Go Take A Hike
October 22, 2017 7:05 PM Subscribe
Planning a glorious hike to end the season.
NY Mefites, where’s the best place to go take a day hike?
After a great hike this weekend, I want to plan another one for the last nice weekend in the foreseeable future. All the details below:
If it’s accessible by Metro-North from Grand Central, our group can go anywhere.
I’m loooking for a trail with a beautiful view, and a mix of heart pumping uphill challenge mixed with some laid back strolling. Beginner to intermediate trails sound like a good fit. A 3-4 hour hike, minus lunchtime sounds like the right amount of time.
I’ve never led a hike before, and our group will be non-experienced hikers, but fit, up for the challenge (late 20’s-early 30’s) people. That said, we should probably stay away from advanced trails or rock scrambles.
Bonus points if there’s a cafe/ cute bar/ town to explore afterwards.
Extra special bonus points for any hiking tips/ things you didn’t think you needed to know but are essential for day hikes
After a great hike this weekend, I want to plan another one for the last nice weekend in the foreseeable future. All the details below:
If it’s accessible by Metro-North from Grand Central, our group can go anywhere.
I’m loooking for a trail with a beautiful view, and a mix of heart pumping uphill challenge mixed with some laid back strolling. Beginner to intermediate trails sound like a good fit. A 3-4 hour hike, minus lunchtime sounds like the right amount of time.
I’ve never led a hike before, and our group will be non-experienced hikers, but fit, up for the challenge (late 20’s-early 30’s) people. That said, we should probably stay away from advanced trails or rock scrambles.
Bonus points if there’s a cafe/ cute bar/ town to explore afterwards.
Extra special bonus points for any hiking tips/ things you didn’t think you needed to know but are essential for day hikes
Best answer: A few options that I can think of from Grand Central:
Croton Gorge Park. Easy, big dam / great views but relatively flat. You can take metro north to Croton-Harmon and either walk to the park (3.5 miles, but uphill most of the way) or take taxis - there are always taxis waiting at the station. The town is nice enough - craft beer place right next to the train station and ice cream shop in town.
Anthony's Nose. Steep at the beginning, gets easier (but not flat, see the trail guide in the link and judge for yourself). You'll need a car for this one - but if anyone can do a zipcar there are now some at metro north stations - Peekskill is the closest, and has a nice waterfront and some bars and restaurants right next to the train station.
Walkway over the Hudson. Not as much of a hike per se, but walking over the Hudson! Easy walk from the train station.
posted by true at 7:54 PM on October 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Croton Gorge Park. Easy, big dam / great views but relatively flat. You can take metro north to Croton-Harmon and either walk to the park (3.5 miles, but uphill most of the way) or take taxis - there are always taxis waiting at the station. The town is nice enough - craft beer place right next to the train station and ice cream shop in town.
Anthony's Nose. Steep at the beginning, gets easier (but not flat, see the trail guide in the link and judge for yourself). You'll need a car for this one - but if anyone can do a zipcar there are now some at metro north stations - Peekskill is the closest, and has a nice waterfront and some bars and restaurants right next to the train station.
Walkway over the Hudson. Not as much of a hike per se, but walking over the Hudson! Easy walk from the train station.
posted by true at 7:54 PM on October 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: How about Mount Beacon? This page offers a choice of 2, 4, and 7 mile hikes. If you do the 7 mile hike, I recommend going clockwise around the loop instead of counter-clockwise as recommended in the guide I linked. Going clockwise takes you through the vantage points in roughly increasing order of awesomeness, peaking at the top of the fire tower. The downside is, if you bail early you'll miss the best views. And if you go in the next week or two, those views will be great!
Easily accessible via Metro North to Beacon station. You can either hire a taxi to the trail head or walk it. It's an easy walk.
posted by d. z. wang at 10:09 PM on October 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Easily accessible via Metro North to Beacon station. You can either hire a taxi to the trail head or walk it. It's an easy walk.
posted by d. z. wang at 10:09 PM on October 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: ok I have more time today.
