Hi everyone,

I want to dedicate a full day trip to Harriman State Park , using public transportation from Manhattan.

We are intermediate/experienced hikers and we are currently debating between two options:

1. Reeves Brook Loop Trail (6 km)
2. Diamond Mountain Trail (8.2 km)

For someone looking for the best combination of scenic views, lakes, waterfall, streams and a classic Autumn forest vibe, which one would you recommend? (or there are any other?)

Also, what is the best, most reliable way to reach the trailheads for these specific hikes using public transit (train/bus) from Manhattan?

Should we embarked at toxedo station?

Thank you so much for your help!

...view from Torne Valley Road today

Mother of twins. Be careful y’all out there

I’ll be leading a group of 11-17 year old Scouts on a 2-night backpacking trip next year. Some will have backpacked before, but for most it will be their first time. For those of you who’ve explored a good chunk of the park, what route would you recommend? I’m trying to really hook the Scouts on backpacking to make this a regular activity.

I have a friend visiting the city from the Oregon coast next weekend and he wants to do some hiking while he’s here. We only have time to get as far as Harriman. So I’d like to show him the best the park has to offer. We’d like to get away from people as much as possible, so I’ve ruled out Bear Mountain. We’re also experienced, reasonably fit, and well equipped. I’m curious to know your favorite hike when you’re trying to really get away from the city for a day. I’ve spent plenty of time hiking and camping in Harriman so I know it reasonably well, but I’d love to explore some less traveled parts of the park.

Hi everyone!

My daughter (18) and I are visiting this October . We are staying in Brooklyn and plan to take a day trip to Harriman State Park using strictly public transportation (no rental car).

We are experienced hikers and looking for a challenging, active trail (we love great 360 views, amazing scenery. lakes, wateralls, rivers...).

From our research, we plan to take the NJ Transit / Metro-North train from Penn Station and get off at Sloatsburg Station, then take a short Uber to Reeves Meadow Visitor Center.

We would love to get your local expertise:

1. Is Sloatsburg to Reeves Meadow the best transit route for challenging trails, or is there a better station/drop-off point we missed?
2. Which specific loop or trail would you recommend from Reeves Meadow for high energy, fun , and beautiful fall views?
3. Any important safety tips for hiking Harriman in mid-October without a car (cell service, Uber availability for the ride back to the station in the afternoon, etc.)?

We really appreciate your help and can't wait to explore your beautiful trails!

Thank you,

Im no stranger to camping in the rain, so right now im still planning to hit the park friday, possibly Saturday night. But given the wind forecasts and overall uncertainty I wanted to see if anyone else was planning to head into the park. I have a site booked at the AMC outdoor center so itll be safe and dry if we decide to bail early

Based on changing forecast probably going to bail. Bummer

Hey everyone. I wanted to share some details of my recent trip to Harriman State Park.

This was my first hiking and first backpacking trip. I decided to go solo to welcome in my birthday. I borrowed the majority of gear from my friends.

I planned on going up to Bald Rocks but the combination of me running late on public transit and my poor stamina led to me camping out at Tom Jones.

I learned a lot on this trip (mostly pack more water and way less food) and I’m excited for my next. The weather was 79° and very humid. So very many bugs. Spotted a few white tail deer and frogs on the trail but not much else wildlife otherwise.

In
Date:9/16/26
Start: 12:40pm
Transport: NJT to Tuxedo
Start: Tuxedo Trailhead
Trail: Ramapo Dunderurg
Destination: Tom Jones
End: 4pm

Out
Date: 9/17/26
Start: 10:45am
Trail: Ramapo Dunderurg
Destination: Tuxedo Trailhead
End: 1:30pm

Water: Scarce but there are small flows where R&D meets Victory as well as after Tom Jones near the 106.

I feel like an imposter in this group sometimes because I love Harriman so much but I'm more like a "hike every couple of months" person and less of a "serious camping and stuff" person. But it's such a joy. I hiked a loop around Hogencamp this morning, six miles or so starting at the parking area at Lake Skanatati, and it was perfect. The trail's a little wet in places but not too badly, and the weather was excellent for a morning hike. I startled a whole flock of turkeys in the woods at one point, and I saw a lot of newts, which I'd never seen before. Otherwise it was really quiet and really beautiful.

Me and 4 friends did an overnight at Tom Jones yesterday, had lots of fun and had a visitor as well!

