Long Path Map
A complete map of the Long Path is available as the interactive map below (click 'Tap to Explore' to view the map). Click here to view this map full-screen or on mobile devices. Please note this is not a complete trail map for areas traversed by the Long Path, and other maps and section descriptions in this guide should be referred to for more specific trail information.
Click 'Tap to Explore' to expose the interactive controls, or click here to view a full-screen version of this map or view better on mobile devices.
This interactive map includes the following features:
- Sections: The entire Long Path is shown, separated into sections that alternate as red/blue lines to show each section. Use the Layers and Filter buttons to change which sections appear on the map.
- Latest Updates: The current route of the Long Path is shown as of fall 2023. This includes several major trail relocations, including in Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Partridge Run State Forest, and John Boyd Thacher State Park.
- SRT & Seasonal Long Path: The north and south extensions of the Shawangunk Ridge Trail are shown, and seasonal/high water routes for the Long Path are included (such as through West Point lands and on Vroman's Nose).
- Tap Sections for Details: Tap on any section to view mileage, comments/alerts, and see a link to the appropriate section of our online Long Path Guide.
- Multiple Basemaps: The map displays a topographic basemap, but it can be changed to aerial imagery or other basemap by tapping the '4 squares' button (top left on desktop, bottom left on mobile).
- See Your GPS Location: When viewing the above map full-screen (click here), tap on the crosshairs button on top right to zoom to your location and see a blue dot, similar to the Avenza Maps app. Note you need to have cell coverage for this to work out on the trail, and you may need to provide permission to access your location depending on your web browser settings.
- Other Tools: Search for locations with the 'Search' button, make quick measurements using the 'Measure' tool, and take a 'Screenshot' of the map for viewing later.
Long Path Overview
The Long Path begins in New York City, at the West 175th Street subway station near the George Washington Bridge. After crossing the bridge the trail follows the Palisades Escarpment through the lands of Palisades Interstate Park. There are many spectacular views of the Hudson River, New York City and Yonkers.
After crossing into New York, the Long Path turns away from the Hudson River to follow the ridge of the Palisades Escarpment to its end in Mt. Ivy. Much of this route passes through units of the Palisades Interstate Park system in addition to county and town parks. However, some of the vital links take the trail through private property, and there is some road walking through the towns of Piermont and Nyack. The route has extensive views of the lower Hudson River valley with the most dramatic views from Hook Mountain and High Tor.
Leaving the Palisades, the Long Path enters Harriman State Park, traversing nearly the entire length of the park in a northwesterly direction. Since Harriman is only 30 miles from New York City, many hikers from the city frequent it. An abundance of trails and old woods roads crisscross the park, giving many opportunities for circular hikes where the Long Path forms part of the route.
The Harriman part of the trail has intersections with several other important hiking trails passing through the same area. One meets through-hikers on the Appalachian Trail near Island Pond Mountain as they traverse the park from its western edge to the northeastern corner, making their way from Georgia to Maine. More information on the Appalachian Trail can be obtained from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy at 799 Washington Street, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, or http://www.appalachiantrail.org. Those who want to treat themselves to some Trail Conference history can trace parts of the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail*, the first hiking trail constructed by the Trail Conference (between 1920 and 1921), from the junction at Times Square.
At the northern end of the park, the Long Path goes over Long Mountain, the site of the Raymond H. Torrey Memorial, commemorating one of the founders of the Trail Conference and an early supporter of the Long Path. Torrey served as President of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference from 1931 until his unexpected death in 1938. When Vincent Schaefer of the Mohawk Valley Hiking Club originated the Long Path idea in the 1930s as New York's version of Vermont's Long Trail, Torrey's weekly column in the New York Post, "The Long Brown Path," helped popularize the idea and spotlighted the hiking community.
