In July and August 2014, I thru-hiked the New York Long Path, a 356-mile trail that begins just across the Hudson River from New York City and ends in John Boyd Thacher state park near Altamont, NY.
Few people bother thru-hiking the Long Path (not to be confused with Vermont’s Long Trail) because it demands several extended road walks in New York’s Orange County. Also, the proximity to urban centers make it very difficult to spend every night on the trail. Of the nights I spent off the trail, two were in motels and two with generous volunteers of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. I spent only a single night stealth camping.
If you are considering a thru-hike I would be more than willing to share any information that might be helpful. I thoroughly enjoyed the hike, though it’s not exactly a “wilderness” experience. I encountered at least one person on the trail every day and, apart from the sections that traverse the Catskill Mountains, I was never more than a short hike to the nearest town. Still, I had a blast and arrived in Altamont on the morning of my 30th birthday. I have reproduced my approximate itinerary below for anyone interested.
Date |
Section |
Mileage |
|---|---|---|
| July 23, 2014 | Fort Lee, NJ – Alpine Scout Camp* | 10.65 |
| July 24, 2014 | Alpine Scout Camp* – Nyack, NY | 12.5 |
| July 25, 2014 | Nyack, NY – Haverstraw, NY | 9.85 |
| July 26, 2014 | Haverstraw, NY – Harriman State Park | 19.7 |
| July 27, 2014 | Harriman State Park – Central Valley, NY | 13.75 |
| July 28, 2014 | Central Valley, NY – Goshen, NY | 21 |
| July 29, 2014 | Goshen, NY – Greenville, NY | 20.3 |
| July 30, 2014 | Greenville, NY – Wurtsboro, NY | 16 |
| July 31, 2014 | Wurtsboro, NY – Sam’s Point Preserve** | 17.5 |
| August 1, 2014 | Sam’s Point Preserve** – Ver Nooy Falls | 22 |
| August 2, 2014 | Ver Nooy Falls – Catskills primitive campsite | 15.55 |
| August 3, 2014 | Primitive campsite – Phoenicia, NY | 18.7 |
| August 4, 2014 | Phoenicia, NY – Tremper Mountain Lean-to | 4 |
| August 5, 2014 | Tremper Mountain Lean-to – Devil’s Kitchen Lean-to | 19.33 |
| August 6, 2014 | Devil’s Kitchen Lean-to – Batavia Kill Lean-to | 25.77 |
| August 7, 2014 | Batavia Kill Lean-to – Bluebird Road | 20.55 |
| August 8, 2014 | Bluebird Road – West Kill Creek | 24.45 |
| August 9, 2014 | West Kill Creek – Pleasant Valley stream | 13.3 |
| August 10, 2014 | Pleasant Valley stream – Fox Creek | 15.75 |
| August 11, 2014 | Fox Creek – Cole Hill State Forest | 20 |
| August 12, 2014 | Cole Hill State Forest – Northern Terminus | 15.35 |
* The Alpine Scout Camp is not ordinarily open to thru-hikers, but I stopped in the main office and asked very politely if I might spend the night in one of their shelters. The staff agreed to this, provided I would not interact with any of the Scouts, who were staying at another site—and after they photocopied my driver’s license—but I think this was, in part, because I told them that I was an Eagle Scout. ↩
** Camping is prohibited in Sam’s Point Preserve, but I was too many miles off from another viable camp and decided to risk it. I found a level spot where I wouldn’t disturb the foliage and I’m pretty certain no one ever knew I was there. You’ll have to make your own call. ↩