Other options (in addition to the above) that are accessible by public transit:
1. Fort Lee Park directly across the river. Take the subway to the GWB, walk across the bridge (but check the twitter to see which side is open!!!) and boom you're in fort lee park. The Long Path (which is ~350miles long) actually starts at Fort Lee, before heading north along the Palisades until you're back in NY.
2. Inwood park: I've actually managed to spend a full afternoon here just looping the trails. They're not super challenging, but it's a nice stroll accessible by subway.
3. There's also blue mountain reservation in Peekskill, NY (which is ~2miles from the peekskill train (and uphill, so be warned)); but we found that it's pretty heavily used by mtn bikers. the trails are wide enough to share, but it's just something to be aware of.
If your group is willing to take a cab from a train (and then an uber back home) that opens up a bunch more options in Westchester: Rockefeller park in Tarrytown NY, and the butler memorial sanctuary in mt. kisco. there's also a bunch of stuff near west point, from the garrison stop on the MetroNorth, but again, it's easier if you cab part of it.
I don't recommend breakneck ridge, although it's gorgeous, because it's super insanely crowded on weekends, and really hard to get too w/o the weekend train stop.
With respect to gear: always make sure someone in your group has extra water and a simple first aid kit (bandaids, painkillers, tums/pepto/antihistamine) and that you have at least one or two spare layers. I'd recommend carrying sandwiches+ snacks, as well as printing out a paper version of your map. Smartphones are great and all, but having a paper map in your back pocket is definitely useful.
Honestly, on a day hike near NYC, you're not really far out in the wild, and you're not going to be lost more than 24hrs; there's too many people going through that will find you; so if something goes horribly wrong you really don't have to worry that much. Keep an eye on the weather the day before you head out (and know if it's going to rain/turn crappy), but really you'll be fine.
go have fun! hike all the things!
posted by larthegreat at 12:54 PM on October 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Other options (in addition to the above) that are accessible by public transit:
1. Fort Lee Park directly across the river. Take the subway to the GWB, walk across the bridge (but check the twitter to see which side is open!!!) and boom you're in fort lee park. The Long Path (which is ~350miles long) actually starts at Fort Lee, before heading north along the Palisades until you're back in NY.
2. Inwood park: I've actually managed to spend a full afternoon here just looping the trails. They're not super challenging, but it's a nice stroll accessible by subway.
3. There's also blue mountain reservation in Peekskill, NY (which is ~2miles from the peekskill train (and uphill, so be warned)); but we found that it's pretty heavily used by mtn bikers. the trails are wide enough to share, but it's just something to be aware of.
If your group is willing to take a cab from a train (and then an uber back home) that opens up a bunch more options in Westchester: Rockefeller park in Tarrytown NY, and the butler memorial sanctuary in mt. kisco. there's also a bunch of stuff near west point, from the garrison stop on the MetroNorth, but again, it's easier if you cab part of it.
I don't recommend breakneck ridge, although it's gorgeous, because it's super insanely crowded on weekends, and really hard to get too w/o the weekend train stop.
With respect to gear: always make sure someone in your group has extra water and a simple first aid kit (bandaids, painkillers, tums/pepto/antihistamine) and that you have at least one or two spare layers. I'd recommend carrying sandwiches+ snacks, as well as printing out a paper version of your map. Smartphones are great and all, but having a paper map in your back pocket is definitely useful.
Honestly, on a day hike near NYC, you're not really far out in the wild, and you're not going to be lost more than 24hrs; there's too many people going through that will find you; so if something goes horribly wrong you really don't have to worry that much. Keep an eye on the weather the day before you head out (and know if it's going to rain/turn crappy), but really you'll be fine.
go have fun! hike all the things!
posted by larthegreat at 12:54 PM on October 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks so much everyone, this is going to be put to use many times over next spring. Extra special thanks to larthegreat, you rock!
posted by Champagne Supernova at 8:16 PM on October 24, 2017
posted by Champagne Supernova at 8:16 PM on October 24, 2017
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posted by larthegreat at 7:34 PM on October 22, 2017 [2 favorites]