OT: Hiking/AT Question

[irishflu92]

Hikers of TKR,

I'm planning an overnight hiking trip with my 19 year old daughter, who is less a hiker than me but wants to try an overnight trip. I'm looking for camping locations along the Appalachian Trail, but see very few. I see one near Sunfish Pond at the DWG, a hike that I've done a few times and think my daughter can manage. Any other suggestions for campsites along the AT? Or, any other hiking trail in the State, for that matter? I'd like to keep the two-day hike at about 16 miles total and can manage either a loop or linear hike. A primitive site would be fine; we plan on sleeping in hammocks or on the ground. Thanks in advance.

 

[RUinPinehurst]

Hikers of TKR,

I'm planning an overnight hiking trip with my 19 year old daughter, who is less a hiker than me but wants to try an overnight trip. I'm looking for camping locations along the Appalachian Trail, but see very few. I see one near Sunfish Pond at the DWG, a hike that I've done a few times and think my daughter can manage. Any other suggestions for campsites along the AT? Or, any other hiking trail in the State, for that matter? I'd like to keep the two-day hike at about 16 miles total and can manage either a loop or linear hike. A primitive site would be fine; we plan on sleeping in hammocks or on the ground. Thanks in advance.

Buy the portion of the FarOut app that covers the NJ section of the AT. The app shows you details of every step, including resources and comments by recent hikers. There are shelters every 10 or so miles, with tent spaces. And many other tenting sites along the route. The benefits of tenting at/near a shelter: there's a water source, a privy, and often a "bear box" to store your food and scented items.

My old RU buds and I hiked the NJ AT a few years ago. It's a surprisingly pretty section of the AT, some 85 miles or so, as I recall.

As a group we've also hiked the AT in NY and CT. This October it'll be MA.

 

[irishflu92]

Buy the portion of the FarOut app that covers the NJ section of the AT. The app shows you details of every step, including resources and comments by recent hikers. There are shelters every 10 or so miles, with tent spaces. And many other tenting sites along the route. The benefits of tenting at/near a shelter: there's a water source, a privy, and often a "bear box" to store your food and scented items.

My old RU buds and I hiked the NJ AT a few years ago. It's a surprisingly pretty section of the AT, some 85 miles or so, as I recall.

As a group we've also hiked the AT in NY and CT. This October it'll be MA.

Great advice. Thank you!

 

[yesrutgers01]

Buy the portion of the FarOut app that covers the NJ section of the AT. The app shows you details of every step, including resources and comments by recent hikers. There are shelters every 10 or so miles, with tent spaces. And many other tenting sites along the route. The benefits of tenting at/near a shelter: there's a water source, a privy, and often a "bear box" to store your food and scented items.

My old RU buds and I hiked the NJ AT a few years ago. It's a surprisingly pretty section of the AT, some 85 miles or so, as I recall.

As a group we've also hiked the AT in NY and CT. This October it'll be MA.

Dude- great advice and why these OT's are great on this board

 

[Knight Shift]

Buy the portion of the FarOut app that covers the NJ section of the AT. The app shows you details of every step, including resources and comments by recent hikers. There are shelters every 10 or so miles, with tent spaces. And many other tenting sites along the route. The benefits of tenting at/near a shelter: there's a water source, a privy, and often a "bear box" to store your food and scented items.

My old RU buds and I hiked the NJ AT a few years ago. It's a surprisingly pretty section of the AT, some 85 miles or so, as I recall.

As a group we've also hiked the AT in NY and CT. This October it'll be MA.

That did not take long, and as I read the OP, my first post was that YOU are the best one to answer the questions.

 

[RUinPinehurst]

That did not take long, and as I read the OP, my first post was that YOU are the best one to answer the questions.

Fyi.... One of my old RU roomies lives at Culver's Lake right near the AT. This past Sunday, he and a couple neighbors (members of the Culver's Lake Hiking Club) held a "Trail Magic" event at an AT trailhead near the gap. They provided burgers, dogs, chips, cookies, fresh fruit, drinks, etc. and hosted 50-some hikers. They had a blast and will do this again every summer.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

You can download google earth pro and then the files here.. https://guymott.com/atgps.html to get a plot of the AT on google maps along with comments on the shelters

 

[WhoRU?]

