Hiking spots

[Borngeechee]

What are a few great hiking locations within 50 or so miles of nassau county that are moderately strenuous. In other words not to easy but won't kill me either lol.

[Dinsdale]

Not real familiar with Northern Jersey/Southern NY except for AT, but I'd start here...

http://www.nynjtc.org/view/hike

They have very good maps availible too; I have Catskill and Taconics sets and they are hard to beat.(Hint; may even give you some idea on where to plan a little hunting as they detail public and private lands very well)

Edited June 8, 2015 by Dinsdale

[steve863]

You can't beat Harriman State park. Miles and miles of different trails and quiet a few very challenging for being so close to NYC. AT cuts thru the park also. Best place to hike within an hours drive of NYC for sure.

[Elmo]

Like Steve863 said, Harriman and Bear Mountain has tons of nice trails.

 

To be more specific:

 

Anthony's Nose Trail in Bear Mountain, Breakneck Ridge trail in Cold Springs, and Storm King Mountain's Butterhill Trail are all really good.

 

A little further out and you have Lake Minnewaska Loop is short and super easy but the views are spectacular.  That's a "take your kids and have a picnic" type of hike.  No exaggeration.  They have benches and tables around the loop.  Lake Minnewaska is part of the Shawangunks.  There are many great trails there and you can combine the Minnewaska loop with other trails like Gertrude's Nose, etc.

[Borngeechee]

You can't beat Harriman State park. Miles and miles of different trails and quiet a few very challenging for being so close to NYC. AT cuts thru the park also. Best place to hike within an hours drive of NYC for sure.

Harriman was on my short list, so I think that'll be my spot. Thanks guys.

Like Steve863 said, Harriman and Bear Mountain has tons of nice trails.

To be more specific:

Anthony's Nose Trail in Bear Mountain, Breakneck Ridge trail in Cold Springs, and Storm King Mountain's Butterhill Trail are all really good.

A little further out and you have Lake Minnewaska Loop is short and super easy but the views are spectacular. That's a "take your kids and have a picnic" type of hike. No exaggeration. They have benches and tables around the loop. Lake Minnewaska is part of the Shawangunks. There are many great trails there and you can combine the Minnewaska loop with other trails like Gertrude's Nose, etc.

[Two Track]

Another place to go and they do link up to AT as well is Stering Forest. The NY-NJ Trail Conference makes those maps too.  You can hike in Sterling, pick up the AT to access Harriman/Bear Mountain.

 

Both Sterling and Harriman have old abandoned mines, lakes, streams, and wetlands.  The views from the tower on Bear Mountain are great on a clear day (view both sides of the hudson and see parts of NJ too).

 

You can order the maps on line for either/both, pick them up at the Bear Mountain book store (south of the long meadow circle in the center median), or the gift shop in the Sterling Forest visitor center.  If you need gear and head into NJ, Campmor has some of the maps too.

 

I know one the NY-NJ conference guys that worked on the more recent editions of the maps. The made a bunch of corrections using a GPS.  The iron deposits greatly affected the compass readings when the older maps were done.  So the old maps may say you head south and compass read on the trail is the  same way, but the Sun and GPS would indicate going east when by the old iron mines.

 

If you want additional fun, there are GPS and letterbox caches in Harriman.  I have found couple also at Stewart while hunting.  The stacked rocks into a boxy shape with something shiny under them just didn't look right.  So i found caches without any clues, but clues are easier.

[EspressoBuzz]

Here's a great book "50 hikes in the lower Hudson valley" It's worth picking up!

[Borngeechee]

Thanks guys

[Borngeechee]

I hit Harriman and it was great. I wanted to do the blue trail but the rain got a lil heavy so I took the red trail to the lake... BEAUTIFUL. Can't wait to get back.

[Two Track]

At one time i worked with a scout troop that would hike into Doodle town and camp there for the night.  They had things to find there to learn the local history like the oldest grave in the cemetery, number of homes along a side of the road, etc.

 

There is a nice cold stream by the shelter we camped at (I day hiked it as had to work the next day).

 

Another nice one to stay at for the view overlooking the lake in fall or early spring is Fingerboard.

[diplomat019]

breakneck ridge.   

[Elmo]

Took the family and hiked Lake Minnewaska on Sunday.  I've done this hike before but this was the first time with a baby strapped to my back.  Short easy hike.  Great views.  Can get very crowded on nice days.

 

Going to see if I can get some free time and hike either Mount Taurus or Breakneck Ridge on Thursday.

Edited July 8, 2015 by Elmo

[Two Track]

Elmo,

 

When my youngest was about 3, we went to the Smokey Mountains, and there was paved path to Laurel Falls so we used the stroller.  Then found the path broke in spots by tree roots and few sets of steps. Should have use the child back carrier we had, similar to yours.

 

On the way back, we went to Shenandoah, did a guided hike through part of an area I back-packed through when back in college.  Figured no problem carried gear through there, so used back child carrier.  made slower going as she wanted to walk instead staying in the carrier for 1/2 the hike.

 

Enjoy taking them while they are that small and stay fairly content to ride on your back.  After than, plan for short distances that will take 3 times as long to travel as before.  It is worth it.  Now we go camping and hiking (despite ...ewe.... bugs) they still enjoy being out there about 10 years later.

 

Streams are wading magnets for kids, so plan on dealing with wet feet/socks/shoes in the future.

[Two Track]

If any one goes to Indian Hill area of Sterling Forest, there are a couple areas getting overgrown with wild Blackberries (and a couple trails disappearing in them). Good spots to take a break and watch for birds and butterflies if you have kids with you that are interested in them.

 

Sometimes there are ducks in the small pond too.

 

If you go off trail, may find a couple abandoned wells (as in lower your bucket into them), and several old abandoned roads not on the trail maps, some are dirt and a couple are stone.

 

There is a trail across from the Harriman train station that leads to the Appalachian trail and Indian Hill, so a car is not necessary to reach the area.

[DirtTime]

If you want to travel, there are the "High Peaks", my bro's dad just completed them all for Summer and Winter in the past few years. He turned 70 on the 4th.

There's 'Vromans Nose' in the Schoharie valley. Indian Ladder in the capitol area, Thatcher Park............

Then there's just heading itno the woods and walking around.