NJ/NY section less desirable?

[rafe]

Actually I had been looking forward to NJ (fewer rocks than PA?). Then I read the thread on WB about a Mountain Lion having been spotted there near Wayawanda!

Heading south, the rocks actually start on the Kittatinny ridge, in NJ. I didn't notice a huge change in "rockiness" after crossing the Delaware.

Personally, I'm a bit skeptical of the mountain lion report. But for sure, there are bears in this neck of the woods.

[neo]

Hello everyone. I was just curious about something that has been on my mind and figured I would just throw it out there, so here it goes:

I am new to hiking and have been dayhiking on the weekends here in New York and have found out about the Appalachian Trail during my quest for info of trails in my area. I have hiked small pieces of to trail since discovering it and love it alot. I have been doing alot of reading, and it seems that the section I have been exploring and starting to love has the misfortune of being the least desirable section of the trail?

Is this true? And why?

Or am I just making this up in my head?

i enjoyed ny/nj.all the AT is great neo

[TurkeyBacon]

I personally didn't like it. The trail was the most overgrown section of the entire trail and the climbs up rock piles and then directly back down them got a little old. The worst part of the state was the people. New York seemed to be the least concerned that the trail went right through it. Buisneses right next to the trail did not seem to care (which most places did seem to care). It was not all bad, but the bad ones seem to stick in memory more. Hitch hiking was the worst of any state, no one pulled over. I beleive that a large part of the people problem is it goes real close to a city that has a reputation for being very hardnosed and not freindly (I'm not making that up, its a real reputation), and the people who did not know of the trail, far outnumbered the people who did know of the trail. The good people were there, they were just outnumberd. Maybe it was just my bad luck. I'm sure the heat made the memories worse too.
I do have very good memories of a state park (I forget the name) with a lot of exposed bedrock, very cool.
I'm not saying it was evil, just my least favorate.
I was very impressed with NJ.
TB

[Sleepy the Arab]

NY is not my favorite state, mostly because any other state on the trail will blow it away on several levels. Views are okay, but not compared to the other 13. The shelters are sub-par. The camping is hard to come by. The trail has the general feel of wandering through the suburbs of the city. Nah, New York just isn't the best state the trail goes through. I might consider it the worst depending on what day of the week you ask me (New Jersey is the partner in this Neptune-Pluto relationship).

And getting heat exhaustion this year didn't help New York at all in my eyes. Neither did my zeros in Pawling.

[rafe]

New Jersey is the partner in this Neptune-Pluto relationship

There were fine views in NJ. I'll tell you what.. of all the AT states, the one I dreaded most was PA. And so far, from what I've seen of it, no problem. Not the most exciting, but not that hard, either.

I only had one rough day in NY, but it was Day 2 of my section hike this year. Day 2 always sucks.

[emerald]

I'll tell you what.. of all the AT states, the one I dreaded most was PA. And so far, from what I've seen of it, no problem. Not the most exciting, but not that hard, either.

The rocks are overrated. Come here expecting to enjoy yourself and you will! You might also take some time to see what we have to offer off the A.T. There are few places its equal in that regard. If you like history, we've got it!

Keep up the positive comments ...

[prozac]

Welcome to New Jersey-Where the Weak are Killed and Eaten