As a matter of fact I'm in Paramus, NJ area, working in NYC, and would join you on a weekend jaunt.
As a matter of fact I'm in Paramus, NJ area, working in NYC, and would join you on a weekend jaunt.
My stomping ground is the AT in the Hamburg area. I am very familiar with the area to the west (south on the AT). One of my favorites to stay at is Hertlein campsite that is between Route 501 and Route 183. You could do out and back from either end or through hike if you can get a shuttle. I took my family last year on the through hike starting at 501 you could camp at the (in)famous 501 shelter area the first night (we went to the Applebee campsite about a half-mile in), then hike about 6 miles to Hertlein. There are a number of sites next to a creek and a little ways down a side trail is a beautiful pond that was used for hydro-electric power for a small town a long time ago. All have good hanging spots. Then headed out to 183 about 4 miles away. I have also done this trip as an out and back from 183 for new backpackers.
"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. ... To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow." - Robert M. Pirsig
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You must have been near Pine Meadow Lake. That's where I usually run into them. That trail is very crowded. I stay away from there. I was just there last week and there was no problem on the RD until I hit the AT. Then it was crowd city. I found a good place to camp and had a quiet night. I did run into many hikers all carrying coolers near the Arden Vally Road on their way to the shelter or just on the ridge but I was well beyond them. I will not go anywhere near the shelters unless it's to collect water. My campsite was on Steven's Mountain and I followed the map to a great place. Why am I telling this? Because most hikers will never find it. I did find a pine tree with rocks around it like it was a circle and an old foundation. Talk about getting off the trail You should try it some time. Get away and into a different place and get away from the crowds.
I'm up at Harriman at least twice a month. I agree the shelters do get trashed and west mountain shelter is the worst. After the weekend it looks like a bomb hit it. The trails are in good shape and There are tons of places to camp. The south side of Harriman has some great trails and I've actually seen black bear in these parts.
Right. And the trail maintainers are so nice to remove all the trash so unless you see it for the fist time you'll never know it. Likewise for an area that's a party spot. It's cleaned up and if you put up the hammock there you might just end up in the middle of a late night party.
The AT from Mohegan Outdoor is a great place to hike...it really only gets busy on the weekends; you can have the trail all to yourself during the week.
Also, the PA side of the AT has some nice trails too from the Rt 191 access point.....Lake Minsi in one direction, and Wolf Rocks in the other.
I'm kinda spoiled...the AT runs 5 min behind my house.
One really good map to get is National Geographic's version for the Delaware Water Gap....it shows from the Gap all the way up to High Point, and both sides of the Delaware River/ NJ&PA, with a lot of loop trails etc, and can be found at REI.
Good Hiking,
Johnny
Therein lies the problem - I hike mostly on weekends and truly hate seeing crowds on the trail. I hiked last year from Delaware Water Gap to Mohican and found it rather disconcerting to hike while saying, "Excuse me, pardon me, sorry, you first." It felt like I was trying to get to a seat in the middle of the row at a crowded movie theater.
Not much of a wilderness experience.
Here is a list of trails in NY state. Not sure how many would suite you but some definitely sound down state.
Appalachian
Blue Disc
Croton Aqueduct
Devil's Path
East Coast Greenway
Eastern Continental
Finger Lakes
Ithaca
Kaaterskill Falls
Long Island
Long Path
Mohawk Hudson
North Country
Old Croton
Paumanok Path
South Taconic
Taconic Crest
Taconic Skyline
Taconic
Tongue Mountain Range
YMMV
HYOH
Free advice worth what you paid for it. ;-)
I know what you mean...but it really isn't too bad if you start at Mohegan and go in either direction....most of the crowd does from the Gap to Sunfish Pond and back...lot less people go from Mohegan to Sunfish, or even down on the Copper mine trail (red). Better yet is to head north from Mohegan and go up by Catfish Pond Tower etc. Very few if any people there on the weekends.
No Farmers...No Food
A bit late to the party but let me share the route I take for the last four years - Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail. A few points to take note of - it is uneven, a majority runs on one side of the canal and it a beast - some very unfriendly people in the southern area's and it looks like a war zone in others. I start at the Shabakunk Creek area on the eastern most side of Rt1. Great fishing in the Whitehead Pond to the east and there is still the canal to the west.
About a mile after Rt1 and I95 cross the trail overhead the area widens a lot, this is a former farm and depending on the day and time of day there is a rangers office you might want to check in with but they are totally cool with you hanging up on the edges of a field (they don't want anyone near the water as it is a flood zone).
There's two overlapping parks about 9 miles up (use Heathcote Brook as a way point) that makes for good camping. Don't set up far from the water - it puts you closer to the road and while the rangers have no issues with you the local PD does hourly circuits and you don't want to have a conversation with them at 3am. It's on a hill so the chance of a flood is very minimal - use the tree's banded with a checkerboard diamond, something I learned from another hammock slinger - some of those have been around since the 80's and area proven safe sites.
At Rt27 you want to shift to the west side of the trail - it becomes an island so you have water on both sides. Very few animals but the fishing is good and bring your camera. The island runs up to the Manville Causeway - a good two days if you explore everything, otherwise a long day's walk. While it isn't marked the trail continues to the eastern most point of the canal - about a mile ahead you'll be back on an island but it'll be narrow. If you know bad weather is due you don't want to be here! I woke up one morning with the river flowing a foot below me. Your best bet (and it will be a challenge) is to make it to the Main Street crossing of South Bound Brook - the island section picks up a lot of elevation but doesn't continue more than 1/2 mile beyond the bridge, you'll need to use the sidewalk to get to the south-east part of the canal park.
About a mile ofter the Main Street Crossing you'll come along a road (Easton Ave) and you'll want to follow that till you hear a lot of traffic - that'll be I287, there's a road that leads North, that doubles back on the island and take that for about two miles - very nice and high ground.
This next part is tricky - and I've confirmed this every year with the park rangers - you can go entirely on the island even though not all parts of it are marked as a park it is all Federal land. Head east and keep an eye out for elevated peaks in case of bad weather. A majority of the time you'll be adjacent to Johnson Park - not a bad place to check out but they don't allow over nighters in this section and there is no easy way to get across the canal. Stop at Landing Lane. Seriously, stop.
For this last leg, cross Landing Lane north to Johnson Park. Earlier the better with traffic. Proceed east and enjoy the sites, a well maintained park but with excellent fishing (I know I say that a lot but I don't bring anything but jerky and chex and try to find food on the way) and yes, they are fine with Hammocks as long as you are using a wrap on the tree's (and who isn't?)
It's a very fun trek to take, a 3-day on speed but an easy week with family (two small kids, 2 and 4 just completed this last week).
Hope that helps!
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