5.6 miles | 656 ft gain | Difficulty: Medium | Rating ★★★★ A couple of weeks back, we skipped out on the city for a much needed r&r weekend. Staying only 20 minutes from Minnewaska State Park, I knew we needed to visit Gertrude's Nose, one of my favorite hikes in the area. Unfortunately, due to a late start, the daylight hours were weening and we needed to find an express route to the lookout.
waterway
Hike 49: Hemlock Falls
7.2 miles | 820 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★★ I have mixed feelings about the cooler temperatures. On one hand, the crispness is perfect hiking weather. I love being bundled and even more importantly, not sweating. But on the other hand, the muted colors of grey dampen otherwise spectacular views. Not wanting to journey too far last weekend, we decided to explore Hemlock Falls in South Meadow Reservation. The falls were nice, but the discovery of a fairy village made the hike all the more worth it.
Hike 48: Giant Stairs
4.4 miles | 764 ft gain | Difficulty: Moderate | Rating ★★★★ When I see hikes ranked difficult, it usually means one of two things. It's often way harder than I expect, or sometimes, way easier. Of course, there's a different in difficulty depending where you are. Mount Beacon hard isn't quite the same as Plateau Mountain hard. The giant stairs was rated hard and with a rock scramble along the shoreline, I was a bit hesitant. However, end ended up being much easier than expected. Long, but straight forward.
Hike 47: Mount Beacon Fire Tower
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.
Hike 46: Letchworth State Park
4.6 miles | 892 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★★★ Letchworth State Park. The Grand Canyon of the east. And apparently USA Today's top state park in the United States. The Genesee River runs straight through the park, with waterfalls as high as 600 feet in some places. It's not prime for challenging hikes, but accessibly and effort bang for your buck, it's way up there.
Hike 45: Taughannock Falls
2.5 miles | 217 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★★★ On our way up to the Finger Lakes for a long weekend, we stopped at Taughannock Falls. At 400 feet in height, Taughannock falls is more than double the height of Niagara Falls, though not nearly as wide. Best of all, the hike is relatively accessible for all skill levels and just 20 minutes north of Ithaca.
Hike 44: Old Croton Aqueduct Part 3
6.5 miles | 328 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★★ The Old Croton Aqueduct trail traces the waterway from Croton Dam to Bryant Park, and provided clean water to New York City in the 1800s. In 2019, we finished our 3-part hike of the Westchester trail and earlier this year, we opted to start the remaining ~15 miles of the urban trail, from Bryant Park to Yonkers.
Hike 43: Pyramid Mountain and Tripod Rock
3.8 miles | ~600 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★ Last weekend was a perfect fall day. A little crisp but not the kind of chill you feel in your bones. Back from the Catskills, we were excited for the local foliage, but unfortunately that was still to come. Instead, we headed out to New Jersey, to Pyramid Mountain National Historical Area in Montville for a gentle forest walk with a few views.
Hike 42: Vanderbilt Mansion
3.0 miles | 223 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★ On our way home from the long weekend, we decided to stop for one final hike - a stroll along the Vanderbilt Mansion grounds. Just across the Hudson River, and a bit south, is Hyde Park - home to the Roosevelt Presidential Library, CIA and Vanderbilt Mansion. The grounds are beautiful, overlooking the Hudson River, with the Catskills in full view.
Hike 40: Diamond Notch Falls
2.0 miles | 226 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★★ After conquering Twin and Indian Head, we needed a recovery hike. And who can turn down a waterfall. Diamond Notch Falls were a bit of a drive, but I've found (as with the Adirondacks), it's sometimes challenging to find a scenic hike in the Catskills, unless you're willing to put in the work. Many hikes are under .5 miles, a "look at the thing on the side of the road" hike, or "moderate" 1,000 ft climbs. Diamond Notch Falls offered a moderate distance and relatively flat trail.
Hike 38: Anthony’s Nose
3.0 miles | 705 ft gain | Difficulty: Moderate | Rating ★★★★★ It's a Hudson Valley classic hike, yet somehow it's taken us this long to finally experience it for ourselves. Part of it is the crowds. Classic hike = well known = all the people. So while we've considered it on weekends, driving past the LOOOONG stretch of cars on Route 9D at the trail head usually deters us. However, a Friday drive up to the Catskills with no where to be until sundown gave us the perfect opportunity.
