Hike Recommendations

I have done a tremendous amount of backpacking, a couple of times in Harriman / Bear Mountain. I had always hung my food and never lost any. Last year my son and I thru hiked the Vermont Long Trail and carried a Bear canister, slept much better at night. I used to worry about the hanging food when I ever I heard animals moving about outside. Andy

If you have a full 5 days, I would recommend heading upstate to either the Catskills or Adirondacks. The Adirondack High Peaks are probably more your speed (and my fav), although it is a bit of a trek depending on where you live. Pick up the ADK Mountain Club guidebook (better yet, visit the ADK Loj!) and map for trails and campsites. Take Exit 30 off the Northway (Lake Placid) - there are some very nice sites for car camping less than 10 minutes north on RT73 along the Boquet R., and fantastic water for swimming (swimming holes take some finding). If you prefer backpacking, there are several very nice interior outposts which give you access to many of the highest peaks (my fav is Algonquin). If you're from S. Jersey, you may want to look into Wharton State Park (camping is available). The Batona trail is a nice hike (although very flat). Apple Pie Hill is recommended, although I don't know about swimming. If you'd like some hills, and prefer to stay in NJ, head up to the Delaware Water Gap (Worthington State Park has camping). I'd recommend Sunfish Pond (good swimming), Van Campen Glen (swimming available there too I think), or Tillman Ravine (and nearby ridge) as nice hikes. There is also a section of the AT accessable for backpacking in that area. Also in the area is Stokes State Park with camping (not familiar with it though). In time I think you'll be suprised by how much nature we have in Jersey, but it takes some work to find the really nice spots. Good luck!

Hi Dave, I am very familiar with Pyramid. There is a fairly extensive trail system, so you will need a map (usually freely available in the lot). By far the most popular hike takes you past Tripod Rock - I would recommend this for your first visit, but note that this is a very popular destination on weekends especially, so expect crowds. If you're looking for something quieter, you can try crossing the road and hiking Turkey Mtn, although there is somewhat less to see there (the view of Lk Valhalla is nice though). As for your desired distance, you can probably hit 5 miles or so without crossing the road. It's tough to hit all the interesting spots without retracing your steps a bit, but it wouldn't be too bad. For a ~5 mile hike (may be a bit shorter actually), I'd recommend starting at the lot and walking the lower trail (sorry, I don't have a map handy so you'll have to go by my landmarks) NE along the reservoir (there is a nice piney outcropping with a view of the reservoir along this trail), then cutting back up the mtn and to the SW to visit Tripod Rock. From there I would head back the way you came a take a left at the start of the red trail (I think!) which cuts across to another interesting glacial erratic called Whaleshead (on your left) then ultimately reaches a T where you will turn left towards Bear Swamp and Bear Rock. Beyond Bear Rock, I usually return to the lot via the power cut to look for hawks and dragonflies, but there is an alternative trail I believe if the power lines bother you. If you still have energy, cross the road an walk the "hundred steps" up to some stone ruins on Turkey mountain, then I'd recommend looking for that southward view of Lake Valhalla. Enjoy!

http://www.nynjtc.org/park/pyramid-mountain-1

Hi  Dave, above is the link to the TC web page for Pyramid, the trails there are not in our North Jersey Map set.  They will be in a new mapset that's in the works.  The  Pyramid Mtn Visitor Center has a trail map available, newly revised. If you can't pick it up prior to your hike, you can easily figure out a loop hike once you get there.  I'm not familiar with the trails so can't recommend anything, but there are a couple of new trails that extend away from the Center; you can park a car at Kincaid Rd and Powerville Rd and hike through if you wanted a longer hike.  There are people at the Center that can help you.   It is a good place for rookie hikers.   Also, there's the Tourne in Mountain Lakes, one big hill with really great views, a wildflower trail, and then you can hike on all the other trails to get a longer hike out of it.  There's a very large beaver dam with their newly created lake along one trail.  Maps at the kiosks.  

Check out the Rails to Trails Conservancy at www.railstotrails.org. They work to convert abandoned rail lines to hiking/biking trails. The trail through Tallman is a nice one. They are usualy level and nicley surfaced with packed grit material or even paved. Many go through nice wooded areas.

PSM, I'm sure you walked north along the river starting at Nyack Beach State Park. Have you ever walked South from Haverstraw? Very nice. The first quarter mile is paved, then it's a dirt road, perfect for the stroller. The parking is at the end of Riverside Avenue: http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&q=haverstraw+ny+map&oe=UTF-8&i... Goes along the river, gently rolling.

Most of these involve drives of between 20 to 45minutes from Suffern ,,,,,,,, The Celery Farm in Allendale http://www.localhikes.com/HikeData.asp?DispType=0&ActiveHike=40&GetHikes... ......... More of a ride but the Wood Duck Trail http://www.localhikes.com/HikeData.asp?DispType=0&ActiveHike=49&GetHikes... ,,,,,,,, Even more of a ride, Pochuk Boardwalk Trail http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGN210-008 .......... Lord Stirling Park http://www.localhikes.com/HikeData.asp?DispType=0&ActiveHike=55&GetHikes... .......... Mt Taurus Don't do the loop as described, but if you take the blue trail going north its a nice woods road for a couple of miles. Old carriage roads also interlace the area. http://www.localhikes.com/HikeData.ASP?DispType=1&ActiveHike=16&GetHikes... ........ Ringwood State Park has numerous old carriage roads that offer gentle terrain........ Hope this is a good starting point. ======================================== "Keep not standing fixed and rooted, briskly venture, briskly roam" - Goethe

Pine Meadow Lake (southern hariman) is a great place to camp .

Is there a possibility of there being some good back country trails closer than catskills. Some of the group are not too keen on the 3hr drive.