Where should you hike today? Where is a good swimming hole? Are the Mountain Laurel out in Harriman yet?
Try searching our Hike Finder but if you don't find the perfect hike, try asking here.
Try searching our Hike Finder but if you don't find the perfect hike, try asking here.
Re: 2 Day Backpacking Trip From NYC
As far as Harriman goes, the last time I was at there, no one was around to share the shelter or surrounding area with me.
There are plenty of shelters in Harriman where most people do not go because they are too far away from trailheads.
You mentioned fishing. I'd strongly suggest getting a fishing license for NY. I don't remember what they are this year, but it's cheaper than having DEC or a ranger come up on you and write you a ticket. While I've never seen a ranger in the backcountry in Harriman, I wouldn't take the risk.
Good luck and enjoy your hike!
Backcountry Overnight in the Catskills
Hi Everyone,
Me and 3 friends are looking to do our first overnight in the Catskills at the end of the month. We are looking for any suggestions as to which area is best for doing a short hike in (2-4 miles), setup camp for the night and then head out the next day. I know there are a million areas to do this but figured one of you might have a couple of good, secluded spots that you'd be willing to share.
One thought I had was starting at the western end of Devil's Path and then heading up to North Dome and camping somewhere in between North Dome and Sherrill (below 3500 ft). It looks secluded and the bushwacking seems like a good trade off with the relatively short distance.
Thanks,
Dan
1 night Backpack trip from Pawling
Re: 1 night Backpack trip from Pawling
I looked at doing the same thing a few months ago, but ended up going to Harriman and doing a semi-loop using the Shortline Bus. I'll defer to others more familiar with the area, but the AT at Pawling is pretty much the only trail through here with your distance requirements. You could add on some of the loops in the Pawling park or Nuclear lake (check to see if that section was reopened) to mix it up, but most of it will be AT. You could always go 20 out, then yellow blaze back to the train station. I have no idea what a taxi would be, but it's one way for you to get your 20 miles.
As for places to stay, you could go North on the AT to Ten Mile shelter (~9.6 miles from 22).
Going South, you could stay at Morgan Stewart (about 10.7 from 22).
Good luck!
Thanks - And more Questions
Re: Thanks - And more Questions
If you don't already have it, grab a map set for Harriman. I'd also suggest getting the Harriman Trails Guide book. It has good mileage breakdowns and trail descriptions, along with some history about the park. You can purchase both the book and the map in a combo deal through the Trail Conference.
Also, if you don't already have it, get the New York Walk Book. It is a great resource for trails in New York. It also has mileage breakdowns and general descriptions of specific trails. And all the books and maps are cheaper with a membership. If you don't have a map set yet for Harriman and are planning on going next weekend, call the office and have them ship you a map set overnight or expedited. If you are really in a pinch, you can call the EMS in SoHo or Tent and Trails down by WTC to see if they have any in stock. Paragon might also stock them, but I don't really shop there much (no NYNJTC discount). A map for Harriman is pretty much essential. There are just too many trails and intersections to go without one.
There are backcountry sites in Harriman. You must overnight in the shelter (first-come, first-served), or tent within 300 ft of the shelter. The tent sites are very clear when you get to the shelters. Stealth camping is prohibited and if caught, you'll get chased off and a hefty fine. You can have fires, but only in the fire rings in front of the shelters. A few sites have more than 1 ring, but you should only be using the one in front of the shelter for LNT purposes, You shouldn't depend on firewood being available, so bring a stove. Use only dead and down wood. Finally, you should hang all your food using appropriate bear bagging techniques (10 feet up and 10 feet away from the trunk). While there are black bears in the park, I hang my food to avoid the smaller critters that like dehydrated meals. There are plenty of good trees for hanging food near the shelters.
If you're thinking about the S-BM route, you could take T-MI from SBM to get to the Tuxedo Metro-North station and catch a train or a Shortline bus back to the city. You could also do the AT from Bear Mountain to Route 17 (bus stop in front of the old Red Apple rest stop). It's about 17-18 miles, but climbs Bear Mountain to a nice viewpoint and has a number of viewpoints in the northern half of the trail.
Because there are so many different options of trails in the park, I can't give you a bunch of specific trail recommendations for a 20 mile trip. There are so many different permutations and combinations of trails you could take here to fill out 10 mile days. My strategy is always to see how many different viewpoints or geocaches I can hit with a particular route.
Have a great hike! When you get done, write up a trip report and post a link to your pictures for us!
*Sorry this response took so long. I had a bunch of hyperlinks in my post but the spam filter didn't like them. Everything I suggested you look at for purchase can be found in the "Go Shopping" tab of this site. If you need more info on bear bagging or LNT, let me know and I'll post the appropriate links.
Thank You!
The no car hikers from NYC
wildflower hikes
Trails with spring wildflowers