Appalachian Trail, NY - Graymoor to Canopus Hill

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Appalachian Trail New York - Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Graymoor: The Holy Mountain - Franciscan Friars of the Atonement

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.346837, -73.922885

Parking here has always been confusing.  The New York New Jersey Trail Conference map shows parking but in actuality there is no indication at all that it is a place to park.  I emailed Graymoor and they very kindly replied with specific directions on where hikers should park which I have passed on to the Trail Conference.

We ask that hikers leaving their car park in our gas pump lot as certain sections of the property gets locked at dusk.  You can access this lot by entering from route 9, driving up the hill past St. Christopher’s Inn and as you head towards the farm make a right into this small (8 spot) parking lot.  Please park across away from the gas tanks.  This lot is not locked. 

This map shows the difference between parking on the map and where Graymoor would like hikers to park.  You walk the road leading to the blue trail to access the Appalachian Trail.

TRAIL MAP: 

East Hudson Trails Maps 101 and 103 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE: 9.3 miles out and back

THE HIKE: 

This hike took a bit longer than planned.  The last 2.5 miles were slow going, not because of trail conditions, rather a hiker I encountered who was having cardiac problems.  He felt an irregular heartbeat and his energy level had plummeted. He had previously thru-hiked the entire AT and he was now hiking a 100-mile section of the AT with three friends from out of state but they were all spread out far ahead of him going at their own pace.  He had called for a shuttle driver to take him to his car parked in the Delaware Water Gap but had 3 miles to hike to get to the pickup place.  He told me I should go on but I could not do that so I stayed with him while we slowly hiked the 2.5 miles to the AT crossing at the road at Graymoor where I had him sit and wait while I hurried ahead to get my car then I picked him up and drove him to the shuttle meeting place.

From the parking lot turn right on St. Joseph Way heading towards ...

... San Damiano Farm.

Some ruins on the left then ...

... the ballfield on the right where thru-hikers can camp overnight.

Then the blue blazes start leading to the Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian Trail crosses over just before the red building.  I turned right heading north on the AT.

It had snowed the day before so the first part of this hike was pretty slippery.  The snow was all gone by the end of the hike.

Taking the blue side trail out to an overlook.

This is the overgrown Hudson River overlook in the winter.  There would be nothing to see at all with leaves on the trees.

Heading back to the AT.

At the next overlook.

A mourning dove enjoying the view.

Crossing Old Albany Post Road.

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Downy Woodpecker

There were lots of tiny golden-crowned and ruby-crowned kinglets flying every which way but they are fast and very hard to capture.  I came away with a ton of pictures of tree branches.

Climbing up Canopus Hill to meet up with where I left off in June 2012.

The view from Canopus Hill.

Heading back.

The backside of a tufted titmouse.

Around here is where I met up with the section hiker who wasn't well.  I had encountered him earlier when I was heading to Canopus Hill and we spoke briefly so I knew when I ran into him again sitting on the side of the trail something was amiss.

While the hiker was taking a break, I went up this blue-blazed side trail that I had missed on the way out.

There is a grand entrance to ...

No doubt this is something the friars at Graymoor put together for hikers.  Very nice!

The best view was from up here.

Back to the AT.

To make the last part of the hike easier, we turned right on the dirt road up ahead ...

... then left into Graymoor.

The hiker waited at the red building while I hurried to get my car. 

I would be driving out to get him the way I was hiking in to get to the parking lot.

Picked up the hiker, drove him to the meeting spot within minutes of the arrival of his shuttle driver and off they went.  The shuttle driver was prepared to get him medical attention if needed.  Leave no hiker behind, right?

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