually west) on the AT and camp at Little Pond.

Another bus out of the Port Authority is NJ Transit and ask for Bellvale. The bus route winds up in Warwick, NY and en route it takes you on NY 17A and at the top of the mountain between Bellvale & Greenwood Lake and will stop where the AT crosses (close to the Bellvale Creamery-ice cream stand). Go north 2 miles and come to the Wildcat Shelter. Go south and you come to some spectacular views of Greenwood Lake right after the junction with the blue Vista Trail coming up from the town of Greenwood Lake, NY.

Appalachian Tater
03-04-2007, 01:11
Bus from Port Authority to Delaware Water Gap.

Yahtzee
04-02-2007, 18:04
How far is the trail, where it crosses U.S. 9 and N.Y. 403, from the Peekskill station?

How about the Manitou station from the trail?

Looking to do weekends from NYC up thru MA this spring and will be relying on buses and public trans. Bear Mt. to Pawling is a wee too much for a 2 1/2 day trip, but if I could hack off the 8 from Bear Mt. to the Friary I might be able to squeeze it in.

Then comes Pawling to somewhere in Mass. Great Barrington, I suppose.

moxie
04-02-2007, 22:45
I met a couple from Brooklyn on my thru. Subway to port authority, bus to Arden, have driver drop them off at trailhead, Do an overnight on AT northbound to Bear Mountain Park. Bus back to Port Authority picks them right up at the Bear Mountain Inn where they have dinner before returning to city. According to them both bus stops were right on the trail, no cab, no sweat and a pretty section of the AT taking in the Leamon Squeezer,

rafe
04-02-2007, 23:38
How far is the trail, where it crosses U.S. 9 and N.Y. 403, from the Peekskill station?

I suspect very close by. My last two major sections both began at the east end of the Bear Mountain bridge.... mainly because my sister-in-law lives in Yorktown Heights, not too far away. On the last section I walked from Bear Mtn. to Lehigh Gap; caught a shuttle to Allentown PA, bus from there to Port Authority, walked to Grand Central, and then train back to Peekskill station where my niece picked me up.

Yahtzee
04-03-2007, 00:34
Just by timing, I am going to risk it and take the train to Peekskill. More times leaving the city. I get to Peekskill 2 hours before I would get to Bear Mt. So, even if I have to walk the 4 miles, I'll still be able to make Pawling by Sunday, which wouldn't be possible if I started at Bear Mt.

Hopefully, there will be a taxi about. That would be ideal.

Plans:
Peekskill to Pawling. Metro North both ways.

Pawling to Falls Village, Ct Will need an 18 mi. hitch to get me to Wassaic for a train.

Falls Village to Great Barrington M-N to Wassaic hitch to trail, Bus back to the city. $33 for the bus. Or bus from GB to Wassaic then train.

Great Barrington to Dalton Bus to G. Barrington -- From Dalton to NYC is tricky. Can take BRTA(Berkshire Reg. Trans. Auth.) from near Pittsfield to Barrington then bus to NY. This is a lot of hopeful timing for a Sunday afternoon. Open to any suggestions on Dalton to NYC. If I can get to Springfield by 740pm, I can take an Amtrak back for $50. Not bad. But I have to get to Springfield.

Dalton to Bennington NYC to Dalton- ?, Bennington to NYC -- Some form of VTTransit to either Springfield than train to NYC or Bus to NYC.

Bennington to Manchester Ctr same as above VTTransit to NYC
Manchester Ctr. to Killington same
Killington to Hanover same

After that it just gets too hard. If I can do all that this summer I will be happy. That is 8 weekends. I'd spend more in a bar than I would on travel anyway.

If anyone has any tips on any of this, let me know. Anyone up for a hike, let me know.

Marta
04-03-2007, 06:51
There's a train from Manhattan to Cold Spring, NY. In Cold Spring, there's a cab service. Last year it cost me $14 to take the cab from Cold Spring back to the Trail, the highway near Peekskill.

Marta/Five-Leaf

rafe
04-03-2007, 08:28
If anyone has any tips on any of this, let me know. Anyone up for a hike, let me know.

For sure, section hikers have more fun. :D

gsingjane
04-03-2007, 08:38
As a section hiker as well, the single hardest thing about it is the transportation. Either I feel like I am imposing on family and friends for rides and car spotting, or spending literally hours figuring out bus and train schedules (praying they'll work and not be outdated or the company actually out of business by the time you get there!), and always there is that worry that you'll be stranded at the end of the hike... or that the car will have been broken into or disabled when I get to it. I love planning where we'll go, what we'll take and especially what we'll eat, but the trail transportation is just the biggest pain ever.

Because of its ever-shifting nature, and because it's so important to get it right, I never rely solely on bulletin board info for this stuff. It's great to get leads on what to do and whom to call, but I've read an awful lot of inaccurate and outdated info on boards. For instance, I've been referred to the Peter Pan bus company's Housatonic River route... that stopped happening in 2003. The Greyhound company has eliminated many, many small town stops and that really impacts southern access. Metro North only stops right on the AT on weekends, although you wouldn't know that from a quick perusal of the map. And so forth. So trust, but verify!

Jane in CT

rafe
04-03-2007, 08:48
Most of my short AT sections in New England have been bike-hikes:

1. Leave pack in woods at trailhead A.
2. Continue by car to trailhead B.
3. Park at B. Bike back to A.
4. Park bike in woods at A, hoist pack, hike to car at B.
5. Remember to retrieve bike (at A) on return.

Old Grouse
04-03-2007, 09:29
The only time I took the train to Peekskill, and it was on a weekday morning, I had a choice of taxis waiting there for business.

Twofiddy
04-03-2007, 09:35
Manhatten to Hoboken... Hoboken to near Bear Mountain..

or Manhatten to Pawling!!

All very quick train rides and all right close to trail!!

TomScanlan
04-03-2007, 11:39
Wally, I'd be up for hitting the trail this weekend. Though I will be taking the shortline bus up to bear mountain and hiking over to tuxedo or possibly arden where I'll get a bus back to the city.

And I hope to be bringing my cat if I can wrangle the right set of gear for her (leash, small screen box for taking on the bus).


Also, just talked to Joshrm78 who may be going as well.