I am the NYNJTC trails supervisor for this area. I believe that the spot near the horse trail & Schutt Rd. trail intersection is ok to camp at, though I've never seen anyone do it. Last time I checked it, there was a fire pit and a privy there. There is even a horse mounting ramp there, from when there was a crazy idea of creating a handicap horse riders campground there. No close water source, unless the drainage ditch along side the SC trail has water running from recent rain. I haven't seen anyone camp near Palenville overlook in many years. Picnic table was destroyed and burned many years ago. Fire pit is practically destroyed. No water source near there. The North/South Lake Campground is a very nice place. You would have to get a reservation, and this year they are down to 50% occupancy due to the virus. Running water and restrooms there. I imagine that you would have to walk out to the gatehouse to check in. Good luck. Cal
Section 23 of the Long Trail, which passes North Lake, seems beautiful, but I’m wondering what alternatives there are to the commercial campsite on the Lake. Does anyone know about the one near the junction of the Horse Trail and the Schutt Road Trail? Does the one near the Palenville Overlook have water available? Is the commercial campground set in a pleasant spot?
A friend of mine, who recently visited these sites, has the following to say:
The primitive sites in the col between Blackhead and Black Dome are nice and, from what I've seen, underutilized. They are dry, and they are free of trash and debris. It pays to look around, as the ones further off the trail are the nicest.
Water is about 0.4 mile down the Black Dome Range Trail.
There is a high-impacted set of "stealth sites" (room for 4 or 5 tents) just north of Acra Point, all with partially obstructed, but nice views of the Blackhead Range. No water is conveniently available.
The sites between Cornell and Slide are similarly nice, but several are very close to the trail. However, the water source marked on the 2016 edition of the map was barely a muddy puddle and slow trickle when I was there in early August (this water source has been deleted from the current 2018 edition of the map). We chose to take our water from the spring on the back side of Slide.
Planning a multi-day hike soon and wondering what the primitive campsites on the NYNJ Trail Maps are like? Specifically the one West of Blackhead in between Blackhead and Black Dome? Also, the one East of Slide between Slide and Cornell? Thank you!!
A friend and I also tried to use the Diltzes Lane trailhead on August 26 to enter the park to do some trail maintenance. We pulled in and parked out of the way in the back of the parking lot/staging area, but an Orange & Rockland employee told us to leave.
There's a sign at the parking lot/staging area directing hikers to the njpalisades.org website for alternatives. But as best I can tell, that website only has information about the actual Palisades park along the Hudson River in the Fort Lee and Alpine area. So it's not useful for people wanting to hike in Harriman.
I went over to the trailhead in Pomona today and Orange and Rockland has completely taken over the parking lot and closed access to the trail. They have it marked as a construction zone but I think they might be using it as a staging ground to ferry workers up the mountain -- my backup plan was hiking up the Mountain trail at Kakiat park and I saw tracked vehicles heading up. They even bulldozed a new road with a bridge right through the Kakiat trail.
Anyways - does anyone know how I can find out if the Tux-Mt Ivy Trailhead at Diltzes Lane will be opened back up eventually? That's my favorite spot to head into the park and I'll be super bummed to have lost it permanently.
Here is the official word from Trail Conference staff:
Camping is allowed, but hikers are advised to avoid shelters. As long as people are using their own tents or other alternatives, camping is perfectly fine.
This webpage is the best go-to resource for COVID-related AT closures:
https://appalachiantrail.org/explore/plan-and-prepare/hiking-basics/heal...
I went over to the trailhead in Pomona today and Orange and Rockland has completely taken over the parking lot and closed access to the trail. They have it marked as a construction zone but I think they might be using it as a staging ground to ferry workers up the mountain -- my backup plan was hiking up the Mountain trail at Kakiat park and I saw tracked vehicles heading up. They even bulldozed a new road with a bridge right through the Kakiat trail.
Anyways - does anyone know how I can find out if the Tux-Mt Ivy Trailhead at Diltzes Lane will be opened back up eventually? That's my favorite spot to head into the park and I'll be super bummed to have lost it permanently.