Where to Go: My 4 Favorite Late Autumn Hikes in NY!
So everyone’s FAVORITE month is here….?!
Yea, no. November kind of gets a bum rap when it comes to seasonality. It’s generally a bit bleak and the peak of foliage has passed...
However, that doesn’t mean excellent hikes aren’t still waiting to be had! ...that sentence was all over the place double negatives…
With the weather we’ve been having and the remaining pockets of foliage still holding strong, I’d say there’s still plenty of time to get in some prime outdoor adventures!
You may wonder, “Just where am I going for this ‘prime-time’ of autumn, you crazy coot?” To that I have plenty of suggestions!
Let's begin with an all-time favorite, the Ramapo-Dunderberg trail of Harriman State Park. Don’t even get me started on all of the sweet spots branching off this trail. You have rock outcrops, forested trailways (such as what I call Midas Grove, seen below), and plenty of remaining color as the varying tree types continue to change.
If you begin your hike at the parking area near Little Long Pond (GPS: 41.229827, -74.142083), make a longer, circa 8 mi-loop by shooting for the Lemon Squeezer along the AT. Be sure to use your NYNJTC map to find the way ;)
Another local fav would be Popolopen Torne in Bear Mountain State Park. Park by Fort Montgomery (GPS: 41.324539,-73.988736), or the overflow lot 1/4mi further along 9W, and hike the 5 mile circuit up to lofty Popolopen Torne. Full hike description from the NYNJTC HERE.
This hike is an excellent workout and rather strenuous at that, so be sure to come prepared! The views atop the Torne of Bear Mountain Bridge and the surrounding Hudson Highlands are more than worth the sweat you are bound to exude…I always manage to make things sound more graphic then they need to be.
Moving away from our immediate vicinity, my second fav place to go would have to be the Gunks. Do I even need to remind you of ALL of the things there are to do there? Sometimes I just want to wrap myself up in a blanketing cocoon of white-conglomerate Shawangunk rock...
I may be a little obsessed.
ANYways, be sure to check out Minnewaska State Park’s Gertrude’s Nose, with it’s more than epic overhangs and undeniably adorbs dwarf pitch pines. Check out the full hike description HERE.
Additionally in the Gunks, Millbrook Mountain from either Minnewaska or Mohonk Preserve is a wonderfully entertaining hike with a trip over craggy trails, ultimately culminating in expansive views and prime lunchtime spots. Full 6.5 mile hike description HERE!
I’m hoping to get in a few more autumnal hikes in before winter takes hold; fingers crossed the weather keeps up its beauteousness! And hey, if you have a suggestion on where to go to take in the remainder of the season that wasn’t listed here (I've only scratched the surface!), HIT ME UP or post to the UnbEx Facebook page.
Don't be shy, lay your opinions on me, baby!
Ahem...Here’s to many more splendiferous fall excursions!
