Monastery & Meditation Hike
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New York, located in the northeastern U.S., is mostly dominated by mountain ranges within the Appalachian Mountains. Popular areas for hiking in New York include Adirondack State Park and the Catskill Mountains. The 2,184-mile-long Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, passes through eastern New York.
New York, located in the northeastern U.S., is mostly dominated by mountain ranges within the Appalachian Mountains. Popular areas for hiking in New York include Adirondack State Park and the Catskill Mountains. The 2,184-mile-long Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, passes through eastern New York.
Check out BACKPACKER Contributors and Editors's author page.
MacIntyre Range, New York
The Peekamoose Blue Hole sometimes sees 1,000 visitors per day. Are more regulations necessary?
Frontier Town, a 288-acre amusement park closed since 1998, could be transformed into a classic Adirondack camp.
Slide Mountain Wilderness, New York
Says 35-year-old hiker, "In one picture, he looked like he was actually smiling at me."
Cowee Forest, an important wildlife habitat, spans corners of New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts.
Thanks to expanding bike routes and 600 Citi Bike locations, there are more than 450,000 daily bike trips in the city—up from 170,000 in 2005.
From tents to lanterns, firewood to personal guides, the State of New York gave 40 new campers an outdoor adventure to remember.
Officials found the 48-year-old man's body at the bottom of a cliff.
The annual ParkScore rankings consider park acreage, facility quality, and access.
Project will cover about 2,000 miles of North Jersey hiking trails.
Searchers recovered the man, who had been missing since May, at Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Environmental improvement projects are paying off, bringing long-absent species back to cleaner waters.
Twelve trail projects will receive funding through Gov. Cuomo's NY Parks 2020 Plan.
Escape America's biggest city for the trail with a little help from this AMC program manager and hiking expert.
Environmental groups urge city council to rid the city of hard-to-recycle, single-use polystyrene foam.
NYC's 19th-century water system now offers easy-access trails and historic sites.
Get a tour of the best that the Adirondacks have to offer in this upstate destination.
Amble past amber maples on Kittatinny Ridge as golden eagles and hawks soar overhead on this overnight loop. BY KATRINA ROSSOS
The reward for portaging so many times? The best fall foliage show the Northeast has to offer. Get it all on the Seven Carries route in the St. Regis Canoe Area. BY RYAN WICHELNS
St. Regis Canoe Area, Northern Adirondacks, New York
From day hikes to weekend trips, here's how to conquer all 46 famed Adirondack peaks.
Like your favorite neighborhood watering hole, you can count on New York City's best local hikes to deliver exactly what you need, where you need it.
This two day hiking adventure around Pharaoh Lake will awaken your senses and revive your spirit.
Explore a pristine wilderness of soaring peaks and quiet valleys just three hours from New York City.
This 12.2-mile loop rambles through some of the wildest hardwood forest in the northeast and climbs three rugged peaks taller than 3,500 feet in Catskill Forest Preserve.
This hilly 6.8-mile circuit visits the best vistas in southern Harriman State Park, including views of the NYC skyline, after a fine start along one of the area's prettiest streams.
This 14-mile shuttle hike winds tranquil wooded slopes to five peaks over 3,400 feet in a remote section of the Catskills. Off-trail experience and navigation skills required.
Escape the crowds on the Catskill High Peaks with this 5.6-mile bushwhack to the range's highest trail-less summit. Compass skills required; hiking poles recommended.
Visit a lesser-known treasure of Harriman State Park on this 5.7-mile jaunt, which contours through hilly hardwood forest and along cascading creeks to a few peaceful ponds.
This 9.8-mile out-and-back day hike or overnight explores a lesser-known corner of Slide Mountain Wilderness while summiting two rugged peaks taller than 3,800 feet.
Enjoy views north and south along Kittatiny Mountain on this vigorous 10-mile loop.
There are no car horns blowing on this pleasant 5-mile loop--just the therapeutic hum of mountain streams and a peaceful lake in the woods.
This strenuous 11.5-mile loop hops three peaks to outstanding views in the Tongue Mountain Range, then returns along the gorgeous shoreline of Northwest Bay.
You won't find sections of this 8.2-mile hike on any trail map. That's because, until recently, these two 3,500-foot mountains in the Catskill Mountains sat on private land.
This 25-mile hike climbs six significant peaks in the northern Catskills, accumulating about 8,000 feet each of elevation gain and loss in steep, rocky terrain. This country looks and feel wild, and the views from its many lookouts easily rival those from the more-crowded high peaks.
Bag the best views withing 50 miles of Manhattan on this 6.5-mile loop along open ridges and bucolic forest trails in Harriman State Park.
Climb two peaks, then return through an abandoned village on this historic 6.2-mile loop in Bear Mountain State Park.
See centuries-old endangered trees in one of the Eastern seaboard's last remaining maritime forests on this 6.2-mile out-and-back across a diverse barrier island.
