A southbound Appalachian Trail hiker going by "Fumble" logged a 21.9-mile, 47,890-step day in late October between the William Brien Memorial Shelter and NY Route 17A, and it tested just about everything except the weather. The temperature sat around a comfortable 45°F, but the mood started low — a fantasy football loss by less than a single point had dropped the writer's team to 5 wins and 9 losses — and the trail didn't help.
The day's saving grace came early: a shortcut off the AT marked with white rectangles bearing red circles (Japanese-flag blazes) over Goshen Mountain to Tiorati Road, which runs past Lake Tiorati. The lake's shore has a beach and picnic area, and hikers get unusually good amenities there — water bottle filling stations, restrooms, showers, swimming, and vending machines. The route rejoins the AT near two water towers, trimming both distance and climbing.
Once back on the main trail, New York's rocky terrain took over. The AT here isn't high-altitude, but it climbs and drops constantly, and foot placement demands full attention — rock steps and unstable footing are the norm. Near Buchanan Mountain, hikers at an overlook warned about the descent, where a thick leaf cover hid the rocks underneath. The warning proved fair: a slipped step bent the hiker's left ankle at an awkward angle. No lasting damage, but it capped a demoralising stretch.
The recovery plan was pragmatic: hike to Route 5 and road-walk a flatter line back to the van, pausing at a stream to filter water and passing a cold-looking swimming hole above Fitzgerald Falls marked with a sign reading "AT SPA" — a spot that would be tempting in summer, less so in late October. Then came the day's twist. The Albert Wisner Public Library in Warwick, the planned writing stop, turned out to be closed for flooding. But a Shop Rite nearby saved the evening: its seating area, open until midnight with a TV showing the World Series, gave the hiker space to catch up on two days of blog posts over town food.
Why does this matter to a traveller? It's a useful, honest look at one of the AT's most misunderstood sections. New York often gets underrated because it's low, but the relentless rocky footing makes it slower and harder than the elevation numbers suggest — especially in autumn, when leaves conceal hazards and daylight shrinks. It also highlights Harriman-area gems like Lake Tiorati, one of the better-resourced spots on the entire trail, and a reminder that trail towns like Warwick offer practical fallbacks (well, at least the grocery store) when plans go sideways. Anyone day-hiking or section-hiking this stretch in October should pack trekking poles with grippy tips — they skipped uselessly off wet rock here — factor in extra time for the terrain, and know that bail-out options like road walks and shortcut trails exist if the day turns. Story from The Trek.
