Actually Touch Grass · Guide 01
Take the Train from NYC to the Appalachian Trail
Metro-North stops right where the A.T. crosses the tracks in Pawling, NY. It's weekends only, with two trains up and three back, so the whole day comes down to timing.
Published October 24, 2026 · Train times checked October 24, 2026 · 8 min read
Short answer
Yes, a Train Goes Straight to the Trail
Take the Harlem Line from Grand Central, change at Southeast, and get off at Appalachian Trail. Step off the platform and you're on the white blazes. Miss the last train back, though, and you're improvising in the Harlem Valley.
- Line
- Metro-North Harlem Line from Grand Central
- Get off at
- Appalachian Trail station (Pawling, NY), mile 66
- Runs
- Saturdays, Sundays & holidays only
- Ride
- 2h 05m–2h 08m each way, change at Southeast
- Trains
- 2 up in the morning, 3 back in the afternoon and evening
- At the stop
- No ticket machine, not wheelchair accessible
Weekend trains
Train Times to the Appalachian Trail
Last checked October 24, 2026 against the Saturday, Sunday & holiday timetable effective October 4, 2026. Metro-North changes schedules several times a year and posts special timetables for track work, so check the live Harlem Line timetable (opens in a new tab) or TrainTime (opens in a new tab) before you go.
| Leave GCT | Change at Southeast | Arrive A.T. |
|---|---|---|
| 7:14 AMTrains 9607 / 9907 | 8:57–9:05 AM | 9:22 AM |
| 9:14 AMTrains 9615 / 9915 | 10:58–11:05 AM | 11:22 AM |
| Leave A.T. | Change at Southeast | Arrive GCT |
|---|---|---|
| 2:35 PMTrains 9942 / 9642 | 2:57–3:08 PM | 4:43 PM |
| 4:35 PMTrains 9950 / 9650 | 4:57–5:06 PM | 6:40 PM |
| 6:35 PMLast train · Trains 9958 / 9658 | 6:57–7:07 PM | 8:41 PM |
Every trip changes trains at Southeast, with 7–11 minutes to make the connection. Later trains serve Pawling and Wassaic but skip the trail.
Your actual budget
How Long You Get on the Trail
Time between stepping off the train and the train home leaving. The last column has no safety net.
| You arrive | Back on 2:35 PM | Back on 4:35 PM | Back on 6:35 PM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:22 AM | 5h 13m | 7h 13m | 9h 13m |
| 11:22 AM | 3h 13m | 5h 13m | 7h 13m |
Rule of thumb: pick a hike that gets you back for an earlier train, and treat the next one as your buffer. Never plan around the 6:35 PM.
Off the platform
Which Way to Walk
The trail crosses the tracks and Route 22 right at the station. Follow the white blazes one way or the other. Distances are approximate one-way trail miles from the platform.
Cross the tracks
Southbound, toward the Great Swamp
0 mi
Appalachian Trail platform
≈0.3 mi
Swamp River footbridge
On the 1,600-foot boardwalk across the Great Swamp
≈1.4 mi
Corbin Hill
Where the trail enters the woods near the top
≈2.5–3.2 mi
Dover Oak
Beside West Dover Road; guides disagree
≈3.6 mi
Cat Rocks
East-facing granite outcrop
Cross Route 22
Northbound, past the farm fields
0 mi
Appalachian Trail platform
0.9 mi
Pawling Nature Reserve
The Nature Conservancy boundary
Loop
Hammersley Ridge
Return on the red Ridge Trail, about 5 mi in all
Pick your hike
Four Hikes That Fit Between Trains
We budget 2 miles an hour including breaks, plus 30 minutes before the train is due, and use the long end of each distance range. Slower pace? Move one train later. In late fall and winter, also check sunset: the later returns finish near or after dark.
Great Swamp boardwalk & Corbin Hill
2.8 mi round trip
Cross the tracks · Moderate, gradual climb
Cross the tracks onto a 1,600-foot boardwalk over the Great Swamp, cross the Swamp River on a footbridge, then climb gently along Corbin Hill. Turn around where the trail enters the woods near the top of the rise.
