Our second hike doesn’t have many photos, but that’s ok, because it was meh.
Less than a week after Beacon, we went up to Garrion to climb Sugarloaf Hill. It looked like a nice, moderate hike–something to do while we were recovering from Breakneck.
Unfortunately, we hit problems right away. Despite having the latest NYNJTC maps, the white blazes we were following that were supposed to take us to the trailhead led us to a dead-end. With some quick thinking (largely on Tom’s part) we were able to find the trail, but it was frustrating. If you’re thinking of doing this hike via train, don’t. It’s really only made for drivers.
The actual hike was pleasant and through some beautiful woods. We went up Sugarloaf, took in the view, and then decided to try and hit the blue blazed trails near by, connect with the AT, and then loop back around. Unfortunately we missed the turn on the blue blaze and ended up getting a bit lost, though we did eventually find the AT and get back to the train.
The hike was beautiful, but save for the steep climb up Sugarloaf, not much more than a walk in the woods. If that’s what you’re looking for this is the perfect trail for you. However, we’re trying to become badass mountain climbers and this was a cakewalk even for me (the worst mountain climber).
On a finale note, Garrison, NY is a town without food. Unless you want to go to a fancy country club all sweaty and hike-stinky, there’s nothing we could find on foot. We were starving hungry and there wasn’t even a gas station to get some chips at. Pack extra food if you go, or just avoid altogether.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Tom and Zoe,
I disagree that this trail is inaccessible from the train.
if you take the Metro-North to Garrison, take the trail south that literally starts at the south end of the train station. I think it’s called Marcia’s Mile. Take it south along the train tracks. You eventually hit a bridge. If you take the bridge, you will be on a little island called, or at least containing, Arden Point. Quaint, but not a whole lot to see. So, go past the bridge and continue on the white-blazed Marcia’s Mile. You end up walking past a huge estate, then you walk across a grassy area toward 9D. Cross 9D and go maybe 100 feet south and go up the road there. At the top of the road (with access to ominous Castle Rock), bear right and go a few feet up that road until you hit the trail sign. Climb up a grassy ascent to a gazebo at the edge of the woods. To the right (south) is the red trail toward Sugarloaf Hill. If you hit a large gazebo near a fence, you’ve gone too far and you are now on the blue trail. Follow the red up to Sugarloaf Hill. After backtracking down from Sugarloaf, you can take blue trail east (past the fenced gazebo), and connect with the AT. Make sure to not veer off onto the yellow blazed carriage connector. Take the AT down about a mile until you hit the yellow blazed Curry Pond trail. It gets a bit damp around here, so make sure you have boots. Take the yellow to the blue. The blue will eventually bring you back to the intersection of the red (up Sugarloaf), the blue (that you previously took east) and the red to the north. Take the red north, backtracking the way you came up. Back to the small wood gazebo, down the grassy hill, across the road and lawn, past the pond on Marcia’s Mile, past the big house, past the bridge, and you’re back at the Metro-North station.
That is essentially the path we ended up taking, except that we found that the trail ended right about when we hit the estate (despite the map showing otherwise). It’s very possible we missed some markers, but it was definitely the most confusing way to a trail from the train we experienced. In my opinion, Breakneck and Anthony’s Nose are much more train accessible.
But thanks for the comment and the detailed steps. We’ll definitely use them if we ever go to Sugarloaf again.