I just logged on and found the previous post regarding camping in NYS and wanted to clear up the state's guidelines. While I encourage folks to take advantage of the sites provided along hiking trails in NYS, if you are on state land it is legal to create a campsite that is a minimum of 150' (LNT recommends 200') from any trail and water source unless otherwise stated. An example of that last part can be found in the Catskills around the North Lake/South Lake state campground. Although a major hiking trail follows state land through that area, it is illegal to camp off trail but it is also posted as such so everyone knows the situation. Without additional posting, the 150' rule is the guideline for state land. While that might be a difficult task to accomplish while hiking along the AT (I haven't hiked in that area so I don't know), I just wanted to be sure that folks from out of state know what is expected of them while hiking on public lands.
That's all for now. Take care and until next time...Be well.
snapper
Another Kevin
09-18-2013, 15:03
I just logged on and found the previous post regarding camping in NYS and wanted to clear up the state's guidelines. While I encourage folks to take advantage of the sites provided along hiking trails in NYS, if you are on state land it is legal to create a campsite that is a minimum of 150' (LNT recommends 200') from any trail and water source unless otherwise stated. An example of that last part can be found in the Catskills around the North Lake/South Lake state campground. Although a major hiking trail follows state land through that area, it is illegal to camp off trail but it is also posted as such so everyone knows the situation. Without additional posting, the 150' rule is the guideline for state land. While that might be a difficult task to accomplish while hiking along the AT (I haven't hiked in that area so I don't know), I just wanted to be sure that folks from out of state know what is expected of them while hiking on public lands.
That's all for now. Take care and until next time...Be well.
snapper
That's in the state forest lands that NYSDEC administers (the Adirondack and Catskill preserves, the state reforestation areas, some others). The state parks (like Harriman, Bear Mountain, Sterling Forest, Hudson Highlands, Fahnestock, Taghkanic) have their own set of rules (NY State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation) - which are typically "camp in designated locations only." The A-T doesn't actually have much distance in DEC lands, if indeed it has any at all. (I'd have to double-check maps to be sure; certainly there is none between Greenwood Lake and some distance north of the Bear Mountain Bridge.)
Also, there is no camping above 3500 feet except in winter, and no camping above 4000 feet at any time of the year (again, except as posted). Again, this isn't relevant to the A-T. Those elevations exist only in the Catskills and Adirondacks.
In the state parks, the immediate vicinity of a shelter is a 'designated site.' In the state forests, it is NOT, and it is considered "within 150 feet of trail" because of the trail to the shelter. Most of the shelters have designated tent sites close by, with yellow blazes showing where to go. I know people who have gotten ticketed for tenting next to a shelter.
With respect to North-South Lake, there's a posted primitive campsite on the Escarpment Trail south of the campground (although it's less than obvious - I've got a GPX file with the coordinates that I could probably find if someone needs it) that's there primarily to accommodate the handful of NY Long Path hikers coming up Harding Road. Badman Cave is off limits, and you will get a ticket if they catch you camped there. The campground boundary is just around North Point, so it's possible to find a lawful stealth site on North Mountain. Water is scarce up there, though. Most Escarpment Trail/Long Path hikers push on at least to Dutcher Notch, where there are a few good stealth sites fairly close to both trail and stream (although they're about 400 feet elevation below the main trail on the Dutcher Notch access trail).