New York · National Historical Park trail

Wilkinson Trail - Kids Tour - Station B

in New York · centroid 25 mi from Albany

[Sounds of a crackling campfire.] (Mary) It is September, 1777. There are a great many people in General Burgoyne’s camp, over seven thousand I am told. One of my duties as a camp follower is helping soldiers with day-to-day life.

As they struggle to end the American Rebellion, we camp followers clean soldiers’ laundry, [sounds of hand-washing laundry] mend their torn clothing, get water and firewood, and help take care of the sick. Often times, the men in my father’s regiment go days or even weeks without a proper washing. I then have to wash the dirty clothing of many men in the nearest stream.

I often wish we were back in Ireland, where I only had to wash clothes for my landlord and his family. When it comes to food, I am grateful General Burgoyne allows some of the daily rations to be given to camp followers. Sadly, we are only given a quarter pound of salted beef or pork and a quarter pound of flour each day.

States: New York
Trail type: National Historical Park trail
Centroid nearest city: Albany, NY · 25 mi · ~45 min drive
Centroid coords: 43.0102°, -73.6428°

About Saratoga National Historical Park

National Historical Park

This trail is inside Saratoga National Historical Park, a national historical park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/wilkinson-trail-kids-tour-station-b.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/sara/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Wilkinson Trail - Kids Tour - Station B and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

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Driving in? The nearest documented metro is Albany, NY — 25 miles away (~45 min drive). See accommodation in Albany on Booking.com → RoamFound earns a small commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we handle affiliate links.