Hit The Trail On The Only Backpacking Route That Starts At A Subway Stop In Manhattan

New York State has some of the most impressive trail systems in the eastern United States, including the 339-mile Erie Canalway, about 90 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and more than 2,000 miles of footpaths through the Adirondack Mountains. You could spend years summiting the Adirondacks' 46 peaks – and that's without even touching the trails around the Finger Lakes region and greater Buffalo area. Even an unknown spot like Letchworth State Park has 66 miles of trails and is known as the Grand Canyon of the East.

But one of the least-celebrated routes is also one of New York's most impressive, and it's literally called "The Long Path." This trail system extends over 400 miles through the Catskill Mountains, cutting a spectacular route through the state parks and small towns of this historic state. Yet the Long Path doesn't begin in some misty glen or remote macadam road. Incredibly, the Long Path starts in Manhattan — at the 175th Street subway station, to be precise.

One of the best parts of the Long Path is that you don't have to drive there, let alone leave your car in some remote parking lot. You can fly, bus, or take the train into New York City with camping gear in tow. Then you just hop on the subway to 175th Street, a well-trafficked stop in the Washington Heights neighborhood. (If you've never visited the Big Apple before, here's our guide to navigating the New York City subway system.) When you arrive, take the steps to street level, where you'll find the United Palace. This historic theater is one of the most famous in New York and has hosted the Tony Awards — not the place you'd normally begin a weeks-long backwoods adventure.

You start your route by marching across the George Washington Bridge, entering Fort Lee, New Jersey, and following the Hudson River north. As you make your way down the Shore Trail, North America's biggest city will peter out, making way for the boundless forests and foothills beyond. From there, you'll hike through a rich patchwork of parks, such as Rockland Lake State Park, the mountainous Harriman State Park, the 24,000-acre Minnewaska State Park Preserve, and the colossal Catskill Park, a 700,000-acre designated wilderness. You can enjoy any segment of the Long Path, thanks to innumerable access points and parking options along the way; but if you're looking for a serious challenge, consider that fewer than 300 outdoorspeople have walked the whole thing. 

New York has a dynamic landscape, and it's hard to even summarize what you'll find on the Long Path as you wind your way northward, following aquamarine trail markers as you go. This rugged track cuts through farmland, forest, valleys, cliffs, and towns. You'll have to climb more than 27,000 feet, with plenty of rocky cliffs and scenic lookout points. Campsites are often difficult to find, and many hikers have resorted to "wild camping," which comes with certain risks. But one of the best parts of the Long Path is its limitless opportunities to branch off and explore nearby parks and communities.

Each waypoint along the trail has its own outdoor attractions. For example, Catskill Park offers 120 miles of mountain biking trails, Rockland Park has a 25,000 square foot swimming pool, Stockbridge Mountain in Harriman State Park has the remains of a historic mine (a few miles off the trail), and Schunnemunk Park offers spectacular views of the still-operational Moodna Viaduct. One of the most scenic sections is John Boyd Thacher State Park, where you'll find the spectacular cliffs of Indian Ladder Trail and an Instagram-ready cascade called Mine Lot Falls.

Whether you hike the whole thing or try different sections with a car, you'll find the original northern terminus of the Long Path in the village of Altamont, New York, not far from Albany, the state capital. However, a "northern route" has extended the original 358-mile Long Path from Altamont all the way up to the town of Northville, on the shores of Great Sacandaga Lake. Here you'll touch the edge of the Adirondacks, where another world of adventure awaits. While you're up there, consider a stay in this small New York town.