Hike 36: Anthony Wayne Recreation Area
5.4 miles | 909 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★ It's FALL! No other season even comes close. And it's not just because it's my birthday season. Crisp evenings, chilly mornings, ideal hiking weather, apples, cider, fire colors, leaf peeps, Halloween, oh my! What's not to love?! While we didn't get to actually hike on the first day of fall, it's first Saturday brought ideal conditions.
Hike 35: Old Croton Aqueduct Part 2
7.2 miles | 453 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★ The Old Croton Aqueduct trail traces the waterway from Croton Dam to Bryant Park, and provided clean water to New York City in the 1800s. In 2019, we finished our 3-part hike of the Westchester trail and this month, we opted to start the remaining 15 miles of the urban trail, likely also done as 3 parts.
Hike 34: Sandy Hook
8.3 miles | 92 ft gain | Difficulty: Moderate | Rating ★★★ There's a direct ferry from the bottom of Manhattan, 30 minutes to Sandy Hook, NJ. We've known about the ferry for years, but this year, we finally tried it out. Landing right at Fort Hancock, you're immediately immersed in the history that was once there. Shuttle buses will take you to the beach of your choice, but we wanted to wander and explore.
Hike 33: Old Croton Aqueduct Part 1
6.6 miles | 240 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★ The Old Croton Aqueduct trail traces the waterway from Croton Dam to Bryant Park, and provided clean water to New York City in the 1800s. There are still remnants of the aqueduct on the trail, like stone ventilation towers that now skirts between suburban backyards and unassumingly down city streets. Over a few years, we hiked the more common route, from Yonkers to Croton Dam, approximately 26 miles. This time we decided to finish the remaining 15 miles.
Hike 32: Iron Mine Pond Loop
3.2 miles | 469 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★ After our trip to the Adirondacks, we took a few weeks off from hiking. Partly to recover, partly to make way for Hurricanes Henri and Ida's wrath. We had a great camping trip planned for Labor Day weekend at Rudd Pond in Taconic State Park. And some big plans, including the highest point in Connecticut and the NY-CT-MA tripoint. Unfortunately the consistent rain on Sunday forced us to pack up a day early. Luckily we still got a quick loop in on Saturday, leaving right from our campsite.
Hike 23: Corbett’s Glen
2.5 miles | 148 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★ We spent the July 4th weekend road tripping upstate for our cousin's covid-delayed graduation party in Rochester. To extend the trip a bit, we stopped by the Finger Lakes for some wine, cider and hiking. Unfortunately, conditioned by the heatwave in the city, we didn't properly prepare for milder temperatures. Our planned hike to Taughannock Falls would have to wait. Luckily, we found a few hours to check out a local spot in Rochester while there.
Hike 22: Hartshorn Woods
6.0 miles | 614 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★★ I'm not a beach person, but somehow being near the beach on a 90 degree day felt like the right hike option. We ventured down to Atlantic Highlands, a mile or so from Sandy Hook. Starting from the Rocky Point entrance, we followed the black diamond trail for most of the hike resulting in a long loop around the park.
Hike 21: Ramapo Valley County Reservation
3.6 miles | 633 ft gain | Difficulty: Moderate | Rating ★★★★ First hike of summer! Well technically the solstice was 12 hours after we completed our hike, but let's go by the day, not the hour. We were in New Jersey for a party, our first since the pandemic, and Father's Day so decided to take advantage of Sunday morning to get in a quick hike. Ramapo Reservation is only a 10 minute drive from where I grew up, so while I know the location well, I never took advantage of the trails in the way I should.
Hike 20: Prospect Park
4.35 miles | 213 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★★ With a Friday off, I planned to attempt my first solo hike. But a couple of things changed my mind. I'm a bit clumsy so the idea of being in the woods, alone, and spraining my ankle or worse didn't really appeal. Plus for the first time in 15 months, I wanted to be with all the people. A wild, yet urban stroll through Prospect Park seemed to fit the bill.
