home page  Public Transportation to Hiking Areas

Those who do not own cars in the New York City area are lucky because many popular hikes are accessible through public transportation.  In addition, the New York - New Jersey chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club offers many group hikes where those with cars meet those without them at bus and train stops near trailheads in order to transport the bus/train passengers to the actual trailhead. The Appalachian Mountain Club offers a very useful Transportation Code document on its website which gives details of the various bus and train options that its hikes use.
 
TRAIN: The following hikes can be accessed by taking a train from Grand Central Station or Penn Station in New York City. More information about these trains is available via ww.MTA.info or http://www.NJtransit.com. Make sure to tell the conductor where you wish to get off when you board the train as these stops may only be made upon request.
 
Hike   Stop / Station Notes
Breakneck Ridge - Breakneck Bypass   Breakneck Ridge Stops here on request.
Breakneck Ridge & Mount Taurus   Breakneck Ridge Stops here on request.
Breakneck Ridge - Notch Trail   Breakneck Ridge Stops here on request.
Breakneck Ridge & Sugarloaf Mountain   Breakneck Ridge Stops here on request.
Taste of Breakneck Ridge   Breakneck Ridge Stops here on request.
Lake Skenonto Circular   Tuxedo  
West Mountain & Nuclear Lake (Pawling, NY)   Appalachian Trail Stops here on request.
       
 
BUS: The following hikes can be accessed by taking a bus from Port Authority Bus Terminal.  Some of the bus stops are only made upon special request to the bus driver. Let the bus driver know where you wish to get off when you board the bus. Many of the bus drivers are not familiar with where you will ask them to leave you off.  Make sure you have the driving directions (and the trail map!) with you so you can tell them exactly where (i.e. X miles north of Y by the sign for Z). They may not know exactly where you wish to get off but the driving directions should give them enough information since they do know the road.
 
Hike   Stop / Station Notes
Bear Mountain   Bear Mountain Inn  
Dunderberg (and Bald) Mountain and the Timp   Jones Point Stops here only on request.
Elk Pen - Lemon Squeezer Circular   by Arden Valley Road Stops here only on request.
Elk Pen - Lichen Trail Circular   by Arden Valley Road Stops here only on request.
Elk Pen Five Mile Circular   by Arden Valley Road Stops here only on request.
Elk Pen Seven Mile Circular   by Arden Valley Road Stops here only on request.
Elk Pen - Times Square Circular   by Arden Valley Road Stops here only on request.
Lake Skenonto Circular   Tuxedo Park Train Station There are a couple of stops in Tuxedo, tell the driver specifically where you wish to get off.
Popolopen Torne   Fort Montgomery Bus should leave you off not far from from the Fort Montgomery State Historic Site.
Pound Mountain Circular   Tuxedo Park Train Station There are a couple of stops in Tuxedo, tell the driver specifically where you wish to get off.
Raccoon Brook Hill Viola School, opposite Kakiat Park. Bus should let you off right by the school (which is on a corner opposite Kakiat Park).
Southfields Circular    Southfields Bus should leave you off in Southfields (by the old "Red Apple Restaurant").
The Timp & the Anchor   Jones Point Stops here only on request.
The Timp & Bald Mountain   Jones Point Stops here only on request.
Three Mountains Plus Doodletown   Bus should leave you off by the sign for Iona Island. Stops here only on request.
Three Mountains: West, The Timp & Bald   Bear Mountain Inn  
Tuxedo + Two Lakes   Tuxedo Park Train Station There are a couple of stops in Tuxedo, tell the driver specifically where you wish to get off.
       

Comments: Michael_Brochstein@MABsystems.com

 Last update: 11/22/2012

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