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 My 22 yr old son and I want to camp 1 or 2 nights in early September within 3 hrs of our home in Nassau County, NY. Catskills or Northern NJ probably. we want to hike in about 4 hrs and then make camp. Prefer if its not too busy an area. Some change in elevation OK, but not looking for a mountain or lake necessarily, but would be nice. Any recommendations where to go? We have limited recent experience camping overnight.
Answer The Catskills a bit far given your 3 hour radius, and I'm less familiar with them than with other areas. They may also be more rugged than you'd prefer.
How far can you hike in 4 hours? Distance is a better measure than time, since different folks hike at different rates. Do you own a tent? These are pieces of information that I need before I can make a recommendation. Here's the thing -- almost anyplace north or west within your 3 hour radius is going to be pretty hilly, because that's what the terrain around here is like. How much of a change in elevation do you think you can handle? You can count on a minimum climb of 500 feet to get to almost every wilderness campsite that I know of. To get to some areas, you may have to climb over 1000 feet.
As for "not too busy an area," keep in mind that anyplace within reasonable driving distance of NYC is going to be fairly busy. You will likely meet other folks on the trail, and unless you bushwhack off the trail a decent distance, you will likely meet other folks at almost any decent camping area.
Again, give me a bit more information, and I'll be able to give you more focused recommendations.