Avoid hiking crowds by paddling to a secret trailhead, where you'll also admire old Adirondack camps on this 8.6-mile paddle-hike combo in Adirondack Park.
Test your legs and vertigo tolerance on this rugged, 11.8-mile out-and-back to a pinnacle of steep, weathered rock in Adirondack Park.
This 9.6-mile out-and-back has quad-bustingly steep inclines and hairy downhills, but features long, magnificent views from Sugarloaf Mountain.
Hike, ski, or bike a hidden pocket of sylvan wilderness just an hour from Manhattan.
Solitude. Fresh air. Big views. It all unfolds on this vigorous 5-miler along a lively mountain stream to the highest point in Hudson Highlands State Park.
Hike 9.2 miles to a picturesque peak loved by Hudson Valley painters like Thomas Cole. This lasso loop passes two plane wrecks and provides unmatched views of the Catskills.
This 12-mile loop in Slide Mountain Wilderness connects popular trails with a rough route to secluded campsites and trail-less peaks near the headwaters of the Neversink River.
Delve into the rugged folds of New York's MacIntyre Mountains on this gentle 4.4-mile out-and-back.
Enjoy soaring views from open ridges on this easy-access overnight.
Climb miles up to viewpoints over the cool waters of the Housatonic River and Lake Zoar on this 3.8-mile loop through Kettletown State Park.
Hike a section of America's first National Scenic Trail on this 23.2-mile, 3-day loop around Lake Tiorati in Harriman State Park.
Don't let the 2,000-foot gain on this 5-mile out-and-back in the Soda Range stop you the long, crowd-free summit views are well worth the effort.
This 5.8-miler loops in-and-around secluded islands of rare trees, diverse bird sanctuaries, and tranquil butterfly gardens in Hammonasset Beach State Park.
This easy 4.6-mile loop serves up large tracts of hardwoods, a side of granite ledges, and the continuous pour of a lively brook.
Enjoy 4-star views on this challenging 4.2-mile loop near Canandaigua Lake--an advanced route down a steep gorge with several waterfalls.
Nestled deep along Genesee Falls, this 6.5-mile reverse-lasso loop overlooks New York's "Grand Canyon" in Letchworth State Park.
On this 13.2-mile out-and-back, you'll get a StairMaster-type workout as you explore the ridges, ravines and overlooks of Fahnestock State Park.
Take a walk on the wild southern side of a classic Adirondack mountain with views of Lake Placid and Mt. Marcy on this 4.4-mile out-and-back.
Climb to some of the best views in the Catskills on this 11.7-mile high-peaks trek. Overnight camping permitted.
This challenging 7.2-mile scramble up rocky West Kill Mountain rewards hikers with stellar views of the Catskills and a waterfall lunch site.
Bring binoculars on this 7.3-mile paddling tour of Long Island Sound, and take time to check out the shorebirds and a historic island lighthouse.
Tag New York's high point on this 14.2-miler into a mix of forest and broken rock, with jaw-dropping vantages of the High Peaks and Green Mountains.
Deep within Manhattan's famed 843-acre greenspace, this 4.1-mile escape offers a quick break from the daily grind.
A nearly 2,000-foot climb leads through verdant forest to a rocky Adirondack summit on this 4.4-mile out-and-back in the High Peaks region.
Take in Olympic history, a marsh, and views of Saranac Lakes on the 3.7 miles to this weathered High Peaks summit.
Explore the ponds, boulders, and marshes of a wooded nature preserve on this 6-mile hike in Westchester County.
Summit a Catskills favorite, Slide Mountain, on this 6.7-mile loop with views of the Shawangunks and Taconics.
Relive summer camp on a hike full of mini-habitats, historic relics, and hilltop views.
Test your limits on this New York backcountry challenge.
Traverse steep ridges and swampland north of the Big Apple.
A moderate 1.5-mile loop outside Ithaca, this Finger Lake waterfall trek ambles past swimming holes, sedimentary rock, and sunbathers.
Find a sparkling waterfall at the end of Shawangunk Ridge.
End your day with a splash in Adirondack Park.
See a different side of North Jersey from the Grand Tour Trail.
Gaining 1,500 feet in 2.5 miles, this Adirondack summit push rewards with expansive views out to neighboring High Peaks and beyond.
Weave between hardwoods and farmlands on this quick, 5-mile leg of the Finger Lakes Trail.
Knock off two neighboring Adirondack summits (and a bit of easy scrambling) on this challenging 6.3-mile loop that rewards with far-reaching High Peaks overlooks.
Opt for this lesser-hiked Adirondack summit southeast of Lake Placid and you'll be rewarded with expansive High Peaks views and a bit of easy rock scrambling.
A mild Catskills out-and-back, this 6.3-miler on the Long Path climbs gentle grades through light spruce forest to Windham High Peak and views south of the Blackhead Mountains.
This 17.3-mile Adirondack adventure leads to the 4,000-foot summits of Macomb Mountain, Hough Peak, and The Dixes.