The road leading up to Harriman Camp

While I’m a backpacker by nature over the long Columbus Day Weekend me and my partner, Irish, took part in co-hosting a weekend event at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) newly acquired Harriman Outdoor Center (HOC) in Haverstraw, New York. The former youth camp built in the late 1920’s was recently leased out by the AMC and renovated in a spectacular fashion.

Storm King 2 Cabin

There are 8 beautiful cabins, ranging in capacity of 4 -16 people with bunk style rooms with common areas decked out with comfy futons, 12 new tent platforms as well 5 newly renovated lean-to’s with fire rings, outdoor grills and bear boxes. All this within walking distance to flush toilets, hot showers and dining hall which offers hot breakfasts, trail lunches and dinners (additional cost for food). And if all that weren’t enough the camp offers free canoe and kayaks to take out on 64 acre Breakneck Pond.

Kayak launch site along Breakneck Pond

This weekend our group was staying at the Storm King Lodge 2, a newly renovated rustic cabin with 4 rooms and a common area along with 2 small refrigerators and plenty of electric outlets to charge up the phones.  In back of the cabin is a fire ring and picnic table. Out front is a large covered pavilion with quite a few picnic tables and a large charcoal grill. Some of the people in our group had a cook out one night with food they brought from home, others opted for the meal plan available through the dining hall for an additional cost. And then there’s the other option – go to nearby Sloatsburg and eat at Rhodes North Tavern or one of the other local eateries, which is what Irish and I decided to do. If you have never been to Rhodes North Tavern near Harriman State Park you should check it out. The food is fresh and the service is always excellent!

Trail marker for the White Bar Trail

While the amenities are nice, even nicer is the fact that the HOC is a perfect base for exploring the hundreds of trails in the 46,000 – acre Harriman State Park. On Saturday our group took a hike starting from the Johnstontown Road parking area on the White Bar trail. We hiked along the rocky but fairly flat trail past the Dutch Doctor Shelter, where we stopped for a quick snack break before continuing on the yellow Triangle Trail and through the tunnel of Mountain Laurel which was not in bloom but still wonderful to walk through. Further along the trail a more deciduous forest began to show the change colors but definitely not at peak levels just yet. After a beautiful few hours of hiking through the trails we looped back to our car in the parking area and headed back to the HOC by late afternoon for a much need stretch session with our instructor Irish, right on the dock at Breakneck Pond. Then it was off to enjoy the hot showers before social hour and dinner. Truly a great day!

Irish taking us a through a great post hike stretch routine along Breakneck Pond

Sunday was a free day for all of us, there were no scheduled group activities which was great because Irish and I had a plan. In keeping with my half marathon training plan, I was scheduled to run a 10k race. Good thing about running…there’s always a race somewhere and Irish found ours in Fishkill! A great charity run for Multiple Sclerosis in a cemetery which was very SPOOKY…just in time for Halloween. So in the cold damp rain we drove country roads to get to Fishkill and our cemetery race. Irish signed up for the one mile fun walk and came in first! I signed up for the 10k and did not come in first!