Day hikes/trips from NYC without a car - Part I - Arden Point and Glenclyffe

I don't own a car. I don't know how to drive one. 

These constraints make me evaluate car-less hiking alternatives wherever I live. As my current stint in NYC comes to an end, I thought, this might be a good time to document the trips I made. 

This blog is the first in the series. 

So, why Arden point and Glenclyffe? 

• This is a good start for anyone who wishes to start exploring the region around NYC. 
• Easy trails - if you can walk, you can do this one.
• Reasonably well marked trails - A couple of areas are not very well marked but you would never get lost. 
• Less than a couple of hours by train from NYC

THE COMMUTE

1. Get to Penn Station in NYC

• From Jersey city / rest of New Jersey 
• Path takes you to 33rd street, from where Penn Station is a few minutes walk.
• NJ Transit takes you to Penn Station. 
• From NYC, you know how. Take any of the subways that leads you to Penn. 

Of course, if you have more dollars to spare, use Lyft or Uber to get to Penn. 

2. Take Metro North, Hudson Line (Green Line) from Penn to Garrison. 

• You can buy tickets at Penn station or
• Use the MTA eTix Mobile App (most convenient) or
• Buy ticket on the train with cash (more expensive than station and app). I haven't seen card machines with ticket collectors, so please ensure that you have sufficient cash and change, if you choose this option.

        I always use the MTA eTix app - It is very convenient. You can book the ticket whenever you want (I do it when I am on the way to Penn). Activate the ticket after boarding the train - DO NOT activate before boarding. Once you activate your ticket, there is no way to reverse the action and the ticket is valid for the time period of the journey. You have to present the app if demanded by the ticket collector, so ensure that you have enough battery before you activate. I have seen an example where someone's battery ran out and had to buy a new ticket from the collector.

3. Once you reach Garrison, walk to the trailhead 

• Facing the direction of the train (i.e. North), get to the right side platform. I have been dropped on the right platform on the 2 trips I made. 
• Once you are on the right platform, with the railroad behind you, walk towards the right on the road in front of you. It is not more than a 2-3 min walk. So if you have walked longer, you have missed it. 
• Look for this sign - this is the trailhead. The trail begins to the left of this sign board. 

THE HIKE

It is a fairly easy hike with some good views of the Hudson river. You could literally walk anywhere there is a trail and not get lost. Even if you go off the trail, it is very difficult to get lost. There are some key landmarks :

The first one is a bridge that takes you over the railroad. 

The next one is the river. 

Between these 2 landmarks, even if you get lost, you could find yourself !!

On my first trip, I tried completing the Glenclyffe loop, but could not complete as the trail was blocked with very dense vegetation after this lookout / dilapidated camping spot. I scrambled my way to a private property and then back to the main road that leads to the station.

This place is not that crowded - I have visited on weekends and have found just a few people. If you would like some solitude without straining yourself that much, Arden Point and Glenclyffe is a very good option. 

Up next : Breakneck Ridge.