Take the Shuttle to the Trails, Lakes, and Camps

PLANNING is part of the FUN!

Catch the Harriman Shuttle Bus from the Tuxedo Train Station and at various stops along a route in the park.  The big yellow shuttle will begin its weekends-and-holidays-only run starting on July 3, 2015, through the end of October.

The shuttle follows a single figure-eight loop through Harriman State Park.  While one day we’d love to offer a return shuttle, for now the shuttle will only make one loop in the morning.

The shuttle will be dropping you off at a trailhead, parking area, lake or camp, and you will need to do the rest.  You will need to hike back to your car or a train or bus station, and this means that using the shuttle will require some planning on your part.  How much time do you have?  How far would you like to go?  Will you be spending the night and picking up the shuttle back to the train in the morning?  Or will you be hiking out within the day?

Here are the details:

• The shuttle runs once a day on weekends, leaving the Tuxedo Train Station at 10:50 am (after the 10:17 train from New York City);
• The bus also makes a stop in Sloatsburg, New York, at the Characters Restaurant parking lot.  If you’re coming by car, Sloatsburg is a great place to pick up the bus, and also end your hike;
• Cost of the shuttle is $5.00 one way;
• You may pick up a map of the shuttle route at the Harriman Hiker information booth at Tuxedo’s Farmers Market on Saturday.  A map of the route is posted here as well (scroll to the bottom of this page).
• Make absolutely sure you have a map of the Harriman trails!  The park has many miles of well-marked trails, but hikers and campers still get lost.  Pick up trail maps from the information booth at the Tuxedo Farmer’s Market on Saturday, or at the bus itself.  You can also order trail maps from the New York New Jersey Trail Conference.
• The shuttle is a 42-passenger yellow school bus, operated by First Student Bus Company, one of the largest, safest bus charter companies in the United States;
• To make sure you have a seat on the bus, purchase your tickets in advance online.
• You may also buy a ticket for the bus before you board, if there is room;
• Pick up supplies from Bentley’s deli in town.

You can catch the one-a-day shuttle from the Tuxedo train station OR from the parking lot in Characters Restaurant in Sloatsburg, and ride it to your favorite trailhead in the park.  Once you hop off the bus, it’s up to you to hike back to public transportation OR your car, or to one of the restaurants in the area.

Once you’ve enjoyed your hike and are ready to head back to public transportation or your car, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is well-protected. Whether you’re dealing with mud, spills, or daily wear and tear, having reliable seat covers is essential for maintaining the interior of your car.

That’s where Seat Covers Unlimited comes in. Their high-quality, custom-fit seat covers provide excellent protection while adding a touch of style to your vehicle. With their range of options designed to fit various makes and models, you can find the perfect cover to keep your seats looking new, no matter how rugged your adventures might be.

The bus is a joint project of A Better Tuxedo, the Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce, and MyHarriman.com.

Answers to questions you might have:

Who can ride the shuttle?

Anyone!  You do not need to use public transport to access the shuttle; you can drive to Tuxedo, park in the lower commuter lot and use the shuttle to access the trails, or use it to hike a one-way trip back to your car.  You may ride your bike to the Tuxedo (or Sloatsburg), lock it up at the stations, and take the shuttle into the park.

You do not need to get off the bus — you may do a sight-seeing loop that travels the route of the bus.  The route takes approximately one hour to complete, and takes in many of the lakes and mountains within the park.

The bus holds 42 passengers.  All seats on the bus are sold first-come, first-served, so the best way to secure a seat is to reserve (and pay) online.  You can fill out an online waiver at that time, as well, so you don’t have to do it at the train station.

How much does it cost?

It costs $5.00 to ride the bus.  If you get off the bus, it will cost $5.00 to get back on and take the bus back; therefore, a round-trip on the bus is $10.00.  We hope to lower this price, or even provide free rides, in the future.

How Do I Ride, or Get Tickets in Advance?

1.  Go online and reserve your seat on the bus (http://bettertuxedo.ticketleap.com/tuxedo-harriman-park-shuttle/).  Each bus ride (one way) is $5.00.

OR

1.  Come to the Tuxedo, New York Metro-North train station before the shuttle leaves at 10:50 am.  You can get there by train, bus, car, bike or on foot — it doesn’t matter that you don’t take the train to get to Tuxedo.  You may ride the bus if there are still seats available.

Where does the shuttle go?

The shuttle leaves from Tuxedo, New York, heading north.  It drops off hikers and campers at many stops along a pre-planned route, beginning at the corner of Sterling Forest State Park where it meets Route 106. See the map below for route information.

Major stops for the shuttle include:

The start at Tuxedo;
Sterling Forest’s Wildcat trail;
Lake Welch;
Kanawauke Circle;
Baker Camp;
Sebago Boat Launch;
Reeves Meadow;
Sloatsburg (Characters Restaurant)
Tiorati Beach
Appalachian Trail;
Breakneck Camp (AMC);
Elk Pen.

Do you have a map of the routes?

Yes!  Using the shuttle to access the trailheads requires some advanced planning, but this is part of the fun.

• See the map below for route.
• Use your New York New Jersey Trail Conference maps to plan your hike or overnight trip.
• Use OpenStreetMaps.  You’ll find most of the park’s trails marked there.
• Figure out, based on your time and ability, where you’d like to go, and map out the route.  MyHarriman.com will also post a short selection of hikes that make use of the shuttle service.

