If you’re looking for a temporary escape from the daily grind, I highly recommend finding a place near you to go hiking. There’s something incredibly wonderful about spending the day deep in nature, completely unplugged from the rest of the world. For my friends back home in Florida, state parks like Myakka and Fort Desoto offer plenty of trails and campgrounds (if you’re feeling extra adventurous). As for my friends here in New York City – there’s really no better place to hike than upstate NY. The sounds of traffic are replaced by sounds of birds chirping and the steady crunch of leaves underneath your feet. The air is crisp and refreshing, and the views… well, they’re nothing short of breathtaking.
When my friends and I were looking to take a quick day trip out of the city we turned to Hike The Hudson Valley for some information on the 71 different trails we could try out. The site is incredibly helpful for people like me who are super new to hiking as it gives detailed descriptions of each trail, including difficulty levels measured on a scale from 1-10.
After some perusing, we settled on Anthony’s Nose – a 2.6 mile hike up Bear Mountain that ends with an amazing, scenic lookout over Bear Mountain Bridge and the river. Bay and I decided to take Nina along for the ride and despite my initial worries of the climb being too much for her, she ended up doing much better than the rest of us. Climbing mountains must be in her blood! haha
Next time we’ll have to try Breakneck Ridge, which is rated a 10 out of 10 on the difficulty scale while Anthony’s Nose is a 6.
The weather was pretty brisk with a high in the 50’s and lows in the 40’s. I knew I needed to dress comfortably but warm, which is why I opted for a sweater, leggings and my favorite fall jacket. This little number is the Misty Jacket from Athleta and I’ve practically been living in it ever since the weather dipped below 70 degrees.
It’s comfortable, has a hidden hood that you can stow away in the collar, and it’s ultra water-resistant. I added in the ultra part because I once had to walk 4 city blocks in a torrential downpour after leaving a yoga studio and this jacket kept me surprisingly dry.
I love the cinched waist and the gold metal details – it gives the jacket a very stylish and luxurious feel.
It’s also the perfect length and can be dressed up or down super easily. Oh and perhaps most importantly, it has two front pockets that zip up which is perfect for when you’re on the go!
Okay, enough gushing about this jacket. Back to the hike!
The first .6 miles or so was very steep and took us all a little while to get through. However, once we reached the end of the “rocky staircase” the trail was relatively flat which meant smooth sailing the rest of the way. Although many of the leaves had already fallen, the majority of the trees were still boasting beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow. It was as if I stepped into an Autumn dreamland. I’m sad we decided to go hiking so late into the season as there’s no way I’ll be climbing up rocks when it’s winter, but it does give me something to look forward to next Spring.
Once we reached the peak of Anthony’s Nose we stopped for photo opps (I mean, I couldn’t resist doing at least one yoga pose at the top of the mountain) and a little picnic lunch. Bay and I packed blueberries, baby carrots and some pesto chicken wraps from Trader Joe’s. I have to say, eating outside with this view directly in front of us was the bees knees.
I wish we didn’t have to leave but sadly all good things have to come to an end, and it was soon time for us to begin our descent down the mountain. If you’re thinking about taking a quick trip upstate, here are some tips that I picked up during our hiking adventure:
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Print out a map. Cell phone service is very unreliable once you make it up the mountain
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Pack a backpack with lots of snacks
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Wear shoes with good grip. Sneakers did the job but next time I’m going to wear hiking boots
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Bring a hiking stick. We didn’t do that and it really would have come in handy on the way down the mountain
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Check the weather and dress accordingly!
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Bring a good camera with you – the views deserve more than what your iPhone can handle 😉
Wishing you happy hiking!
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Athleta Misty Jacket // Athleta High Rise Metro Tights
Reebok X FACE Stockholm Classic Leather Spirit
Reebok has a Cyber sale going on and this post inspired me to get those shoes! Had to follow-up and say thanks for the fashion and fitness inspo!