New Jersey, New York

Leaving Delaware Water Gap the trail crosses the river on the I-80 bridge. Being separated from traffic moving at 70 mph by a waist high barrier was more than a little unsettling. Thankfully the trail quickly carries hikers back in to quiet woods on the other side.

The trail climbs steadily to Sunfish Pond a glacial pond high on a mountain. This was a welcome break as my body was not quite ready to get back to hiking.

Jersey initially was defined by wandering along a high ridge that was open or covered in scrubby vegetation offering easy hiking and great views into the interior of Jersey and the Deeware. There were also more swamps and ponds through this stretch.

Somewhere through here I passed the highest point in Jersey which is capped with a rather silly monument.

North of here I camped in the small town of Unionville which offers a place to stay for hikers. From here I hiked through the Wallkill NWR and many gorgeous swampy areas. I also got some water from a creepy abandoned house.

Somewhere on top of a big mountain the trail enters New York and changes dramatically. Instantly it is a scaling big rock features and requiring much more intense hiking. The stretch from here to the Hudson River was one of the tougher stretches of trail I have encountered.

However, it was one of the most pretty as well. As it enters Harriman State Park the woods open up with an understory of grass among big hardwood trees and boulders. It would remain like this until it dropped to the Hudson River, the lowest point in the trail.

At the Hudson is Fort Montgomery and the Bear Mountain bridge. Fort Montgomery was a major choke point on the Hudson and a key part of the Revolutionary War so exploring the fort was a great time.

The rest of New York was much more calm and involved rolling through a mix of terrain. It was also the "Deli Run" as the trail passed through or near several delis offering amazing food daily. Most hikers didn't cook or even carry much food through this area as we could almost always get a good meal on the trail. Areas like this are of course always a welcome break for hikers. New York would continue to be one of the prettiest sections of trail right up to the border.