I'm looking at hiking the section from Kent to DWG next month. I am coming in from Kentucky, so what would be the best transportation to get into Kent? What airport, train, bus, shuttle works best?
Thanks everyone!
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I'm looking at hiking the section from Kent to DWG next month. I am coming in from Kentucky, so what would be the best transportation to get into Kent? What airport, train, bus, shuttle works best?
Thanks everyone!
You can start here (and make your start location a bit more precise) : https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Kentucky/Kent-CT-USA
The relevant airports are:
Collectively NYC (LGA, EWR, JFK)
Hartford CT
Smaller ones that may or may not be of use: HPN, ALB, Stewart
Once you decide on a airport it would be better to give recommendations.
From NYC, take the Metro-North Harlem Line to Pawling, NY and from there a shuttle to Kent. I do not see any other way. Contact the Bearded Woods hostel, they may be able to help you.
The next stop up (Wingdale, not counting the sometimes one on the trail itself) might (or might not) be any better - only because that connects fairly quickly to some back routes that go around bulls bridge area and then Kent is just up the road. Might make for a bit shorter ride, but I'd suspect those doing shuttles would know.Quote:
Originally Posted by stephanD
Another possibility is the line that goes to Danbury, CT. A longer ride but maybe more options in a larger town (like the app based ride services)?
Plus one on this. But the train ride is longer since it requires switching trains at Norwalk onto the Danbury line, which has less service.Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyGr
HPN (Westchester County Airport) would probably be a bit pricy but a shuttle could take you straight up I-684 (becomes US 22) to Pawling and then over to Kent. Probably the fastest way to get from any airport to Kent.
Yes the fastest airport to Kent but only by 1 minute over Stewarts, also Hartford is pretty darn reasonable too:Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Grouse
HPN, drive time 1h3m
Stewart drive time 1h4m
Hartford CT drive time1h15m
I am listed on the shuttle provider list - Christine at mile 1451.8. I know it says May-Sep on the listing, but I am still shuttling in October if I can be of help.
I have shuttled hikers from HPN (White Plains/Westchester Co. Airport), SWF (Stewart in Newburgh) and BDL (Bradley/Hartford-Springfield) to and from Kent. HPN & SWF make for shorter shuttles for me, but only by about 20 miles. I have flown out of HPN couple times over past year (for southern sections) and have gotten pretty good deals, but covid did bring the prices down, so that may be changing.
If you were trying to use the same airport for a round-trip, you need to consider the other end of your hike as well - so a NYC airport might make more sense in that case.
Hikers have told me that the switch from air to train in the NYC area is actually easiest from Newark, which may? also be the easiest to get a bus or shuttle/UBER to from DWG. Direct bus is available from Newark to Grand Central I believe where you can pick up MetroNorth to Pawling, HarlemValley-Wingdale, etc. The Tenmile River station two stops north of Wingdale is actually very convenient to Kent if you had a shuttle provider coming from Kent or points north, but for me (south of Kent near the trail's NY/CT border) the HV-Wingdale station is most convenient, and <20 minute ride to the trail in Kent.
If the OP finishes in DWG, then there's a direct bus to NYC 42nd street. So NYC airports may be an easier option.
Great info!! Thanks everyone!! I may even simplify it and drive from Northern Kentucky to DWG, since it looks to only be @ 11 hr drive. Christine do you shuttle from DWG to Kent? If so can you message me.
Thanks again!!
Are you planning to leave your car in DWG? Because I don't See long term parking in DWG. Maybe the church of the mountain hostel? But better to call them first.
Unless things have changed, Metro North to AT outside Pawling, stop was only on weekends.
The Maritz Bus Station at DWG did not have internet access unless a bus was in. (may have changed since 2019)
Hey Wornout...1/2 price sale this Wednesday morning 9/29 DWG to Kent! Sent you a pm.
If any changes it would be them not stopping there at all (I think they did that at one point when very little travel was happening), but yes otherwise weekends only. That's why I said not counting the sometimes stop on the trail itself (which could be handy if someone wasn't doing a specific section, but not in this case).Quote:
Originally Posted by Mouser999
If you really want to do this, Take Metro North to Harlem Valley- Wingdale, turn left on rt. 55, pass a park on the left, rt 55 turns right, follow to Webatuck crafts village, turn left on rt 22. follow to dog tail corners, follow until you get to
Sghathctioke road, turn left and follow to the Kent school (an ice rink will be to your right), You can follow the road to the right to Kent of left to the AT. I've done it many times in the past. Detailed enough?
You can also spend the night at the ten mile river campsite at Bulls Bridge. The AT is right there.
Getting from JFK over to Amtrak at Penn Station was lengthier than I expected. I had to ride the internal airport rail system then connect. At Newark Airport, the railroad station is right near the airport, and that will take you to Penn Station next. Never been to LaGuardia.Quote:
Originally Posted by justhike
It's a short hiker walk from Port Authority to either Penn Station (0.5 mile) or Grand Central (0.8 mile). Plus you can stop and get pizza along the way. Also about a mile even from the Martz Trailways lot to the DWG bridge. There's a big lot at the bus station, maybe check parking policy there if a shuttle doesn't pan out and you use the bus.
Or for a real NYC experience, take the subway from Port Authority to Times Square, then the Times Square Shuttle to Grand Central. From there you can catch the train to Pawling, et seq. If you do this, you may have to fight Pizza Rat for a slice.
...or just walk crosstown. New Yawkers won't even give you a second glance. The have seen EVERYTHING.