Happy 1st
Best. Hike. Ever, with college homies!
Before I started guiding trips, I'd taken several friends on this trail I put together (including my 65-year old mom!) and everyone's loved it because it traverses a stream, which is fed by a dammed lake we'll pass (it's the beginning of dam-release season to alleviate ice melt runoff, and that means crisp, cool, shallow whitewater stream!) and altitude gains are gradual, so you can leave your climbing gear at home. Although we'll be walking approximately 7 miles between two villages, we should be arriving at Tuxedo in time to catch the 6:30 train back home. Here's the map: http://goo.gl/maps/W2cdg.
Sebago Lake, like most of the other bodies of water in this area, is not swimmable, but it is fishable (in case you want to catch your lunch). Once we cross this point, we've got the entire trail practically to ourselves until Tuxedo; and you'll appreciate it, because after a lake-side snooze, you'll have to fight the -itis hard to get to the end and you don't want anyone else seeing that.
We'll be meeting at the entrance to NJ Transit in Penn Station in NY at 8:45a for a 9:14a departure. Purchase your round-trip ticket to Tuxedo via Secaucus Junction. Tickets are apprx $25 from the tellers or 50-cents cheaper from vending machines. We should be back at Penn Station by 8p. Here's my handy-dandy checklist for what gear to bring. On this trip, I'd also recommend ankle support and/or trekking poles. Hashtag for this trip is #winasebago