New Jersey & New York, Travel Plan

[Tractor]

Thought I would post my Plan A for travel to & from the trail this trip. Since I managed to get a little time off I thought it best to hike a bit and the New New's are next in line for me.

I have a flight in and out of Philly (Southwest Rewards + $5, why bother with another option here). From the airport take SEPTA up to Market Street and hop over to the bus station. Afternoon Dog to DWG, about a 3 hour tour.

Hike to somwhere around CT line, maybe pop out near Pawling, train into Grand Central Station, maybe 2 hrs max.. The station right near the trail seems only active on Sat and Sun and then only the afternoons so will most likely pass due to timing but open with a change in master plan.....

Hopefully make Central Station by noonish ( sooner if I take the 8:26am out of Pawling or similar), walk to Penn Station and take the New Jersey Transit (NEC Line) to Trenton, about 90 minutes and runs about every hour. SEPTA runs from there into Philly with their R7. Will make the switch to the R1 at 30th street or back at Market Street, whatever works then on back to the end of the line and a flight home.

With Martz, Greyhound, SEPTA, New York Airport Services, New Jersey Transit and MTA plus some other local carriers and shuttlers there are very few gaps in travel coverage in the greater general area. Google and/or go directly to these providers sites for locations/stations, schedules and fares.

I will try to post if Plan A works out or if I go to the yet to be defined Plan B or beyond. It will all be good!

Feel froggy, ponder, and post similar or totally different area travel and travel options. It's Free!!!!

Have a great rest of the day if at all possible!

[Cookerhiker]

Sounds like an excellent plan. You've obviously done your homework. If you don't arrive at the AT Station on Saturday or Sunday, Pawling is an easy hitch; trains are plentiful there.

Should you need to bail out sooner (not to think negative thoughts here!), you can get buses to NYC from Greenwood Lake and Bear Mountain.

When are you doing this hike? Fall would be best but it sounds like you're doing it sooner.

[Strategic]

Right you are Cookerhiker. The Greenwood Lake (NY17a) bus is the NJTransit 196/197 (http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T1196.pdf) route between the Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC and Warwick, NY. The Bear Mountain bus is run by Short Line Bus (http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/) (yeah, I know, the "short bus".) You can also catch Metro-North Railroad (http://mta.info/mnr/html/mnrmap.htm)/NJTransit trains on the Main & Bergen County line (Metro-North calls it the Port Jervis line) out of Harriman station on NY17 (just south of the Lemon Squeezer) to get back to NYC or Secaucus Junction (where you can link up with SEPTA without having to go into NYC.) That's also just a short hitch from the trail (about 1.5 miles north of the trail crossing.)

You've done a fine planning job, Tractor; couldn't have done better myself and this is my stomping ground (and I'm a real devotee of mass transit to get to the trail.) I'd do it exactly the same way. And you're right about the Appalachian Trail RR stop, it only operates on weekends and the trains to NYC are all afternoon times. You can either go to Pawling or (and this is even easier if you go north a bit more) to the Harlem Valley/Wingdale station on the same Harlem line of the Metro-North RR as Pawling.

Hope all goes as planned and you have a great time with it. From one old Tennassee boy to another, good luck and good hiking!

[MedicineMan]

is not in my interest for other reasons.
I'm scheduled for NJ and as far as I can get in 21 days into NY last week of September but I'm driving to Unionville and hopefully getting a shuttle from there to DWG.....after my hike (when the feet say no more) I'll be pursuing my other passion-NPS units, so I need my car to get to all the stops like Edisons House, the Roosevelt(s) homes on the Hudson, etc.
I do think it is very cool/passionate to use the system of planes/trains that he is using!

[Tractor]

July 7 & 18 are the travel days. Gotta go now or miss for the year. Strategic, the MTA Metro-North Harlem Valley - Wingdale station is looking to be a best choice now that I have pondered a bit more. 160 miles or so, shall be great! Maybe see ya'll around the bend then.

Any recent input on stores and services along from DWG to Connecticut line are welcome. Have the '09 Companion for reference. Basic plan as usual but always ready to change & change again for best results....

[Cookerhiker]

Tractor, you didn't ask about the Trail itself and maybe you don't need or want to know but here's some input anyway.

NJ is easy hiking. The first 45 miles are along the Kittatinny Ridge with little elevation change. Even the ascent from DWG isn't very taxing. Some hikers bitch that NJ's rocks are as bad or a continuation of PA's but I didn't find that they slowed me down except for the Sunfish Pond area.

Turning off the Kittatinny Ridge, you pass through the only National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=52610)on the AT and 2 climbs - Pochuck and Waywananda Mountains. The last few miles of NJ as you approach NY begin featuring large boulders and open forest as you glimpse down to Greenwood Lake.

The NY stretch from Rt. 17A to Bear Mountain is almost endless steep PUDs. Many thruhikers complain because there's little reward for the near-constant up-and-down and you're never above 1,300'. In his book AWOL on the Appalachian Trail, AWOL - a very fit hiker - related how difficult this stretch was and a thruhiking friend of mine said his 16 mile day from 17A to Fingerboard Shelter was his hardest day to date of his thruhike (later superceded by the White Mts.). Personally I like this section and the open, airy atmosphere of Harriman Park.

