Spring Hike out of Tuxedo [~12 miles, Train Access]

Kick off the hiking season with a classic loop covering a few lookout points and passing a couple of lakes.

Message Andre with any questions about this event.

Please take the group's 2026 member survey. (Especially if you didn't hike with us last year.)

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What to Expect on a Hike:

• We plan to stay together as a group, but this is a social event for hikers and not a guided hike. Everyone needs to be a self-sufficient hiker with adequate skills and equipment.
• If you are not comfortable hiking self-sufficiently or are not experienced enough to judge the skill and physical requirements in the route description, check out the Appalachian Mountain Club’s hikes or one of the many professional guides operating in the area.

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Typical day-hiking gear list:

• Hiking footwear (boots or trail shoes), non-cotton clothing, sunscreen, bug spray, sunhat, sunglasses. (Permethrin insecticide treatment against ticks is great.)
• Rain gear and an extra warm layer.
• Lunch and snacks. 2 liters/ 2 quarts of water minimum, 3 liters for a hot day. Electrolytes on hot days.
• GPS app with offline maps: Avenza Maps App is free, and there is a free Harriman map in the in-app store. Mapy App has basic offline trail maps that are adequate. CalTopo ($20/yr) is an excellent GPS program. (AllTrails and GaiaGPS are pricey but also great.)
• Map & Compass: NYNJTC Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails or National Geographic Harriman, both available locally at REI.

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Route Info: About 12 miles with about 1.5k' elevation gain at an average pace of about 2 mph. (Moving pace will be faster.)

• GPS: Black Ash-Skemonto-Claudius Loop
• Navigation and Route Finding: Blazed trails
• Terrain Type: Hiking trails that may be rough and steep (Class 2)
• Contingency Planning: Shorter routes and bailout points are available. Cell coverage can be spotty, but there's generally coverage.

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Meeting Location & Logistics:

• Meeting Time: 10:40 am
• Meeting Location: Meet at the Tuxedo commuter parking lot off East Village Road (Google Maps). (Use the address 2 Powerhouse Ln, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987.)
• Public Transit: Take the 9:14 am NJ Transit train from Penn Station to Tuxedo Station, arriving at 10:29 am. The station is just around the corner from the parking lot where we are meeting. Return on the 6:44 pm train. Or the 4:20 train, or one of the hourly trains from Suffern via Uber. (Catching the 4:20 train might require cutting the hike short.)
• Car Pooling: Please use the comment section to organize carpooling, especially if you are driving from the city. Passengers should chip in for gas and tolls.

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General FAQs:

• Regular members in good standing can always skip the waitlist.
• No dogs allowed.
• No guests beyond the RSVP guest limit, and no one under 18 is allowed.
• Hikes are generally rescheduled for thunderstorms, heat index >95f, or AQI >80.

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