Breakneck Ridge

Hudson Highlands State Park,
Putnam County,
New York

Hiking Partners:
Shimmy Rosenberg

This is one of the greatest hikes in the Hudson Valley region. It’s almost a solid scramble from sea level to the 1200 foot mark. This hike has almost continuous views the entire hike and is a demanding hike.

Started hike at trailhead on Route 9D, by the tunnel, and climbed the Breakneck Ridge Trail to all the views and to the summit. Headed down south via the Notch Trail, to the Cornish Estate. The Cornish Estate is an abandoned and overgrown set of houses and farm houses, and you can go in and explore all the ruins. Then continued on the Notch Trail to the Brook Trail, past the cascading stream and waterfalls and over the Catskill aqueduct, back to Route 9D. Took Route 9D through the tunnel underneath the mountain and then back to the car at the trailhead.

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Me on top of the tunnel over Route 9D.
The trail goes above the tunnel.

Me climbing a steep rock face
Shimmy scrambling Up

Me at the first view.
Looking south toward Cold Spring.

At the flag at the first viewpoint.

Looking south from the first viewpoing.
Bull Hill, Rt. 9D, and the Hudson.

Storm King Mountain across the river, facing west.

Sheer cliff wall on the south side of the mountain

Shimmy climbing a cliff

Facing north towards Bannerman Island and Newburgh

Heading up towards the summit

Facing southeast towards the summit of Bull Hill

Breakneck Ridge and Storm King across the river.
This area and south is locally known as
the "Hudson River Gorge".

Shimmy on the summit. Facing northwest.

In the abandoned Cornish Estate

Waterfall along Breakneck Brook

Looking up the mountain from Route 9D, right
beforethe tunnel, at the end of the hike.