Advice for NY section thru-hike in July

[HelloNeiman!]

Hey Blazers, been researching this for a while but can't find anything specific, would love advice. I'm headed to New York City for July 4th weekend and though it would be great to get there a week earlier and do a thru-hike of the 88 miles NY section first. It looks like I could fly in to NYC, take a bus from Penn Station in NYC to Greenwood Lake at the NJ/NY border, then hike straight to Pawling on the other side of the state. Pawling is on a train route back to NYC and stops there on the weekends or holidays, so if I end on July 4th, I'm thinking it could work out. Would love advice from anyone that visits this section regularly!

Has anyone done this trip before?
Any issues getting to Greenwood Lake from the city?
I'm an experienced hiker but noob to this trail, so does 4-5 days sound appropriate?

[rafe]

The section between the Thruway and NY 17A is a mini roller-coaster, it kicked my butt. Aside from that most of the NY section was pretty mellow, IMO.

[Feral Bill]

Should be a good trip. If it is hot, you might want to plan around a long mid-day break, hiking early and late.

[Sarcasm the elf]

If I recall, there is another train station that runs all week long a couple of miles up the road from the Pawling/appalachian trail station stop. So if you got there on a day when trains aren't stopping ar the A.T. Station, it shouldn't be too logistically difficult to get to NYC.

Also that section gets very hot and humid during the summer, i did it in late May a couple years back and temps were already in the 90's. Start hiking early each morning, take a long break mid day and hike into the evening. And make sure to bring a head net.

[Sarcasm the elf]

One more thing, the trail from Greenwood lake to Harriman park was deceiving tough. The topo-map made it look like an easy section, but there lots of short climbs hidden in between the contour lines and lots of granite and whalebacks. It wasn't killer, but my pace through the area was a good deal slower that I had anticipated.

[HelloNeiman!]

Wow, did not expect to hear temps that bad, but I guess that makes sense. I'll definitely look into the other train stop, thanks for the advice. Are water supplies sufficient on the trail in NY, since so hot?


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[Starchild]

You should have no water issues, and if you do you can obtain hydration by the multiple deli stops, yogi, and the like. It's a fun section.

[Leanthree]

Random thoughts:Short steep climbs south of the Hudson, some great views though for not being too high up. It isn't hard compared with parts of the trail that are actually hard, it is just hard compared with how it looks on the profile.

July will be hot and buggy so bring DEET and an extra water bottle but there are a couple very nice lakes to swim in which can break up the hot days. Ask hikers heading the opposite way about water at the shelters. While they have always had water when I have been there, they are listed as seasonal in the book.

The bus to greenwood lake leaves from Port Authority Bus Terminal, half a mile north of Penn Station.

Harriman and Sterling Forrest are amazing places, ~10% of the US population lives within a couple hour drive yet the views you get are heavily forested and there is wildlife from bears to wild turkey to snakes and more.