We were coming down the final stretch of a grueling two-day backpacking trip, debating whether we should knock off early. It was a situation I’ve been in before—weighing the effort to summit one last peak against tired legs, blistered feet, and a shorter route back to the trailhead.
Only this time, it wasn’t a mountain my boyfriend and I wanted to bag: It was Staten Island.
It may not be the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail, but the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail offers an end-to-end journey, with views of Manhattan.
The doe and her fawn stood in a sunbathed clearing next to the trail. As we approached, the doe startled, leaping away into the underbrush, but the spotted fawn hesitated, uncertain. We crept forward, cooing with delight, until the fawn wobbled away into the trees, tripping over its own legs. So we continued our walk, alone with the rocks and the wildflowers and the hills, pleasantly surprised every time we glimpsed the Manhattan skyline in the distance.
