{"id":11599,"date":"2022-03-22T14:02:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-22T18:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mappyhour.org\/blog\/?p=11599"},"modified":"2023-01-04T12:02:09","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T17:02:09","slug":"hiking-near-nyc-without-a-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mappyhour.org\/blog\/2022\/03\/hiking-near-nyc-without-a-car\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Hiking Near NYC without a car"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Thank you to Melissa Goodwin of Girl Gotta Hike<\/a> for speaking at our last Mappy Hour event and writing this great blog post! All photos included courtesy of Girl Gotta Hike.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major thanks to everyone who came out to talk some trail at May\u2019s Mappy Hour event at Arc\u2019teryx Soho with Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were a ton of awesome trail suggestions that were shared between us, and I hope that some of the more creative solutions and mulit-modes of transport for getting you a little further afield have already gotten your future adventure gears turning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to Find Trails<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In our digital era, trails and trail recommendations are abundant! Google is a great first step! You can also talk to your Mappy Hour friends, check out the NYNJTC\u2019s online trail finder<\/a>, utilize social apps like AllTrails<\/a>, and Facebook groups to spark ideas and get your footing. Read through user comments for helpful tips and be sure to follow up and cross-reference any recommendations with your destination\u2019s official park maps, often found right on their homepages. Download GPS enabled maps from the NYNJTC<\/a> ahead of your hike or use apps like Far Out Guides<\/a> that will work in airplane mode to help keep you on track once you\u2019re out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actual physical guide books are a great resource too! NYNJTC has a ton of compilations for regional hikes, as does The Appalachian Mountain Club and other publishers. I\u2019ve purchased plenty of my regional guidebooks from used bookstores to get different perspectives and suggestions \u2013 just keep in mind that the specific transit information listed in an older book may no longer be accurate so cross-referencing is key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Public Transit Basics<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully in the greater NYC region, there are a ton of Public Transit options to get us out there! The MTA\u2019s Metro North<\/a>, New Jersey Transit<\/a>, Long Island Railroad<\/a>, and the Trailways Bus<\/a> system will move you the farthest and fastest, but don\u2019t overlook options like The Staten Island Ferry<\/a> and our amazing subway and bus<\/a> system to get you out to the further reaches of the outer boroughs. The regional and county bus systems can help get you into and between smaller upstate towns, so check out the Bee-Line<\/a> in Westchester County, Coach USA \/ Rockland Coaches<\/a> in Northern NJ and Rockland County New York, The Hudson Link<\/a> between Peekskill and Nyack, Dutchess County Public Transit<\/a> (including the free Beacon Loop<\/a>), Ulster County Area Transit<\/a> and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The towns that cater to train-traveling tourists and those that that serve commuters or\/or college students will likely have more options once you arrive for taxis, Lyfts and Ubers, but sometimes you may just have to hoof it an extra mile (or a few) on local town roads to get to a trailhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever the public transit system you choose to use, be sure to always check for the latest schedule updates before you go. Construction and weather delays can happen anytime.  Some routes run more frequently in the summer, and either only on weekends (like the AT stop on Metro-North\u2019s Harlem line), or not at all on the weekends (like Rockland Coaches). Some commuter lines significantly reduced their service during the pandemic, so while options may be limited now, more frequent service should become available as workers continue to return to the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MTA Metro-North<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Leaving from Grand Central, you can take the Metro-North to the popular hiking towns of Cold Spring & Beacon, as well as loads of other trail adjacent towns alongside the Hudson River. Utilize their Harlem Line for direct access to the Appalachian Trail in Dutchess County, or opt for some seaside strolls in Connecticut by utilizing the New Haven Line. You can catch the Metro-North on the west side of the Hudson too, via the Port Jervis and Passaic Valley trains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n