NY Appalachian Trail - Section 8 - Canopus Hill Road to Old Highland Turnpike

October 12, 2014

Miles: 9.6 miles
Time:  6 hours 
Elevation gain: 2,796 feet
Year to date miles:  399.1

Parking: Intersection of Old Albany Post Road and Chapman Road. Room for 1-2 cars. Not a real parking area, but we haven't had a problem parking here the two times we have. These are unpaved narrow roads, but Old Albany Post actually had a surprising number of cars go down it.

Rest rooms: None.

Hike directions:
AT Northbound (same side of the street as parking).
Ascend Canopus Hill.
At Canopus Hill Road (paved), turn around and retrace steps.
When you reach your car, continue on the AT Southbound.
There are some steep, rocky areas.
Ascend to view - nice place to take a break.
Pass a blue blazed trail to the summit of Denning Hill (we skipped this).
Pass blue blazed trail to the remains of a shrine (we checked these out).
Cross Old West Point Road.
Pass Graymoor  (I believe parking is available here for hikers).
Turn around at Old Highland Turnpike (paved).
Retrace steps.

Map: Appalachian Trail Conservancy New York / New Jersey Appalachian Trail Guide and Maps

Hike description:
Moderate hike. Limited views. Fall foliage - only greens/yellows. No reds/oranges on the trees. Rocky footing in many places - and with all of the leaves and acorns on the ground, made for slow walking for us. We drove around a bit on some of the unpaved roads in the area - many beautiful houses in the woods.

View along trail

Graymoor driveway



Vandalized? Virgen Misionera Madre de los Immigrantes shrine