New York, NY: NYC Chapter, Palisades Interstate Park Caminito

The NYC Chapter of the American Pilgrims on the Camino will once again walk in New Jersey this month. Rejoin your fellow peregrinos and peregrinas at the Palisades Interstate Park.

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 station)
Local 1 train (181 st St. stop)

Meeting Time: 10 am. The group will take the NJ transit bus 178 to Hackensack at 10:20 am and get off at the GWB Plaza station in Fort Lee, NJ. Ticket price: ~ $2.00

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 ($4.00 NJ transit bus fare).

Itinerary:
From the GWB Plaza Station, group will walk towards Palisades Interstate Park via the Linwood Park entrance. 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 Linwood Park, Palisades Interstate Park
Pay using the “passport parking” app or find free parking
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)
Walk back towards Linwood Park via the Long Path (~ 2 miles of dirt and concrete path)
Allison Overlook Park (midway stop @ 0.8 mile mark for sightseeing/snack/WC)
Uber/Lyft back to NYC (for those who wish to end their Caminito at this stage)
Continue towards end of Caminito: GWB Plaza station in Fort Lee, NJ

Post-Caminito Options:
Kuba restaurant (food/WC stop)
Queimada (Galician fire drink; bartenders will prepare upon request)
Take the jitney/bus 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:
Bus Station
GWB
Palisades Interstate Park
National Suicide Prevention Helpline: Call 988

Hike Leader: Ana Esteban (orange jacket)
Ana is a healthcare quality professional and a resident of the Garden State of New Jersey. Prior to the pandemic, she used to cross the GWB daily for work. 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 “camino family” in NYC.