The birth of the Appalachian Trail

[LIhikers]

On October 7, 1923, the first section of the trail, from Bear Mountain west through Harriman State Park to Arden, New York was opened. Benton MacKaye then called for a two-day Appalachian Trail conference to be held in March 1925 in Washington, D.C. This resulted in the formation of the Appalachian Trail Conference (now called the Appalachian Trail Conservancy).
On Sunday, Oct. 6th, the NY/NJ Trail Conference will be celebrating the occasion with a hike. I won't be able to be there Sunday, but the wife and I are going up to hike on Saturday, maybe we'll hike on the AT.

[hikerboy57]

im off sunday, where are they planning the hike?

[LIhikers]

From the Trail Conference web site...................Note: The Appalachian Trail in New York remains open during the shutdown of the US Government.
Join the Trail Conference Sunday, Oct. 6, for a hike of the Appalachian Trail at Bear Mountain. We will be celebrating the 90th anniversary of the official opening, on Oct. 7, 1923, of this first segment of the most well known long distance trail in the country and honoring the volunteers past and present who built and maintain it.
This will be a strenuous hike up the moderate, still-new trail section on the east side of the mountain; then onto the still-under-construction stretch on the Upper East Face; then down the south side of the mountain. 3-4 miles.
Primary hike leader will be Ama Koenigshof, our Trail Builder and Educator, and Bear Mountain Trails Project Manager. She will talk about trail building techniques along the way, project highlights to come, and the role of volunteers. You'll never see trails the same way again!
Please click here to sign up if you plan to join us. (http://www.nynjtc.org/webform/90th-anniversary-hike-signup) We can then contact you if there are any changes in our plans. Thank you!
Meet: 9:00AM at the north end of the parking lot, near the Bear Mountain Inn. There is an $8/car parking fee.
Note: Oktoberfest will be continuing at Bear Mountain. You can end your hike by joining the festivities.
Leader/Presenter:
Ama Koenigshof


Sponsor:
NY-NJ Trail Conference


Where:
Bear Mountain State Park

[Hill Ape]

whats the nearest airport to bear mountain, at least regional hub size? would it be one of the NYCs?

[hikerboy57]

whats the nearest airport to bear mountain, at least regional hub size? would it be one of the NYCs? Stewart International Airport outside of Newburgh

[Hill Ape]

thank you. google shows that as 25 miles, that sound accurate or am I making a mistake?

[hikerboy57]

Sounds about right

[Lone Wolf]

the last section was completed maine just south of sugarloaf mtn.

[hikerboy57]

the last section was completed maine just south of sugarloaf mtn.well that would be cool. ill have hiked the first section and the last section within 4 weeks. i just passed the memorial plaque south of sugarloaf 3 weeks ago on my maine trip

[Odd Man Out]

Is that first section of trail still in use?

[LIhikers]

whats the nearest airport to bear mountain, at least regional hub size? would it be one of the NYCs?

If you're going to fly in commercial and then need public transportation to Bear Mountain, LaGuardia might be your best bet. Of course if you can arrange a shuttle from Stewart that would be a lot quicker and easier.

[LIhikers]

Is that first section of trail still in use?
I don't know exactly how the trail ran in 1923, but my general answer would be to say yes. I'd guess there have been reroutes over the years, even if they've been minor. The AT still goes over Bear Mountain but that has changes dramatically in the last 8 or so years. You can read about that project HERE (http://www.nynjtc.org/bmp/bear-mountain-trails-project)

[Feral Bill]

Is that first section of trail still in use? I know of a number of reroutes since the 1960s, But I believe Tiorati Circle to Island Pond is original, as well as other bits, such as the zoo path.

[Another Kevin]

The part between Fingerboard and the parkway is original. The Ramapo-Dunderberg trail was there first. It's older than the A-T.

The A-T has always gone through the Lemon Squeezer, so I'd believe Tiorati to Island Pond, except of course for the minor relocations that happen all the time.

I seem to recall that the original routing of the A-T from Bear Mountain to the bridge is now the Major Welch trail, but I could be wrong about that. (And the Major Welch is recently relocated to avoid some severe erosion problems.)