AboutWounded Knee Expertise I can advise on anything having to do with hiking and backpacking skills and equipment, including map and compass and orienteering skills. I cannot advise on the use of GPS devices. I cannot advise on car camping or group camping (10 or more people). My primary geographic expertise is in the US Northeast, but I know how to find information on hiking and backpacking just about anywhere.
Experience I've been hiking and backpacking for about 40 years, including ongoing section hiking of the Appalachian Trail (almost 1300 miles so far). I have hiked extensively in the New York Metropolitan Area, as well as various other areas from Virginia north, including upstate New York, New England, and Eastern Canada.
Publications New York Walk Book, 7th Ed. New Jersey Walk Book, 2nd Ed.
Education/Credentials Not applicable to this area of expertise.
Question So I read through all the questions and answers about camping and hiking in Harriman that you've answered, and my question falls a little outside the general topics.
A few friends and I are trying to get back into backpacking after not going for years. We're looking to make a trip this summer, with other friends who like to camp but not backpack. So our thought was to set up camp at the public campground in Harriman (Beaver pond?) for the first night, then the next morning leave the less adventurous of our party behind, and set out for a decent hike to a shelter with the few of us that want to backpack, stay overnight, and then hike back the next day to rejoin our friends at the car campground.
Is this a feasible plan? Looking at the trail conference map it looks like one could get on the suffern-bear mountain trail and head southwest, to the Big Hill shelter, but the trail doesn't start right at the Beaver Pond Camp, nor does it look like it's a very far or challenging hike. I was wondering if you had any other suggestions, or perhaps think this might actually be a decent beginner hike.
Thanks in advance for your time.
Answer You're right -- it isn't very far, and it isn't particularly interesting. When you cross Gate Hill Road, you end up climbing a mountain on the remains of an old paved road, then past a couple of telephone relay towers, before you get more seriously into the woods. Why don't you try hiking to the next shelter west on the Suffern Bear Mountain trail? That would be the Stone Memorial shelter, about another 4 miles or so down the trail. One advantage of going further is that this shelter has a more reliable water source (a brook about 50 yards west of the shelter) than the Big Hill shelter. The hike is longer and more rugged, with several nice views.