The Watergap is a tough part of the trail. Another section that I like is near Bear Mountain on the CT/Mass border (it's a bit more of a ride). Just north of the peak there is a nice shelter near a lake. If you want the peak, you can start in CT and go north. If you are looking for flat, it's not too bad in Mass. The sections in NY and CT are both nice and not too far.

 

[WhoRU?]

Fyi.... One of my old RU roomies lives at Culver's Lake right near the AT. This past Sunday, he and a couple neighbors (members of the Culver's Lake Hiking Club) held a "Trail Magic" event at an AT trailhead near the gap. They provided burgers, dogs, chips, cookies, fresh fruit, drinks, etc. and hosted 50-some hikers. They had a blast and will do this again every summer.

I've experienced trail magic in VT. Barbeque and ice cream. Completely unexpected and amazing!

 

[RUinPinehurst]

I've experienced trail magic in VT. Barbeque and ice cream. Completely unexpected and amazing!

I did some miles in VT this June. Met a "Trail Angel" around Clarendon Gorge by the name of "Spineless Cougar." He had quite an impressive setup that morning featuring blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, coffee, OJ, and a fully stocked resupply table with everything from freeze-dried meals to fuel canisters. Generous and thoughtful.

 

[WhoRU?]

I was in the same area (I had to look it up, it was a few years back)! The bridge over the gorge is very cool. We also hiked past a thru-hiker party near pico just before the long trail and AT split. I think they had been planning it for weeks. A large group of NoBos timed their off days to be there at the same time. It was pretty crazy.

 

[RUforester72]

Hikers of TKR,

I'm planning an overnight hiking trip with my 19 year old daughter, who is less a hiker than me but wants to try an overnight trip. I'm looking for camping locations along the Appalachian Trail, but see very few. I see one near Sunfish Pond at the DWG, a hike that I've done a few times and think my daughter can manage. Any other suggestions for campsites along the AT? Or, any other hiking trail in the State, for that matter? I'd like to keep the two-day hike at about 16 miles total and can manage either a loop or linear hike. A primitive site would be fine; we plan on sleeping in hammocks or on the ground. Thanks in advance.

Good for you Dad!

 

[RUinPinehurst]

Hikers of TKR,

I'm planning an overnight hiking trip with my 19 year old daughter, who is less a hiker than me but wants to try an overnight trip. I'm looking for camping locations along the Appalachian Trail, but see very few. I see one near Sunfish Pond at the DWG, a hike that I've done a few times and think my daughter can manage. Any other suggestions for campsites along the AT? Or, any other hiking trail in the State, for that matter? I'd like to keep the two-day hike at about 16 miles total and can manage either a loop or linear hike. A primitive site would be fine; we plan on sleeping in hammocks or on the ground. Thanks in advance.

One other important item: treat your pack, your outer layer of clothing (shirt, mid-layer, pants, socks), and shoes with Permethrin to keep NJ's ticks off you and your daughter. I also treat the inner-portion of my tent. And filter or chemically treat all water.

 

[newell138]

Fyi.... One of my old RU roomies lives at Culver's Lake right near the AT. This past Sunday, he and a couple neighbors (members of the Culver's Lake Hiking Club) held a "Trail Magic" event at an AT trailhead near the gap. They provided burgers, dogs, chips, cookies, fresh fruit, drinks, etc. and hosted 50-some hikers. They had a blast and will do this again every summer.

That’s very popular on the Pacific Crest trail. Trail angels feed people along the way

 

[Jumba72]

Hikers of TKR,

I'm planning an overnight hiking trip with my 19 year old daughter, who is less a hiker than me but wants to try an overnight trip. I'm looking for camping locations along the Appalachian Trail, but see very few. I see one near Sunfish Pond at the DWG, a hike that I've done a few times and think my daughter can manage. Any other suggestions for campsites along the AT? Or, any other hiking trail in the State, for that matter? I'd like to keep the two-day hike at about 16 miles total and can manage either a loop or linear hike. A primitive site would be fine; we plan on sleeping in hammocks or on the ground. Thanks in advance.