Top Backpacking Trails in New York
19 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
Most of New York’s trips on this site are in the Adirondack Park: the High Peaks around Lake Colden, Johns Brook Valley, Indian Pass, and the Great Range, plus longer, gentler routes like three Northville-Placid Trail sections, the Cranberry Lake 50, the Pharaoh Lake loop, and Siamese Ponds. Farther south, the Catskills have steep ridge trips such as the Devil’s Path, the Escarpment Trail, and the Burroughs Range. Near New York City, Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks carry the Appalachian Trail and the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail, and the Finger Lakes and Fire Island each have one trip.
Expect rocky, rooty, often wet trail, with mud, beaver flooding, and stream crossings that can rise fast after rain. On state land, most camping is first come, first served at lean-tos and designated sites, or at-large away from trails and water, with elevation limits in both mountain ranges. The Eastern High Peaks require bear canisters from April 1 to November 30, and Fire Island needs a Recreation.gov permit.
Seasons vary by region. Catskill camping above 3,500 feet is allowed only in winter, and the National Park Service suggests late fall through early spring on Fire Island to avoid ticks and mosquitoes. Adirondack firearms deer season runs from late October into December. As of mid-October 2026, DEC lists the Calamity Brook high-water bridge and the Ouluska Brook bridge on the Northville-Placid Trail as out, and the Avalanche Lake designated campsites as closed.
Quick picks
- Longest trip: Cranberry Lake 50
- High Peaks ridge traverse: Great Range Traverse
- Easier lake overnight: Pharaoh Lake Loop
- Beach camping: Fire Island Wilderness (Watch Hill to Smith Point)
- Train-accessible trip: Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (Tuxedo to Jones Point)
Adirondacks
- Cranberry Lake 50 Five Ponds Wilderness and Cranberry Lake Wild Forest, Adirondack Park (Cranberry Lake and Wanakena) 50 miles Moderate Lean-tos and designated primitive sites; first come, first served
- Northville-Placid Trail: Benson to Piseco Silver Lake Wilderness and Jessup River Wild Forest, Adirondack Park (Benson Road to Piseco) 30.7 miles Moderate Lean-tos and undeveloped sites on state land; first come, first served
- Northville-Placid Trail: Long Lake to Lake Placid High Peaks Wilderness, Adirondack Park (Long Lake to Averyville Road, Lake Placid) 38 miles Hard Lean-tos and designated tent sites; first come, first served
- Northville-Placid Trail: Piseco to Lake Durant West Canada Lake Wilderness, Moose River Plains, and Blue Ridge Wilderness, Adirondack Park (Piseco to Lake Durant) 43.4 miles Hard Lean-tos, primitive sites, and a state campground at the north end; first come, first served on the trail
- Pharaoh Lake Loop Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, Adirondack Park (Pharaoh Lake Road trailhead, near Schroon Lake) 12.6 miles Moderate Lean-tos and designated tent sites; first come, first served
- Siamese Ponds via the East Branch Sacandaga Siamese Ponds Wilderness, Adirondack Park (Eleventh Mountain trailhead, Route 8, near Bakers Mills) 12 miles Moderate Sacandaga Lean-to plus designated sites near the river and at Lower Siamese Pond; first come, first served
Catskills
- Burroughs Range: Slide, Cornell, and Wittenberg Slide Mountain Wilderness, Catskill Forest Preserve (Ulster County) 10.5 miles Hard Designated primitive campsites in the Slide-Cornell col; at-large camping below 3,500 feet; Terrace Mountain lean-to
- Devil's Path (Prediger Road to Spruceton Road) Indian Head Wilderness and Hunter-West Kill Wilderness, Catskill Forest Preserve (Greene County) 25.2 miles Hard First-come lean-tos and designated tent sites, plus at-large camping below 3,500 feet
- Escarpment Trail (East Windham to North-South Lake) Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness, Elm Ridge Wild Forest, and Kaaterskill Wild Forest, Catskill Forest Preserve (Greene County) 23.9 miles Hard Two first-come lean-tos with tent sites, plus at-large camping below 3,500 feet
- Peekamoose-Table Trail (Long Path: Peekamoose Road to Denning Road) Sundown Wild Forest and Slide Mountain Wilderness, Catskill Forest Preserve 8.8 miles Hard Bouton Memorial lean-to; designated campsites near both ends; at-large camping below 3,500 feet
Finger Lakes
High Peaks
- Great Range Traverse High Peaks Wilderness, Adirondack Park (Roostercomb trailhead to the Garden, Keene Valley) 23 miles Hard Designated sites and lean-tos only (Sno-bird, Slant Rock, Bushnell Falls, Johns Brook Valley); first come, first served
- Indian Pass Through-Hike (Adirondak Loj to Upper Works) High Peaks Wilderness, Adirondack Park (Adirondak Loj, Lake Placid, to Upper Works, Newcomb) 9.5 miles Hard Lean-tos and established sites along the trail; first come, first served
- Johns Brook Valley to Mount Marcy High Peaks Wilderness, Adirondack Park (the Garden trailhead, Keene Valley) 18 miles Hard Lean-tos and designated sites in Johns Brook Valley; first come, first served
- Lake Colden via Marcy Dam and Avalanche Pass High Peaks Wilderness, Adirondack Park (Adirondak Loj trailhead, Lake Placid) 12 miles Hard Lean-tos and designated campsites at Marcy Dam and Lake Colden; first come, first served
Hudson Valley
- Appalachian Trail: Bear Mountain Bridge to Dover Oak Appalachian National Scenic Trail through Hudson Highlands, Fahnestock State Park, and Dutchess County 42.7 miles Moderate Shelters and designated campsites only; first come except where noted
- Appalachian Trail: Lake Tiorati to Bear Mountain (Harriman) Appalachian National Scenic Trail through Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks 14.6 miles Moderate Stone trail shelters only; first come, first served; tent within 300 feet if full
- Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (Tuxedo to Jones Point) Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks 22.2 miles Hard Stone trail shelters only; first come, first served; tent within 300 feet if full
Long Island
Backpacking in New York: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in New York?
