Harriman State Park

[polskikrol]

Does anyone know if the park rangers care if you are hiking in Harriman State Park after night fall? Thinking of possibly going after work one day on a loop hike and may return back an hour or two after dark.

 

Would anyone be interested in accompanying? Planning on hitting up some of the new caches in the South East part of the park and a few older ones South West.

[+MountainRacer]

Depends on where you are. There are AT shelters, so they definitely allow overnighting there. The site says that "hours vary according to area", and advises you to give the Palisades Interstate Park Commission a ring at (845) 786-2701 for current info.

[+briansnat]

Its not like Pyramid Mtn where a cop will sit in the parking lot next to your car waiting for you to emergei from the woods to give you a ticket, but I think you might get ticketed for overnight parking in certain lots.

 

I don't think the act of being on the trails after dark is illegal however and if it is it generally isn't enforced.

[+Walkin' Ed]

While hiking in the park after dark isn't illegal, you have to be careful where you park. Some areas have been subject to vandalism. The parking on County Route 106 where the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail crosses has seen a lot of cases of flattened tires. The Elk Pen parking area near Rte 17 has had some cars broken into while parked overnight. I've hiked and backpacked in Harriman for a long time and have never had any problems leaving a car parked in any of the designated parking areas. But remember it is illegal to park along Park roads.

 

The new caches in the SE part of the park are best accessed from Kakiak Park which is a County Park, open from dawn to dusk only. I'd suggest parking ot Sebago Boat Launch area or the Pine Meadow Visitor's Center.