4.5 miles | 1,394 ft gain | Difficulty: Moderate | Rating ★★★★

We squeezed in the last of the Hudson Valley’s foliage colors last weekend hiking Mount Beacon. The colors were a bit muted due to the grey skies, but still a fantastic day for a hike. Beacon is a mountain I love being on top of but hate to climb. The first mile is grueling – 1000 feet in a mile via stairs and steep, uninteresting switchbacks. The second mile, much less demanding as you wander along the ridge to the fire tower.

This is our second time hiking Beacon. It’s easily accessible via Metro North and then a mile walk or quick shuttle ride to the trailhead. However, wanting to save a little time (2.5 vs 1.5 hours each way), we opted to drive. The lot was nearly full when we arrived, but seemed to have a steady stream of cars entering and exiting. So if you don’t see a spot, hang out a few minutes, and you might be in luck.

Shortly past the trailhead, you can see the remnants of the train that used to take people up the casino that greets you at your first landing. Here, we start our steep mile climb, first with a long set of metal stairs. While there’s traction, the leaves this time of year make things awfully slippery. A quick view to take in, then into the woods.

From here it’s a steep set of switchbacks to climb before being rewarded with views and ruins of the old casino. Built around 1900, it burned down just 20 years later. The views from its foundation are stunning and the cogs from the old railway in nearly mint condition, sans the graffiti.

After taking in the views of the the Hudson and Newburgh-Beacon bridge, we continued on our way. The remaining mile to the fire tower is a much more pleasant stroll through the woods. The hike is a total of 1400 feet gain, but nearly 1,000 of that is in the first mile. The second, a stroll in the woods with a short climb right before reaching the fire tower.

The summit was quite the social scene! We grabbed a snack and took in the views. Given how many people where there (and how cold it was on the summit!) we skipped the tower climb this time.

Beacon is a prime hike near New York City. Challenging but approachable and plenty of views and sights to reward your efforts.