The boardwalk keeps you out of the swamp, but expect wet, muddy patches on the trail after rain.
- Arrive 9:22 AM
- Aim for the 2:35 PMBackup: 4:35 PM
- Arrive 11:22 AM
- Aim for the 2:35 PMBackup: 4:35 PM
Hammersley Ridge & Pawling Nature Reserve
About 5 mi loop
Cross Route 22 · Moderate, one ridge climb
Cross Route 22, follow the A.T. past farm fields, and climb Hammersley Ridge into The Nature Conservancy's Pawling Nature Reserve, 0.9 trail miles from the platform. Come back on the red-blazed Ridge Trail and rejoin the A.T. southbound to the station.
Cattle may be grazing in the fields. The reserve is open dawn to dusk and bans camping, fires, and hunting.
- Arrive 9:22 AM
- Aim for the 2:35 PMBackup: 4:35 PM
- Arrive 11:22 AM
- Aim for the 2:35 PMBackup: 4:35 PM
Dover Oak
About 5–6.4 mi round trip
Cross the tracks · Moderate, up and over Corbin Hill
Keep going past the boardwalk, over Corbin Hill, and down to West Dover Road, where the trail passes the Dover Oak. The ATC calls it the oldest blazed tree on the Appalachian Trail.
Guides disagree on the distance (4.9 to 6.4 mi round trip), so plan for the long end. The oak sits right beside the road; watch for cars.
- Arrive 9:22 AM
- Aim for the 2:35 PMBackup: 4:35 PM
- Arrive 11:22 AM
- Aim for the 4:35 PMBackup: 6:35 PM
Cat Rocks
About 7–7.2 mi round trip
Cross the tracks · Harder, with some rock scrambling
Past the Dover Oak, cross West Dover Road and climb to Cat Rocks, an east-facing granite outcrop at about 1,000 feet with a view back over the Harlem Valley.
Expect some rock scrambling. Turn around if the rock is wet or icy.
- Arrive 9:22 AM
- Aim for the 2:35 PMBackup: 4:35 PM
- Arrive 11:22 AM
- Aim for the 4:35 PMBackup: 6:35 PM
Before You Go
Buy your ticket before Grand Central
Use the TrainTime app or a machine at Grand Central; buying onboard there costs extra. The A.T. stop has no machine or ticket office, so the ride home can be bought onboard with no added fee.
Tell the conductor where you're going
The stop is little more than a low-level platform. Our advice: tell the conductor you're getting off at Appalachian Trail and use the door the crew points you to.
Know it isn't accessible
The MTA lists the station as not accessible. Pawling and Harlem Valley-Wingdale are the nearest accessible stations.
Bring all your food and water
There's nothing to buy on the platform. The NPS says to treat any water you collect on the trail.
Don't count on signal
Download your tickets and the timetable before you leave, and tell someone your plan. The NPS notes a phone is useless without reception.
Gear up for ticks
The ATC recommends permethrin-treated clothing, 20–30% DEET or picaridin on skin, and a full tick check when you get home.
Wear blaze orange in hunting season
The ATC lists New York's fall big-game seasons as early September through mid-December and recommends a blaze orange hat and vest. Hunting is banned inside Pawling Nature Reserve, but the ATC notes the trail can cross or run next to hunting areas.
Pack a headlamp after the clocks change
In late fall and winter, the 4:35 PM train leaves around sunset and the 6:35 PM leaves in the dark.
Carry out what you carry in
Pawling Nature Reserve asks visitors to leave no trace and bans camping, fires, hunting, and taking plants or animals.
Return plan
If You Miss the Last Train
After the 6:35 PM, nothing else stops at the trail that day. Two nearby stations keep running later on weekends:
Harlem Valley-Wingdale
8:31 PM and 10:31 PM
Pawling
8:38 PM and 10:38 PM
- Both are a drive away, not a walk along the trail. Save a local car service number before you lose signal, and don't assume a ride will be available on short notice.
- Holidays vary. In the current timetable, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Presidents Day run a Saturday schedule and Memorial Day a Sunday schedule. Christmas Eve runs a Friday schedule, Christmas Day an hourly one, and Thanksgiving and New Year's get special timetables. Check before assuming the stop is served.
