All the Miles You’ll Hike

The New York New Jersey Trail Conference has updated their Harriman map set, and there’s one new feature I love: trail mileage.  This changes how I prepare for my hikes.  Training for a month-long hike in the Sierras,  I find myself going to Harriman to train more than ever, because now I can keep track of how much I’ve done, how long it’s taken me, and how my uphill hiking speed is doing (it’s not good).

Now you can easily put together a hike of a mile or two or ten, tailor it specifically to how much time you have for the hike, how much time you need to reach that shelter by sundown.  My dogs, God rest them in their crotchetiness, were capable of about four miles before they had a refusal.  They would celebrate this new development.

Buy the Map Set Here!

You could still use the “Measure” tool on the Avenza map app to get a rough idea of how far your planned hike is.  But I’ve found those distances are off, and often really short of actual distance.  That tool doesn’t account for distances on the incline/decline; actual distances are usually greater, and the new maps will show you this.

Mileage is shown from trail junction to trail junction, or from mileage markers.

Buy the Maps, Support the Trails

Remember, it doesn’t cost you anything to enter the state’s second-largest park. And it doesn’t cost you anything to hike its trails and woods roads.  So think of the purchase price (9.95, plus 1.60 postage and handling) of these maps as your one-time entry fee to the park — an entry fee that comes with a virtually-indestructible souvenir.

If you’re an avid Harriman hiker, consider hanging on to the old maps and hanging them up on the wall (like the John Muir Trail maps, there should be a special frame for these!)

Frame for some of the 13 John Muir Trail maps. What would the Harriman State Park map frame look like?

Note: if you’re looking to buy the new maps, look carefully.  Last week I was in REI, and noticed that the Harriman map set is the old version.  You want the brand-new 2015 version, with mileage.  For now, the only way to get the new-version maps is to either stop into the Trail Conference offices (and see their new digs: historic Darlington Schoolhouse at 600 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ) order the maps online, or download the digital maps for your smartphone.