Fahnestock, a 6,200-acre parcel donated to New York State early in the 20th century, offers a little bit of everything: canoes for hire, a campground just a couple of 100 yards from the Taconic State Parkway (TSP), and a small beach. It also sports a hiking trip that features upland flora and fauna, a beautiful lake, and a place to camp for the night.

For the backpacker pining to get away from the crowds, take the TSP northbound from New York to the Route 301 exit, and follow the signs for Cold Spring. Almost immediately, you'll pass the aforementioned campground, the park superintendent's home, and the racks of canoes along Canopus Lake. Just beyond the far end of Canopus, you'll see a small parking area on the right. This is the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and Route 301. The trail is easy to find. Look for a sign-in book posted on a tree immediately after the trail begins.

Your destination on this overnight trip is the Shenandoah Campsite, located about five miles northeast along the Appalachian Trail. The walking is relatively easy, primarily because at this point the Appalachian Trail is trending away from the Highlands. Cool, fern-bedecked fens (some home to voracious mosquitoes), a modest creek to pick your way across, and occasional sharp, brief climbs up rock outcroppings are the primary features of this hike.

For the first two miles or so, the trail skirts Canopus Lake, a narrow sheet of water flecked with small, fir-bedecked islands. Just after leaving the lake behind, the trail hooks back on itself and traverses a short, steep slope that will bring you up to 1,100 feet, two hundred feet above the lake, and then drops you just as sharply. After another mile of working your way between the taller hills, the trail ascends Shenandoah Mountain, peaking at 1,282 feet. Again, you'll descend rather rapidly, and then cross Long Hill Road. From the road, it's approximately 0.7 miles to the Shenandoah Mountain campsite.

With the knowledge you've gained on the way in, you can decide what time you want to begin retracing your steps in the morning and whether any bushwhacking is in order. The clear waters of Canopus offer a fine prospect for lunch, and plenty of gray-green boulders to serve as table and chairs.

Move on to Storm King Return to Top