- Weekend track work can swap in a special timetable or buses. Check Metro-North's schedules page (opens in a new tab) the day before.
Back in the city
Touched Actual Grass? Prove It.
Two hours on a train each way earns you a free, shareable Touch Grass badge for your X profile.
NYC to the Appalachian Trail: FAQ
Can you take a train from NYC to the Appalachian Trail?
Yes. Metro-North's Harlem Line runs from Grand Central to the Appalachian Trail stop in Pawling, NY, where the trail crosses the tracks. Trains stop there on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only, and every trip changes trains at Southeast.
Where is the Appalachian Trail station?
On Metro-North's Harlem Line in Pawling, NY, where the A.T. crosses the tracks beside Route 22. Head south across the tracks for the Great Swamp boardwalk, or north across Route 22 for Pawling Nature Reserve. The station has no ticket machine or ticket office.
How long is the train from Grand Central to the Appalachian Trail?
About 2h 05m–2h 08m each way in the timetable effective October 4, 2026, including a change at Southeast.
Does the train stop at the Appalachian Trail on weekdays?
No, except on holidays that run a weekend schedule. On weekdays, ride to Pawling or Harlem Valley-Wingdale instead and arrange a ride to the Route 22 trail crossing.
Where do I buy a ticket for the Appalachian Trail station?
Buy before boarding at Grand Central, in the MTA TrainTime app or at a ticket machine, to avoid the onboard surcharge. The Appalachian Trail station has no ticket machine or ticket office, so for the ride home you can buy onboard with no added fee.
What if I miss the last train back from the Appalachian Trail?
There is no later train from the Appalachian Trail stop that day. Pawling and Harlem Valley-Wingdale have later weekend departures, but you need a ride to reach them, so plan to catch an earlier train and keep the 6:35 PM as your backup.
Is the Appalachian Trail station wheelchair accessible?
No. The MTA lists it as not accessible. The nearest accessible stations are Pawling and Harlem Valley-Wingdale.
Sources
Built from official timetables and land managers, not a trip report. All sources accessed October 24, 2026. Where they disagree on distances, we show the range. Spot something out of date? Tell us on X.
- Metro-North Harlem Line timetable (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · MTA. Saturday, Sunday & holiday trains effective October 4, 2026, holiday schedules, and onboard surcharge rules.
- Metro-North schedules and planned-work timetables (opens in a new tab) · MTA. Special weekend timetables appear here first.
- Appalachian Trail station (opens in a new tab) · MTA. Accessibility, ticket machines, and onboard tickets.
- TrainTime app (opens in a new tab) · MTA. Mobile tickets and live train tracking.
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail: Directions (opens in a new tab) · National Park Service. Train access at Pawling, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail: Safety (opens in a new tab) · National Park Service. Water, cell service, and emergencies.
- Great Swamp and Corbin Hill (opens in a new tab) · Appalachian Trail Conservancy. 2.8-mile hike from the station.
- Harlem Valley (Dover & Pawling) A.T. Community (opens in a new tab) · Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Hikes from the train stop: Cat Rocks, Pawling Nature Reserve, Dover Oak.
- Tips for hikers and hunters (opens in a new tab) · Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Blaze orange and hunting seasons.
- Tick-borne diseases and prevention (opens in a new tab) · Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Permethrin, repellent, and tick checks.
- Pawling Nature Reserve (opens in a new tab) · The Nature Conservancy. Hours, rules, trail lengths, and the walk from the station.
- Appalachian Trail in New York and New Jersey (opens in a new tab) · New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Station access and weekday alternatives.
- Pawling Appalachian Trail hikes (opens in a new tab) · Dutchess County Tourism. Station-to-Cat Rocks and Dover Oak mileages.
- Great Swamp to the Dover Oak (opens in a new tab) · Hike the Hudson Valley. 4.9-mile up-and-back from the station to the Dover Oak.
- Deer and bear hunting seasons (opens in a new tab) · New York State DEC. Current season dates.