Fort Lee, NJ: NYC Chapter, Palisades Interstate Park Caminito

The NYC Chapter of the American Pilgrims on the Camino will continue walking in New Jersey on Saturday, April 1 (rain date Sunday, April 2). Join your fellow peregrinos and peregrinas at the Palisades Interstate Park for a Caminito of approximately 6 miles. This Caminito was originally scheduled for December 3 and finally rescheduled. Hope to walk with you!

Meeting Spot:
GWB Bus station in NYC (WC stop), 3rd level bus pavilion

How to get there:
By Subway: (check mta.info for weekend schedule changes!)

Express A train (175th St. stop)
Local 1 train (181st St. stop)

Meeting Time: 10 am (Caminito will start at 10:15 am sharp by boarding the jitney bus to cross the George Washington Bridge)

What to bring:
Day hike essentials: water, juice, lunch & snacks (no option to buy during the hike), insect repellent, sun hat/sunblock, walking stick (highly recommended), comfortable walking shoes, extra layers for being out most of the day and cash ($6 dollar bus fare)

Itinerary:

Travel via jitney to GWB Plaza station in Fort Lee, NJ
Walk towards Palisades Interstate Park via the Linwood Park entrance
This is an alternate meeting spot for those who wish to start in NJ (meet the group at 10:45 am)

How to get there by car:
Use driving apps and find parking around Fort Lee, NJ.
Pay using the “passport parking” app.
Carpenter’s Trail (~ 220 feet descent on stone and dirt path)
Henry Hudson Drive (1 mile on asphalt road)
Englewood Picnic Area (Lunch and WC stop)
Uber/Lyft back to NYC (for those who wish to end their Caminito at this stage)
Dyckman Hill Trail (~ 340 feet ascent on stone and dirt path)
Long Path (~ 2 miles of dirt and concrete path)
Allison Overlook Park (Snack/WC stop)
Uber/Lyft back to NYC (for those who wish to end their Caminito at this stage)
End of Caminito: GWB Plaza station in Fort Lee, NJ

Options:

Local area restaurant for after drinks and food (WC stop)
Take the jitney or Uber/Lyft back to NYC

Please exercise caution during this Caminito and always stay on the designated path or trail.

Elevation: up to ~ 340 feet ascent/descent
Terrain: mix of rugged dirt, stone, concrete and asphalt
Distance: ~ 6 miles
Difficulty: Easy to Difficult

Helpful Links:

GWB Bus Station: https://www.panynj.gov/bus-terminals/en/george-washington.html
Palisades Interstate Park: https://www.njpalisades.org/trails.html
National Suicide Prevention Helpline: Call 988 or https://988lifeline.org/

Hike Leader: Ana Esteban (orange jacket)
Ana is a healthcare quality professional and a resident of the Garden State of New Jersey. She is peregrina who earned her compostela hiking the Camino Frances from O’Cebreiro to Santiago de Compostela in 2011 and has yet to find her way back. In the interim, she is discovering other hiking trails in New England and cherishing the time she spends hiking with her “NYC camino family.”