4 Ways to Embrace the Tail-End of Autumn!
Blueberry bushes ablaze along the R-D Trail, Harriman State Park, NY
Honestly, where does the time go?! What do you mean it’s the end of October? No comprende…
Sigh, I guess I’ll just GO ON AS MANY FOLIAGE-RIDDEN HIKES AS POSSIBLE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
Or, I could give you some excellent ideas to take advantage of these final fall days for yourself! Yea, that seems way more reasonable/humanly possible.
Well it looks like this weekend is going to be warm-ish and partly sunny aka PERFECT for autumnal adventures…so let’s dive into 4 ways to embrace the tail-end of autumn!
1. Biking the McDade Trail (Delaware Water Gap, NJ)
McDade Trail, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, NJ
My first suggestion to take it allll in is to go biking along the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area’s McDade Trail. This circa 31-mile trail follows the Delaware River along flat sections and rolling hills, depending on where you begin. We did a 15-mile stint beginning at the Riverview trailhead and man the hill up to the visitor center is NO JOKE, so be prepared! Check out the information on the trail at the aforementioned link for a full description of the trail, as well as mile-markers and parking areas.
2. Hike and Seek Water-Features (NY and NJ)
Stony Brook, Harriman State Park, NY
So this is a more general suggestion, but with all that rain we got yesterday, streams and waterfalls are sure to be swollen with free-fallin’ water! A few suggestions would be to visit the many waterfalls of Hacklebarney State Park in Long Valley, NJ (video here), hike to the ever-popular-for-good-reason (but arrive early!) Pine Meadow Lake along Harriman State Park’s Stony Brook (hiking guide here), or hit up Peanut Leap Falls in Palisades Interstate Park before tackling the Giant Stairs (video here). All are sure to WHET (y’know...like wet) your water-feature appetite.
3. That R-D Trail, Tho… (Harriman State Park, NY)
Hiking along the rockscapes of the R-D trail, Harriman State Park, NY
Ohh internet meme-isms…
There’s a reason I gravitate towards this trail…it’s MAGNIFICENT. I’m not kidding. If you park along Rt. 106 [GPS: 41.230166, -74.140261] (again, arrive early to ensure a spot) and set off on the Ramapo-Dunderberg trail, the foliage-rich scenery, expansive views, and rolling rockscapes are guaranteed to dazzle. Just use your NYNJTC map to pick your route, whether it’s passed Bowling Rocks, the Lemon Squeezer, or a figure eight passing through Times Square, there are so very many combinations to explore! Last weekend, the blueberry bushes were on FIYAH (seen above) resulting in a luminous red sea of leaves…no doubt you could still catch it this weekend, if you’re lucky ;)
4. Don’t have much time? Just GET OUT THERE!
Frankly, as long as you make it outside even briefly to take in the last lingering leaves of autumn, you won’t be sorry. Take a stroll into Ramapo Reservation and slowly sip on those remaining hues. Walk along the trails of Pyramid Mountain and gape at the glacial erratics like Tripod Rock (seen above). Go to your favorite local haunt of choice and simply bathe in the glory that is late autumn. These crisp days won’t hang around much longer, nor will the fall colors endure. Embrace those long afternoon shadows and golden autumnal sun while you can and make the most of the season!
Welp, I hope that shortlist gave you some new material for the weekend, and beyond. Have some ideas of your own? Share them in the comments below, or post them to the UnbEx Facebook page ;)
Until next time, happy trails!
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