View Full Version : Meeting my Thru-hiking friend in NY..
kugelschreiber
06-11-2008, 12:09
Hey everyone, my friend Bad Idea (username is scavenger on here) is thru-hiking the AT this year and he is going to be coming up on Bear Mountain State Park/NYC area in about 10-14 days and I want to meet him on the trail and hike with him for a couple of days. I have been looking at the MTA site and I think I need some help deciding where to take the train to/from the AT.. Does anyone have experience doing this from NYC? (I currently live in Brooklyn for the summer) I know that there is a stop on the trail on the east side of the hudson, but I wanted to meet him in or before Bear Mountain State Park and then hike with him to the AT train stop or the train stop at Pawling. Any info would be greatly appreciated! If you need me to provide more information just let me know. I am going to keep looking at the Metro-North maps as well! Thanks!
Appalachian Tater
06-11-2008, 12:13
Hey everyone, my friend Bad Idea (username is scavenger on here) is thru-hiking the AT this year and he is going to be coming up on Bear Mountain State Park/NYC area in about 10-14 days and I want to meet him on the trail and hike with him for a couple of days. I have been looking at the MTA site and I think I need some help deciding where to take the train to/from the AT.. Does anyone have experience doing this from NYC? (I currently live in Brooklyn for the summer) I know that there is a stop on the trail on the east side of the hudson, but I wanted to meet him in or before Bear Mountain State Park and then hike with him to the AT train stop or the train stop at Pawling. Any info would be greatly appreciated! If you need me to provide more information just let me know. I am going to keep looking at the Metro-North maps as well! Thanks!You can take Metro-North from Grand Central to Pawling and there is easy (very frequent) bus service from Port Authority to Delaware Water Gap. If you haven't hiked it, the section from DWG north is nice, Sunfish Pond shouldn't be missed. There is also a church hostel in DWG if you or your friend need to stay there to meet up and there is a nice camping north of there if you can only put in half a day.
Pawling is a bit off the trail and the road walk not the best.
You can also take a bus to Bear Mountain.
Be aware that the Appalachian Trail Metro-North stop is weekends and holidays only.
JohnnyBongo
06-11-2008, 12:57
The AT is also accessible from Garrison Station. A road walk to the Castle Rock Unique Area, and a nice six mile hike will get you to Hemlock Springs Campsite just north of Bear Mountain Bridge. Here's a link to GORP with more specific directions:
http://gorp.away.com/gorp/location/ny/ww_newyork2.htm
It can also be accessed from the south end, via Peekskill and the Camp Smith Trail.
Check the mileage between Bear Mountain and the Pawling/AT Train stop. That might be a doable section to meet your friend.
As was said before bus service to DWG, and Greenwood Lake will put you very close to the trail in NJ.
sasquatch2014
06-11-2008, 16:14
For a train on the west side of the Hudson you can catch the train and get off at the Harriman stop. You will then walk back south on rt 17 to pick up the trail maybe a few miles. It is the Port Jarvis line that you need to look at for this end of things. You can hike with him and then get off in Pawling and take the Harlem Valley line back into the city from Pawling.
Hope that this helps.
Simple: Take the Short Line Bus (3 times daily) from Port Authority to Bear Mtn. Hike to Pawling or AT station with your friend and take the train back to Grand Central.
sasquatch2014
06-11-2008, 17:08
A lot will depend on if you want to catch him before or after Bear Mt. If you want the after then A-Trains plans are great if you want to go through Harriman and Bear Mt with him then the train to Harriman stop will work. You need to decide how much of the trail you want to do with him and what shape you are in. After Bear Mt will avoid the major climbs in NY.
kugelschreiber
06-11-2008, 17:41
For a train on the west side of the Hudson you can catch the train and get off at the Harriman stop. You will then walk back south on rt 17 to pick up the trail maybe a few miles. It is the Port Jarvis line that you need to look at for this end of things. You can hike with him and then get off in Pawling and take the Harlem Valley line back into the city from Pawling.
Hope that this helps.
This is the plan I have been looking at doing! This seems like the perfect amount of time and the right amount of difficulty I want. Bad Idea will have his trail legs, so undoubtedly I will be slowing him down, but I hope not so much..I am in good shape and I believe i can pull off 12-15 mile days, possibly more since we are both ultralight hikers, especially after Bear Mountain SP. Thanks everyone for your help! I am going to get to finding out the schedules for these lines..
don't forget to take him a hoagie!
Appalachian Tater
06-12-2008, 10:20
don't forget to take him a hoagie!He would have to go to PA to get one.
don't forget to take him a hoagie!
What the hell is a hoagie? Is that like a cute nickame for the wrestler?
They're hero's in NY. :)
Blissful
06-12-2008, 19:13
After crossing the Hudson is a steep climb. You will be welcommed to the AT in no time. :) Just don't get down if your friend does hike circles and try to enjoy the hike. Hopefully he will slow it down a bit so you can have a good time. Or plan to meet up at certain points along the way helps too.
Blissful
06-12-2008, 19:16
What the hell is a hoagie? Is that like a cute nickame for the wrestler?
They're hero's in NY. :)
They're called something else in MA. Grinders, right? Drove me nuts trying to keep up with the lingo of different states. :)
Now there's a good thread.
The Cheat
06-12-2008, 22:39
They're called something else in MA. Grinders, right? Drove me nuts trying to keep up with the lingo of different states. :)
Now there's a good thread.
Some parts of NY we call them wedge's.
Or subs.
LIhikers
06-13-2008, 07:55
For a wider selection of public transportation to/from the trail check
http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/no-car.html
don't forget to take him a hoagie!
He would have to go to PA to get one.
What the hell is a hoagie? Is that like a cute nickame for the wrestler?
They're hero's in NY. :)
They're called something else in MA. Grinders, right? Drove me nuts trying to keep up with the lingo of different states. :)
Now there's a good thread.
Some parts of NY we call them wedge's.
Or subs.
Just bring him a freakin' sangwich. ;)
Enjoy your hike with your friend! Don't forget to walk down Arden Valley Road to take a dip in Lake Tiorati. There should be vending machines at the beach.
bliss, here in PA we call a hoagie that gets heated a grinder :D