North of Harriman, the trail goes over Schunemunk Mountain and follows the Orange County Heritage Trail, a rail-trail. Schunemunk Mountain, the core of the State Park named after it, is the dramatic long ridge of the westernmost mountain in this vicinity. A distinct conglomerate rock forms the upper parts of the mountain. Its flattened top has many spectacular views both east to the Hudson River and north to the Shawangunks and the Catskills. The Heritage Trail is mostly a paved rail-trail which winds it way through the countryside and passes through the towns and villages of Chester and Goshen on its way to Middletown, across the Wallkill River.
Beyond the Heritage Trail, the Long Path follows rural roads for about 14 miles until it reaches the Shawangunk Ridge Trail (SRT) in Greenville. From there the trail follows a mixture of woods roads, foot trails, and old railroad beds, and passes by the Basha Kill, one of the largest wetlands in southern New York State, on its way to the Wurtsboro Ridge, part of the southern Shawangunks.
From Wurtsboro the Long Path follows the Shawangunk Ridge north. Characterized by beautiful white cliffs and spectacular waterfalls, the northern Shawangunks, with five mountaintop lakes distributed on its flattened tops, are among the gems of the eastern United States. The trail climbs up and over many of the cliffs and passes Verkeerder Kill Falls and many fine viewpoints. Beyond the Shawangunks, the Long Path crosses the Rondout Valley entirely on rural roads.
North of the Rondout Valley, the Long Path enters Catskill Park. The Catskills were once thought to be the highest mountains in New York as they rise abruptly from the Hudson River valley. The Long Path continues through the Catskill Forest Preserve for more than ninety miles, going over eleven of the thirty-five peaks whose summits are higher than 3,500 feet. There are many views along the way, and one gets a true sense of wilderness here. The Catskill Forest Preserve permits camping throughout the park while on state land except within 150 feet of a trail or stream and in areas above 3,500 feet. The Long Path passes near several lean-tos for those who intend to backpack portions of the trail. There are road-walking sections, but these generally go through undeveloped areas. Just south of Slide Mountain, near Denning, the Long Path meets the eastern end of the Finger Lakes Trail, another long distance hiking trail that heads west, connecting with other trails that lead all the way to North Dakota. The Long Path and Finger Lakes Trail run concurrently from there to the eastern terminus of the Finger Lakes Trail at the summit of Slide Mountain. For more information on the Finger Lakes Trail, contact the Finger Lakes Trail Conference at 6111 Visitor Center Road, Mount Morris, NY 14510 or Finger Lakes Trail.
North of Catskill Park, the trail follows a series of mountains that form the northernmost edge of the Catskill Mountains. While noticeably lower than the main peaks, these mountains and ridges still offer a beautiful hiking experience. About eight miles north of the Catskill Forest Preserve, the Long Path enters several State Reforestation areas, working forests where logging is permitted (as opposed to the Catskill Park, which must be kept "forever wild"). The trail follows a few miles of country roads and makes a gradual descent to the Schoharie Reservoir.
Once reaching the Schoharie Reservoir, the northern-most outpost of the New York City water system, the Long Path heads north for 30 miles through the beautiful Schoharie Valley. This area was once a major Native American travel route and became home to many early European settlements. As the trail passes through the valley and the highlands to the west, it encounters many remnants of that early period. At the northern end of the valley, the trail goes over the sentinel of Vroman's Nose, a rocky crag with magnificent views, before descending to Middleburgh.
In Middleburgh the Long Path turns east and traverses a region known as the "Endless Mountains," largely through State Reforestation areas. Farming is still viable in this region and the trail passes along the edge of many open fields. In the east, the Endless Mountains end abruptly at the Helderberg Escarpment. After the trail meets the upper edge of the escarpment, it turns north to follow the escarpment into John Boyd Thacher State Park. From there, it continues to near Altamont and further on rural roads, across the Mohawk River, to reach Adirondack State Park in Northville. Once in Adirondack Park, it is possible to reach Whiteface Mountain via existing trails.
* The original name of this trail was the Tuxedo-Jones Point Trail.