Usually not on Forest Preserve and state forest land, but DEC requires a Forest Ranger permit for groups of 10 or more or for stays longer than three nights in one place, and the High Peaks Wilderness limits overnight groups to 8 with no oversized-group permits. Some places add their own rules: Fire Island's wilderness needs a Recreation.gov permit with a three-night limit, the Peekamoose Valley in the Catskills needs a permit from May 15 to September 15, and Danby State Forest's designated Finger Lakes Trail sites need a ranger permit from September 1 to January 1. Rules vary by managing agency, so check with DEC, State Parks, or the National Park Service before you go.
Can you camp anywhere on state land in New York?
On DEC land you can camp at sites marked "Camp Here" or at least 150 feet from any road, trail, or water, and lean-tos are first come, first served and must be shared. DEC bans camping above 4,000 feet in the Adirondacks (its High Peaks page says no camping above 3,500 feet except at lean-tos) and above 3,500 feet in the Catskills except from December 21 to March 21. Campfires are banned in the Eastern High Peaks and allowed elsewhere only in existing fire pits with dead and down wood, while Fire Island bans open fires and Harriman allows them only in shelter fireplaces. In Harriman, State Parks says shelters are first come, first served, with camping allowed 300 feet from a shelter if it's occupied.
Do you need a bear canister in New York?
In the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness, yes: DEC requires overnight campers to use a rigid, commercially made bear-resistant canister from April 1 through November 30, and bags and food hangs don't qualify. Elsewhere in the Adirondacks and in the Catskills, canisters are recommended but not required, and DEC's Catskill page says hanging food at least 15 feet off the ground also works. DEC advises against clear plastic canisters, which bears have repeatedly defeated in the High Peaks.
When is the best time to backpack in New York?
It depends on the region. In the mountains, one guide notes snow can linger into late May in Indian Pass, and DEC warns that stream crossings rise fast after heavy rain and that seasonal access roads close for winter and mud season. The National Park Service recommends late fall through early spring for Fire Island to avoid ticks and mosquitoes, but drinking water at Watch Hill is shut off on the last Thursday in October. Check DEC's backcountry pages for current conditions before any trip.
Is it safe to backpack in New York during hunting season?
Hunting overlaps fall backpacking on most state land. DEC's 2026 dates put the Northern Zone (which includes the Adirondacks) regular firearms deer season at October 24 to December 6, and Southern Zone early bowhunting at October 1 to November 20. In Harriman State Park, deer hunting is by permit, on weekdays only, in designated zones, and Danby State Forest is open to hunting. Wear bright orange in the fall and check DEC's hunting seasons page for dates in the area you plan to visit.
Can you bring a dog backpacking in New York?
On many trips, yes. DEC's state land rules ask you to keep a dog under control and leashed when others approach, and in the Eastern High Peaks dogs must be leashed at all times, while the Adirondack Mountain Reserve near Keene Valley doesn't allow dogs at all. On Fire Island, dogs are banned from the wilderness from March 15 through Labor Day and must be on a 6-foot leash the rest of the year. Rules vary by managing agency, so check before you bring a dog.
Where this comes from
- NYSDEC: Backcountry information for the Adirondack Park
- NYSDEC: Catskill backcountry information
- NYSDEC: State land camping rules
- NYSDEC: High Peaks Wilderness Complex
- NYSDEC: How and when to use a bear-resistant canister
- NYSDEC: 2026 big game hunting seasons in October (Oct. 7, 2026)
- National Park Service: Fire Island backcountry camping
- Recreation.gov: Fire Island National Seashore permits
- NY State Parks: Harriman State Park
- NY-NJ Trail Conference: Trail alerts