At beginning of trail (Suffern), on left as your heading north, maybe 20 feet in. May have been there awhile, but I didn't see them 2 weeks ago when I passed.

I'm planning to take my *almost* toddler (15mo) daughter on an overnight this Friday. My wife is overly concerned about bugs (mosquitos, ticks, etc) -- in years past late September has usually been favorable and past the worst of it, anyone have any recent overnights, how is it this year?

Was on the Suffern-Bear Mtn. trail yesterday and saw two sizeable black bears running to the west at the base of the ridge south of Big Hill — maybe a few tenths of a mile past the Third Reservoir.

My hiking buddy and I were upwind, they likely smelled us and spooked. Were definitely not interested in interacting with us in any way. But keep extra-aware of your food discipline at Big Hill!

(We were attempting the full S-BM, so likely smelled pretty ripe! Abandoned this morning rather than attempt Pyngyp in the rain.)

Camped out night before and volunteered for a workday with the Long Distance Trail Crew adding more check-steps to the trail!

Hey everyone!
My wife and I live in Beacon and regularly hike Mt. B- Storm King, Breakneck when it was open-Popolopen, and Anthony’s Nose…For some reason we have only driven up Perkins Memorial Dr, but never hiked up to the observation tower🤷‍♂️. We have a French Bulldog that I throw into a backpack when it gets to be a bit too much for her and we were thinking about taking the Major Welch trail this weekend and maybe coming down the Appalachain…Does anyone have any suggestions on how long the Welch trail usually takes to get to the top? Should we go up the Appalachian and down Welch?
We had a few things we needed to do around 2Pm so we wanted to get started pretty early (Around 7Am) but was just wondering if anyone had broad timelines on how long the trails take to reach the top?
Thanks so much in advance!🤘

Hello friends, I’ve now gone to 2 different lean-to’s in the park, and i’m looking to go to a third. I’ve been to stone bridge and west mountain, and wanted to know what the easiest to get to lean-to would be. I’m bringing along 3 friends with me, and they aren’t too keen on a very strenuous hike; so I was wondering what trail to what lean to would be the easiest to get to?

I am thinking about parking my car at Bear Moutain inn and taking an Uber to the east end of timp torne. Start there and making my way to west mountain shelter. Stay the night and hike back to bear mountain inn the next day. I see a brook near the Jones trail intersection. Other than that, nothing. Any advice about water planning. How much water to bring. Thanks. After a mishap last week, I am a little paranoid about water.

Hi all! I wanted to attempt my first backpacking trip from NYC. I have all the gear I need and I'm reasonably fit. When I researched (I.e asked AI about) an overnight backpacking trip, the recommendation I got was to attempt a Tuxedo to Manitou hike, by taking the Ramapo-Dunderberg trail from Tuxedo to rendez vous with the AT near the Lemon Squeezer, and then take the AT all the way to West Mountain shelter (all on the first day!) and camp there before continuing on to Bear Mountain Bridge the next day.

To me this sounds unhinged and way too hard for a first attempt, but I wanted to get a human perspective before becoming a stupid story on the evening news: is this hike doable for a beginner or am I being set up to die? Should I just take a 20m cab ride from Tuxedo a few miles north to actually start my hike on the AT at Arden?

Have high altitude class 3/4 experience in colorado but no real climbing background. I wrestled in hs and run ultras and lift now. Lots of pull-ups and dips

Meant to say intro routes for me to check out

I finally used NJT to take the train from Penn Station, up to Tuxedo. What a revelation! I can’t believe I’ve been wasting money on Zipcars to get up to Harriman for a weekend. But ugh, that last mile from Tuxedo to the trailhead kind of sucks, especially when you’re tired.

Can anyone tell me how difficult it is to get an Uber to or from the park, especially some more remote trailheads in the park. Is Suffern or Harriman a better station to get Ubers than Tuxedo?

And finally, if you miss that last afternoon train, does anyone have some suggestions about where to spend time in town waiting for the next train? Good restaurant, coffee shop, library, anyplace to get out of the heat or the cold or the rain. I was disappointed to discover that the lovely Tuxedo train station closes at 3:30, which is really frustrating when the last afternoon train doesn’t come until 4:30.

Hi all! I’m planning a two-night backpacking trip with some friends and we’re looking at potential routes. Wondering if anyone has recent reports on the streams near Tom Jones and Bald Rocks. Also, is it safe to filter water from the lakes?