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With the weather about to finally turn nice I am so jonesin’ for an overnight hike to get the old camping/hiking blood going.:D
Can any Whiteblazers recommend a good overnight loop hike in the Harriman/Bear Mt area?
Being able to park my car overnight safely is a plus…but I can also get the wife to drop me off and pick me up at a trail head in a pinch.
Thansk Y'all
:p
It's not a loop, but about the easiest way to hike from NYC is to hop on the train to the AT, and hike in either direction 10 miles to camp. Then turn around the next morning and hike back.
I'd also be curious to hear about good loop trails though. Preferably accessible by public transportation.
Thanks Ender...10 miles in 10 miles out is a good idea but I want to drive there. I take the train enough for work. :o
On my thru I met a couple from New York City that loved to backpack. They put on their packs and took the subway to the Port Authority, then took a bus to Arden, NY. The driver would drop them off at the AT either at The New York Thruway or NY route 17. They then hiked the AT north throughh The Lomon Squeezer, alot of nice trail, crossing the Palisades Parkway. I met them where they did an overnight at West Mountain Shelter that has an incredable view. They then went on to The Bear Mountain Inn for lunch and then they caught a bus back to The Port Authority and home. Hell of an idea to backpack right out of New York City.
Here is my triangle that I recommend. Start at Bear Mt. (safe parking!). Take the AT west 15 miles(south) to the Long Path crossing. About one mile before that intersection off on the left is the Fingerboard Shelter where you can camp. This is one of the oldest lean-tos on the AT (built in 1928). Then follow the Long Path 7.5 miles (turquoise blazed) (east) south to Big Hill Shelter. You can camp here for the second night. Day 2 - 8.5 miles. From here take the Suffern-Bear Mt. Trail (SBM-yellow) back 11.5 north to Bear Mountain.
If you don't have the Harriman Bear Mtn map set you should get one. They can be purchased at the Harriman SP bookstore on the Palisades Pkwy, Campmor, Ramsey Sports on RT 17 or NY/NJ ATC that way you can figure your own loop. Plenty of trails, easy loops, I like to call it my ''home court''. The parking areas in and around HSP are safe. I've been hiking/camping there for 50 years and I won't hike there without a map/compass (alot of trails) and I've got poor sense of direction.
I was out this past weekend from the AT station going south. There is around 12"-15" of packed snow/ice on the trail. Breaking trail is hard work. The snow/ice is hard enough to reduce your pace to about 1 mph. Expect to wear gaitors or get snow in your shoes eventually.
Marshy/puncheon crossings are iced over and hard to see. You might get your feet wet. Consider alternate routes.
The good news is that there is no shortage of water. All the streams are flowing really good.
If you go south from the AT, I've already done some of the hard work. Just follow in my footsteps.:D
And forgot to add, carrying ski poles will be very useful and the snow/ice is hard enough for glissading. But be careful, because you can pick up a lot of speed in just a few feet. I wish I had got my ice axe because I could have made up a lot of ground.
You can actually take the subway to the George Washington Bridge walk across and connect to the Long Path go N and connect to the AT in about 30 miles.Quote:
Originally Posted by moxie