Hike 19: Clarence Fahnestock State Park
7.0 miles | 591 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★★★ Fahnestock is a beautiful, surprisingly quiet park. We had only been there once a few years back. It was a holiday weekend and we didn't see anyone in our 10-mile journey. Up by Cold Spring, New York, the Appalachian trail runs the length of the park. When my boss insisted we had a two week window to see the mountain laurel blooms, we knew we had to go.
Hike 14: Vernooy Falls
3.7 miles | 659 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★★ I have trouble understanding where the Hudson Valley ends and the Catskills begin. Staying in New Paltz for the weekend, we wanted to get in one last waterfall before heading home. We decided to head to Vernooy Falls, a moderately easy hike recommended in one of my hiking groups. Just 15 miles away but apparently we were now in the Catskills.
Hike 12: Rainbow Falls (Minnewaska)
7.2 miles | 858 ft gain | Difficulty: Medium | Rating ★★★★ Spring brings high water and mud. While hiking might be a bit dirtier than other times of the year, it is the perfect time for chasing waterfalls. We took a few days up in the Hudson Valley to do just that. Rainbow Falls in Minnewaska State Park, not to be confused with Rainbow Falls in the High Peaks region, feeds into Peter Kill. While the falls can be dry in the summer, snow melt and saturated land allows for a brilliant cascade.
Hike 11: Dennings Point
5.3 miles | 150 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★ The plan was to hike Mount Beacon, through the casino ruins and up to the fire tower. We got as far as the top of the metal steps and I couldn't shake the growing shin pain in my right leg. Was it from yesterday's run? I'm not sure. But what was clear was that hiking such a steep climb, starting from a place of pain, was probably not a good idea. Beacon will have to wait.
Hike 10: Wawayanda State Park
7.8 miles | 1,309 ft gain | Difficulty: Medium | Rating ★★★★★ It was nearly a virgin trail. Last October the New York New Jersey Trail conference reblazed the blue trail, making it a full loop around Terrace Pond. Previously, you would have to take the blue to the yellow to the white...there was some red it there...and even still, not a full loop. This new trail was gorgeous and provided a variety of woods, water crossings and wide carriage like meadow paths, pretty much everything you can ask for in a single trail.
Hike 9: Butter Hill + Storm King Mountain
3.8 miles | 1,014 ft gain | Difficulty: Medium | Rating ★★★★★ "Bring spikes!" they all said. "Lot's of ice!" I trust my hiking community and arrived at the sunny, mostly dry trailhead prepared with our crampons, but couldn't figure out why. We tucked them into our backpack and started up the steep assent to Butter Hill, on our way to the top of Storm King mountain, with stunning view points along the way.
Hike 8: Newburgh-Beacon Bridge
4.2 miles | 352 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★ The kinda hike. Last week I was super excited to hike Storm King. We arrived around 10am to a mostly empty parking lot. The weather was bright and sunny, with just the right amount of winter nip. As I prepared to put my spikes on, Sean shared the horrifying news - his boots were still in Brooklyn.
Hike 3: Iron Mines + Hogencamp Mountain
6.1 miles | 751 ft gain | Difficulty: Moderate | Rating ★★★★★ It's been some time since I last hiked in Harriman State Park. I mean, yes, the trails we hike starting from the Tuxedo, NY train station are still part of the park, but when I say IN the park, I mean deep in the park, winding down Seven Lakes Drive.
Hike 2: Carris Hill + Wyanokie High Point
7.4 miles | 1,289 ft gain | Difficulty: Moderate | Rating ★★★★★ We took the long path. Intentionally? unintentionally? I'm not entirely sure. It's not unusual for our recorded hike to be slightly longer than AllTrails, but a 20%+ difference is a bit much.
Hike 1: Princeton Battlefield State Park
3.0 miles | 79 ft gain | Difficulty: Easy | Rating ★★★ Sometimes a new year means easing back into things. To simplify things, and to be flexible to restrictions Covid may place, I'm defining a 2021 hike as a 3+ mile excursion in the woods. Yes, I am for challenge, but sometimes it's just nice to get outside for a bit.
Fifty-Two Hikes 