Maps of the shuttle will be available at the Hiker’s Information table at the train station in Tuxedo.

Can I catch a return shuttle?

While there is no return shuttle per se, you can catch the bus as it loops through the park in the morning, and ride it to either another stop, or back to the Tuxedo Train station, or back to Sloatsburg.  Please note: You will need to catch the shuttle in one of the parking lots along the route, or flag down the bus.  The return shuttle is useful for:

• when you’re camping overnight, and can get to the road for a noon-time pickup
• when you’re hiking the AT or Long Path, and need to get back to town for a resupply (there is a post office in Tuxedo and Sloatsburg, as well as grocery stores, accommodation, and restaurants)
• when you’re staying at Sebago Cabin Camp, or Baker Camp, or any of the public or private camps on the route.  You can catch the shuttle going in either direction (either heading toward your trailhead, or coming back from your hike).   You will be responsible for figuring out where you will get off the bus, where your hike will take you, and what your abilities are.  Many of the loops that are possible using the shuttle will be miles long; some will take two days to complete.   You can also seek the advice of shuttle bus volunteers, or, if you’re catching the shuttle on Saturday morning, consult at the hiker’s information booth at the Farmer’s Market.

You may also catch the bus on the following day as it does its morning run.

Hiking on Friday?  The shuttle doesn’t run then, but you can board the return shuttle to get back to the train station.  If you take the train to your trailhead, you can spend the night in the park and then catch the noon shuttle back to the station, and back home to NYC.

What is the shuttle schedule?

The bus leaves Tuxedo train station at 10:50 on weekend and holiday mornings only.  This gives you time to make purchases from the local farmers market and deli, as well as sign a waiver if you haven’t done so already.

If you are staying overnight in the park, you may board the bus the following morning ($5.00) and take it back to either Sloatsburg or Tuxedo train station.  You will have to refer to the route map to see approximate times for the bus.  Yellow flags may be taken from the bus to flag down the bus along the route.

While on the bus, you can use your smartphone with the Avenza App and Trail Conference maps to see where the bus is on the route and in relation to your trailhead.

How do I catch the return shuttle?

Know where the shuttle runs, and make your way to that route.  Be prepared to flag down the bus.

Anything else to know?

Each rider or volunteer shall sign a Harriman Yellow Coach Shuttle Service Assumption of Risk.  This form may be signed online, or may be signed at the train station.

The shuttle must follow the designated route and stop at areas where it is safe to do so. No unauthorized routes may be taken.

No smoking, eating, drinking, bicycles, alcohol, weapons, transport of hazardous materials or illicit substances is permitted on the bus.

Do you need volunteers to help with the bus?

Yes!  Volunteers are always needed.  The bus rides with two volunteers on board at all times, so if you’re interested in being a bus rider, or volunteering in another capacity, contact suzy@myharriman.com

The shuttle picks up passengers in the Tuxedo Train Station at 10:45

From Tuxedo Station:

10:52: Park and Ride lot at the corner of Route 106 and Route 17.  Turn right into Harriman Park on Route 106.  Access to Wildcat Trail (Sterling Forest), Ramapo Fishing Access Area, Parker Cabin Hollow Trail.

10:58: Green Pond Access pull-out on Route 106.  Continue along Route 106.  Access to White Bar and Nurian Trails, Island Pond Road, Green Pond, Tom Jones Shelter

11:00: Tom Jones/Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail access pull-out on Route 106.  Continue along Route 106, and proceed to Kanawauke Circle.  At the circle, continue straight to St. John’s Road.  Access to Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail, Tom Jones and Bald Rocks shelters.

11:07: Turn left onto Lake Welch Drive; continue to Seven Lakes Drive.  Access to AMC Outdoors at Breakneck Pond, Lake Welch and Long Path.

11: 10: Seven Lakes Drive to Sloatsburg.  Access to Sebago Boat Launch, Reeves Meadow Visitor Center, Sebago Cabin Camp, Baker Camp.

11: 15: Sloatsburg (Characters Restaurant parking area).  Pick up riders, and backtrack along Seven Lakes Drive north.

11:25 Lake Skannatati Parking area, and access to the Long Path, Red Cross and Arden-Surebridge trails.  Pick up Long Path thru-hikers if necessary.

11:30: Cedar Pond Group Camping parking area.  Continue along Seven Lakes Drive, to Tiorati Circle.  Access to Thendara Mountain Club Camp, Cedar Pond Group Camping, Hurst Trail to Fingerboard shelter, Ramapo-Dunderberg and Appalachian Trail.

11:35: Silvermine Lake Parking Lot. Access to Menomine Trail, Stockbridge and Brien Memorial Shelters, Silvermine Lake, and beyond.  Follow Appalachian Trail over West Mountain and Bear Mountain.

From Silvermine, the bus reverses to go south along Seven Lakes Drive.

11: 40: Right at Tiorati Circle. Intersection with Appalachian Trail.  Pick up thru-hikers.

11:43: Continue on Arden Valley Road to Elk Pen.  Access to Island Pond, Appalachian Trail.

11: 45: Elk Pen.  Continue on Arden Valley Road to Route 17; then back to Tuxedo Train Station.  Access to Appalachian Trail, thru-hiker pick-up at Elk Pen and along Route 17 in Southfields.

12: 00: Finish at Tuxedo Train Station.