Long Hill Road to Hoyt Road/Connecticut State Line

Day Fifteen
Monday, October 10, 2016
Long Hill Road to Hoyt Road/Connecticut State Line
14.5 miles

What a beautiful day today.  It’s the last day of our hike and we are looking forward to finishing up.  We made up our mind several days ago that we would finish New Jersey and New York and then go to Manhattan for a short visit before going back to Florida. 

Nuclear Lake

Highlights of the day included Nuclear Lake, the site of a nuclear fuels-processing research facility until 1972.  It was beautiful, showing the beginnings of fall colors. 

The Dover Oak is located on the north side of West Dover Road.  It is reportedly the largest oak tree on the A. T.  Its girth four feet from ground is more than 20 feet, 4 inches and it is estimated to be more than 300 years old.  The second largest oak is the Keffer Oak with a girth of 18 feet, 3 inches.  It too is around 300 years old.  We have had the privilege of seeing both these trees. 

 

 

Just before we reached NY 22 the trail passes a Metro-North train station.  The train runs between here and New York City Grand Central Terminal on weekends.   

We stopped for a break at Native Landscapes and Garden Center, located on NY 22.  It is owned by a former thru-hiker and is reputed to be hiker-friendly – which, indeed, it was.  The nice lady in attendance was very friendly and welcoming .  There was also another southbound section hiker there whom we had met last spring around the roller coaster.  He remembered that!  We had a nice conversation, gave him some tips on shuttle drivers, etc. then went on our way.

    

There was another beautiful boardwalk through the Pawling Nature Preserve.  We have really enjoyed the boardwalks in both New Jersey and New York.     

 

   

 

The 14.5 miles were finished before we knew it we reached Hoyt Road with the Connecticut State Line just off the road to the north.  And we were done with 162 miles in 15 days, 13 hiking with 2 days off. 

See you next spring, Connecticut!

 

 

 

 

 

Wiley Shelter

A little library!  Right before you reach Hoyt Road

A hand pump right before you reach Hoyt Road
 

 

Long Hill Road to NY 55

Day Fourteen
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Long Hill Road to NY 55
14.7 miles

Another fairly easy day and we made good time.  Especially since we were slackpacking, allowing for a light pack of only lunch and a bottle of water.   It was rainy, cloudy, windy and cold today.

The profile showed two pretty good uphills but they didn’t prove to be too steep. 

It was a good day.  We went to eat at Cracker Barrel again and then back to the Quality Inn in Fishkill.

 

South Highland Road to Long Hill Road

 

Day Thirteen
Saturday, October 8, 2016
South Highland Road to Long Hill Road
11 miles

It was another easy day today and a short one.  Started out cool in the 50’s and went to 70’s again.  We saw lots of day hikers. 

We had a view of Canopus Lake Beach as we walked around it.  We had a walk for awhile on a wall with a drop-off below.  That was unusual.

We saw a running stream for a change – one of only a few we have seen the entire hike. 

We finished fairly early and went again to Cracker Barrel and stayed at Ramada Inn in Fishkill.

Parking area at Dennytown Road

Bear Mountain Inn to South Highlands Road

Day Twelve
Friday, October 7, 2016
Bear Mountain Inn to South Highlands Road
12.6 miles

Another slackpacking day.  We called Highland Transit Taxi, listed in our Hikers Companion Book, and got a ride for $30 from South Highlands Road back to Bear Mountain Inn.  Joe was a very accommodating taxi driver who wanted to learn all the A. T. parking spots in the area, so we called him for a ride each day for the rest of our trip.  He slackpacked us all the way up to the Connecticut line.  The name of their company has changed since the book was printed, the sign on his car was Alley’s Way Car Service.

We took off from Bear Mountain Inn following the blazes around the lake and towards the zoo.  Unfortunately – although the trail goes right through the zoo – we knew it was too early for the zoo to be open and we would have to go around it.  Missing the blue blaze for the trail, we went around the zoo to the right and followed the paved road downhill to the boat dock, although we could find NO white blazes or blue blazes for that matter, and knowing all the time that we were going AWAY from the Hudson River Bridge, but thinking that somehow the trail would wind back around and get to the bridge.  Well, it didn’t.  So we turned around and went back to the back entrance of the zoo, went around to the front of the zoo and retraced our steps until we found a sign directing us to follow the blue blazed trail when the zoo was closed.  The trail went to the left toward the bridge, before you get to the front door of the zoo – just so you know if you ever need this information. 

We finally got on the right trail and followed it through the woods a short distance before it came out at the Hudson River Bridge.  Oh my!  How exciting was this – we had watched youtube videos of others hiking across this bridge – now we are here ourselves.  Unbelievable!  The fog kept us from seeing  the mountain top ahead of us where we should have seen Anthony’s Nose.

    

 

We went across on the right side of the bridge.  When we got to the other side, we found that it would have been easier to cross the road if we had gone across the left side since that’s the side the trail was on.  We had to cross two roads instead of one at a busy intersection before going up the hill into the woods. 

It was a steep uphill to begin with, but overall a pretty easy day with only a couple of steep climbs.  It was mostly through forested area and low profile.  The weather started out cool and we started out with long sleeves but that didn’t last long.  It probably hit the high 70’s with no breeze.

  We finally did get to enter one of the New York deli’s during opening hours.  The Appalachian Equities Shell Station is located at the U. S. 9/N. Y. 403 junction and is opened 24 hours.  They have a couple of food counters where hungry hikers can be fed.  We purchased a soda and sat at their outside picnic table for a short break. 

At one of the overlooks, we came upon a man sunbathing without his shirt on.  He scrambled to his feet, put on his shirt and told us we should be able to see New York from here.  Upon looking though, he said, “I’m sorry, it’s not visible from here after all, it’s too hazy.”  Huh – missed it again!

Upon reaching South Highlands Road, we went to eat at Cracker Barrel and booked a room at Hawthorn Suites for the night.