NYC to Tent: Weekend getaways ?
 

Hi All,

Does anyone have suggestions for weekend touring, camping getaways from New York City? Under appx. 100 mile round trip? I'll consider NJ, Long island, NY up the Hudson River... Is there a relatively flat path to Bear Mountain or Harriman State Parks?

Thanks!

Welcome to BF.

I can give you no specific suggestions. When I plan a tour, be it an overnighter or for a month, I get on Google maps, bicycle option. Will show the cycling trails, and pictures of nearly every mile. Another mapping service is www.bikeroutetoaster.com or www.ridewithgps.com for elevation profiles/info.

This site is good for campgrounds of all sorts.

I'm sure you'll get some specific suggestions.

Good luck.

Yeah, not much in the area.

Fahenstock is supposed to be a decent campgrounds. There's probably some good stuff in Harriman, but I don't know which ones are good. Beaver State Park is not fantastic.

I think you'll have better luck making your way to Bucks County PA, e.g. take NJ Transit and ride from there.

It's going to be a bit further than your 100 mile round trip criteria but you have the option of getting a bike pass and taking the LIRR part way if need be.

Check out Hither Hills State Park out by Montauk. They are pretty booked from what I can see up through the first week or two of September (at least for longer stays) but you may be able to get a campsite for a night or two as people cancel all the time. Anyway, it's a mix of tents and campers/RV's and they have a bathroom w/showers. You are right on the beach - it's a pretty nice place with the sound of the ocean and the easy access to amenities in Montauk proper. If you do a search for Hither Hills you'll find a link to the online reservation system.

I have done the trip the Beaver Pond campground in Harriman as a shakedown ride from the city. Its nice in that you have the option of going across the Bear Mountain Bridge the second day and taking the train back from Garrison, or just taking the East side of the Hudson back so you aren't doing the same route both ways. The annoying part is that the last 2 miles up to the campground are a pretty serious hill.

The campground itself also isn't that great, especially on the weekends. It's crowded and loud, it's barely camping.

I don't know the other options in Harriman, but there has to be something better.

I like to ride out to Cold Spring, NY, on the other side of the Hudson, and wild camp out there. It's about 68 miles from midtown one way. Here is a map of a trip I did last summer:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4029405

The final spot in Cold Spring may not be exact, sorry. But when you are riding south along Route in Cold Spring, you eventually reach a trail entrance where some cars can park. I think it's part of the appalachian trail. It's easy to find a nice spot in the woods for the night.

The second day I rode out to New Paltz and camped at an actual campsite out there, and the day after I rode to Clinton Corners to meet my GF. You could always take metro north for an hour out of the city and start somewhere farther north on the hudson.