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Watch out for wild bears while hiking with friendly bears Gay Mens Hiking Group
Strap on your best outdoor walking boots and head for the great outdoors with the Gay Mens Hiking Group. This woodsy gang of dudes takes day trips using New Jersey rail and the Metro North to nearby mountains, forests and nature trails. Recent trips have included a historic jaunt along the Croton Aqueduct Trail from Yonkers to Tarrytown and a vigorous, challenging hike along the Appalachian Trail to Cat Rock and Nuclear Lake.
Upcoming events (1)
See all- Wilkinson Memorial Trail to Beacon NYCentral information booth at Grand Central Station, New York, NY
My favorite hike in the Hudson Highlands! We'll hike from the Breakneck Ridge train station to Beacon, NY. We're avoiding the Breakneck Ridge climb by hiking the Wilkinson Memorial trail north towards Beacon. There will be some great views of the Hudson River.
THIS IS A HARD HIKE and you should be ready for a INTENSE AEROBIC WORKOUT. It's about a 1000 foot climb in the first mile. There are no short cuts back to the train station, so you must be prepared to hike 9-10 miles of hilly terrain. If you are afraid of heights it will be challenging.
GUYS TAKING THE TRAIN: Buy a round trip to Beacon. We'll be catching the 8:50am Metro North-Hudson Line train out of Grand Central to Breakneck Ridge stop. Meet near the clock/info booth in Grand Central around 8:15am. Return trains in Beacon are at 3:09pm, 4:09pm and 5:09pm.
DRIVERS: This hike is not a loop. The hike starts near the Breakneck station at the Wilkinson Memorial/Sugarloaf Mountain trailhead https://goo.gl/maps/eB2kvEMxn3hMNk8u5 and ends in Beacon here: https://goo.gl/maps/H9mqeHuBSePbvccP9
Two options for drivers:
1. Park near the Breakneck station and at the end of the hike take the train one stop back to your car. Here's a Google map link for the parking lot at the start of the hike. https://goo.gl/maps/RvXt9Wc9VAWZE24R6 Parking is about a 1/4 mile south from the train stop, walk up to meet us at the Wilkinson Memorial trailhead around 10:20am.2. Do a car shuttle, meaning all the drivers meet in the morning and leave most of their cars at the end point in Beacon here: https://goo.gl/maps/H9mqeHuBSePbvccP9 then drive down together one car to meet us at 10:20am for start of the hike (links for start of hike parking). The hike will end where most of you left your cars. If you message me with your phone numbers I'll help you coordinate this.
GEAR & FOOD Bring plenty of water, at least 2 liters is recommended, and a hearty lunch as there are no stores near the trailhead. Wear sturdy hiking boots or trail runners. Trekking poles are handy too. It's a long day so bring layers and a rain jacket. Bring a headlamp if you have one, just in case it takes longer than expected.
ALLTRAILS: Here's a link to our planned route https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/wilkinson-memorial-trail-to-beacon-5e8a516 AllTrails is a great app and will help you navigate if you ever get separated from the group.
Bad weather cancels this trip.
Can't wait to see everybody!
Bill Wilson
212-675-7064