East of the Hudson, the trail becomes easier again with some ups and downs but none of them too steep as I recall. I recall lots of pretty wildflowers in this stretch. You'll have one day in which you'll hear highway traffic all day - first from the Taconic Parkway and thence I-84. Watch your water - it can be scarce. You may want to post an inquiry re. water here on WB just before you leave.

I asked when you were going because with the low elevation and proximity to the ocean, hiking in July can be very humid and you will experience mosquitos. But hey, at least the blueberries should be ripe for the pickins'!

[Tractor]

Thanks Muchly! May want to camp on the ridges mostly then. Just went thru my old stove and pump so she is all set. Gotta get my bills paid before setting off so no worries there. Things are coming together. Blueberries sound very nice! They were fine last year up before DWG.

I'll try to post how that 17A to Bear Mtn. pans out for me this trip.

[Strategic]

If you'd like my experience on these sections, take a look at my Trail Journals page (use the link above) I rather liked the NY17a to Bear Mountain section too, but it can be very tough hiking, especially the first parts. Of course, my view of that may be somewhat skewed, as I hiked the last few miles over Arden Mt. with a broken shoulder blade.:D But Cookerhiker's right again, the Harriman sections are very pretty and have these beautiful open mountain tops as well as some great views (not just Bear Mountain itself, but also Black and West mountains.) The shelters are also not to be missed: the three Harriman shelters (Fingerboard, William Brien, and West Mountain) are some of the oldest on the AT, built out of stone with interior fireplaces in a style I've dubbed "Sleepy Hollow Rustic".

[Cookerhiker]

If you'd like my experience on these sections, take a look at my Trail Journals page (use the link above) I rather liked the NY17a to Bear Mountain section too, but it can be very tough hiking, especially the first parts. Of course, my view of that may be somewhat skewed, as I hiked the last few miles over Arden Mt. with a broken shoulder blade.:D But Cookerhiker's right again, the Harriman sections are very pretty and have these beautiful open mountain tops as well as some great views (not just Bear Mountain itself, but also Black and West mountains.) The shelters are also not to be missed: the three Harriman shelters (Fingerboard, William Brien, and West Mountain) are some of the oldest on the AT, built out of stone with interior fireplaces in a style I've dubbed "Sleepy Hollow Rustic".

As I recall, it was Black Mountain where I caught a glimpse of the NYC skyline. Hope you have a clear day!

[sleegunn]

is not in my interest for other reasons.
I'm scheduled for NJ and as far as I can get in 21 days into NY last week of September but I'm driving to Unionville and hopefully getting a shuttle from there to DWG.....after my hike (when the feet say no more) I'll be pursuing my other passion-NPS units, so I need my car to get to all the stops like Edisons House, the Roosevelt(s) homes on the Hudson, etc.
I do think it is very cool/passionate to use the system of planes/trains that he is using!
Medicine Man - I live in Unionville & could possibly give you a ride to the DWG in Sept if my schedule permits. Any idea on solid date would need a ride?

[Tractor]

Plan A pretty much worked out. Popped off trail at Bulls Bridge, ride into Wingdale, stayed at the Dutchess Motor Lodge then a short walk up past the rail station for coffee and breakfast at the Cafe then back over to the station for the 8:19am train to Grand Central. The little hike from Grand Central to Penn Station was neat by the way and maybe 20 minutes or so.

From what I heard, there is nothing in Pawling for accomodations anymore.

Dutchess does allow u to make reservations by the way.

[sasquatch2014]

Plan A pretty much worked out. Popped off trail at Bulls Bridge, ride into Wingdale, stayed at the Dutchess Motor Lodge then a short walk up past the rail station for coffee and breakfast at the Cafe then back over to the station for the 8:19am train to Grand Central. The little hike from Grand Central to Penn Station was neat by the way and maybe 20 minutes or so.

From what I heard, there is nothing in Pawling for accomodations anymore.

Dutchess does allow u to make reservations by the way.

There is a B&B in pawling but I believe that it is north of $100 per night

[coach lou]

Looking to walk the Kittitany ridge from DWG to High Point, or vise-versa. I'm not keen on leaving the fish car in either lot at the DWG proper. The commuter lot off Rt.80 on the Penn side looks well lit and down the street from the outfitter that gives shuttles. Should I persue this plan. I really would like to field test my new set of Bear Bells!

[rocketsocks]

Looking to walk the Kittitany ridge from DWG to High Point, or vise-versa. I'm not keen on leaving the fish car in either lot at the DWG proper. The commuter lot off Rt.80 on the Penn side looks well lit and down the street from the outfitter that gives shuttles. Should I persue this plan. I really would like to field test my new set of Bear Bells!Never used that lot,didn't know it even existed,good luck with the new Bells,I took mine back out of the trash,and for the time being...it stays.;)