Hudson Highlands State Park,
Dutchess / Putnam Counties,
New York
Hiking Trails:
Breakneck Ridge Trail: White blaze
Notch Trail: Blue blaze
Brook Trail: Red blaze
Total Time: 3:25 hour
Estimated Distance: 4.5 Miles
Pros: Great climb, scenic views throughout
Cons: Very busy with lots of people
Hike Type: Loop
Level of Difficulty: Very Difficult
Hiking Partner:
Joseph Friedman
Elisha Friedman
Map of Route:
https://goo.gl/maps/fx6Jy1HMNCkMNBuR8
Breakneck Ridge is one of the most popular hikes in the region, featuring a steep scramble with great views up a 1200+ foot climb. The weather had been unseasonably cool and not humid, making this an idea time for this very tough hike. We parked on Route 9D after the tunnel, and the roadside parking was really filling up. We took the Breakneck Trail up steeply to the view with the flagpole, and I noticed a new trail was constructed here. It's called the Nimham Trail and is a short trail that goes from this part of Breakneck back down to the Wilkinson Memorial Trail.
We continued up the mountain to the summit, and then took the Notch Trail down, past the Cornish Estate, which contains many abandoned structures from this old estate in the valley between Breakneck Ridge and Bull Hill. We then took the Brook Trail down to Route 9D, which we took north through the tunnel and back to our car.
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| Map of the Route |
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| Information and Volunteers at the Beginning of the Hike |
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| Informational Panel at the Beginning |
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| First View Over the Hudson River at Breakneck |
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| Warning Sign at the Beginning of Breakneck |
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| Me on the Steep Climb |
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| Storm King Mountain Across the River While Ascending |
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| Sailboat in the Hudson River |
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| View Northwest Towards Newburgh Bay |
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| View of Pollopel Island and Newburgh |
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| Freight Train on the Other Side of the River |
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| View Facing North |
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| Storm King Mountain |
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| Me Overlooking Storm |
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| Overlooking the Hudson |
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| Flags at Breakneck |
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| View Facing South |
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| Sign at New Trail Intersection |
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| Me at Breakneck |
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| Bull Hill and the Hudson Facing South |
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| Newburgh Bay from Breackneck |
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| Storm King Mountain |
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| Large Freight Train at Storm King |
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| Criscrossing Trains at Storm King |
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| Trains in Both Directions |
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| Me with Large Barge in the Hudson |
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| Pollopel Island |
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| View Near the Breakneck Summit |
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| View to the Southeast |
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| Train Intersection Sign |
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| Hudson in the Distance with Train |
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| Newburgh and the Newburgh Beacon Bridge |
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| City of Newburgh |
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| Beacon Mountain to the North |
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| Cornish Estate Ruins |
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| Cornish Estate |
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| Cornish Estate |
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| Cornish Estate |
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| Waterfalls near the End of the Hike |
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| Pumphouse Ruins |
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| Pumphouse Ruins Plaque |
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| Tunnel on Route 9D |
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