View Full Version : New-York hike
itamarro
10-19-2007, 14:02
Hi,
Im planning a 3/4 day hike in th AT, starting from NYC.
which part of trail would be better? (going north or south)
Where are you starting from? Bear Mountain Bridge? Decent views either way from there, with about an hour's walking.
Cookerhiker
10-19-2007, 14:22
Is transportation an issue? You can hike those 3-4 days without a car northbound if you:
Take a bus to Bear Mountain
Hike north - about 45 miles to NY Rt. 22 - fairly easy miles
Hitch to Pawling from the Rt. 22 crossing and catch a train back to NYCIn general, southbound might yield better views in some places. It's also more difficult with steep albeit short ups and downs. You can also hike via public transportation if you hike to Greenwood Lake (Rt 17A) from Bear Mountain but the buses aren't as frequent there as the train from Pawling.
Northbound doesn't have as many views but you have Canopus Lake, some views from Hosner Mountain, the 2 big oaks (Dover Oak at County Rt 20 and a similar large one just before the I-84 crossing).
I hope you're starting soon to take advantage of the fall colors. If you wait until NoOvember, be advised the freshly-fallen dry leaves are very slippery and will slow you down, especially on the steep descents.
For what it's worth, if you're heading south from Bear Mtn., you'll encounter some tough terrain (most likely on the 2nd day of hiking,) between Island Pond and Fitzgerald Falls. It's sort of a southern-New England version of Virginia's "roller coaster." OTOH, the ridge walk above Greenwood Lake is very nice, in the right weather.
Uncle Silly
10-19-2007, 15:01
If you're only out for three quarters of a day, I highly recommend the section from the NJ border out to Cat Rocks and back. beautiful day hike, and there's a creamery just down the road when you get back.
Itamarro, is that "3/4" as in "three-quarters of a day," or as in "three or four days?"
Appalachian Tater
10-19-2007, 19:13
In another thread he said three or four days.
For ease of scheduling, I would think Pawling to Bear Mt. would be the way to go. That is if you are going the public trans route. There is a train on Sun from Manitou (4 mi. north of Bear Mt.) back into the city. Also, if you don't mind hitching or paying out the nose for a taxi, starting from Pawling headed north thru Ct. is IMO the best hiking. The only catch is getting from where you finish to the Wassaic train station. Have hitched it twice now. It is not easy as you go thru tony Sharon no matter where you end up. Tho, that is a good thing about going that rte. No matter where you finish in Ct. (Cornwall, Falls Village, Salisbury) all rds can lead to Wassaic.
If you need more info just let me know. I head out from the city a bit, so I'm familiar with get to and back part.
itamarro
10-19-2007, 21:55
Thanks alot for the great answers.
I will begin in early novemeber, so i hope i'll make it in time for the fall colors.
And sorry for the misunderstanding, i meant either 3 or 4 days.
if there is any public transportation that could bring us to or from, it would be great. the starting point is yet unknown, we will be staying in manhattan. hitching is not an option.
so i think we'll start from pawling train station and head south to bear mountain
Appalachian Tater
10-19-2007, 23:16
If you need someplace to eat in Pawling, there is a little combo restaurant/grocery right behind the train station with good real Mexican food. There is a purple house just to the south of the trailhead where you can get water. The train leaves from Grand Central, make sure the one you get on actually stops in Pawling.
http://as0.mta.info/mnr/schedules/sched_form.cfm
http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/no-car.html
refreeman
10-20-2007, 11:28
Take the train to Bear Mountain Bridge and go South it would be more scenic and more difficult than than Pawling to the bridge.
Cookerhiker
10-20-2007, 21:25
Take the train to Bear Mountain Bridge and go South it would be more scenic and more difficult than than Pawling to the bridge.
You can't take a train literally to Bear Mountain. You either take a train to Peekskill (http://as0.mta.info/mnr/schedules/sched_form.cfm)and cab to Bear Mountain or take a bus to Bear Mountain (http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/ss.details.asp?action=Lookup&c1=New+York&s1=NY&c2=Bear+Mountain&s2=NY&resultId=192030&order=&dayFilter=&scheduleChoice=&sitePageName=%2Fshortline%2Fss%2Etickets%2Easp&cbid=532555441503). Hiking south, you can get to Greenwood Lake/Rt. 17a where you take a bus back to NYC. (http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T1196.pdf)
Again for November hiking, be mindful of the slippery dry brown oak leaves.