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WARNING/DISCLAIMER: Hiking can be dangerous and the information furnished below may contain errors! |
Breakneck Ridge & Mount Taurus Hike
Total Distance: 7.2 miles
Difficulty: strenuous
/ difficult (multiple rock scrambles,
2,100'+ total elevation gain)
Estimated hiking time: 5.5+ hours
The hike begins on west side of the road where you will find the Breakneck Ridge Trail (white blazes). This first section of the hike involves 1.5 miles of sometimes difficult climbing and rock scrambling.
From the Breakneck Ridge Trail make a right onto the Notch Trail (blue blazes). Take the Notch trail until you reach a junction with the Washburn trail (white blazes). Take the Washburn trail until it intersects the Undercliff trail (yellow blazes). Make a right onto the Undercliff trail. Take the Undercliff trail until it intersects the Brook Trail (red blazes).
Make a left onto the Brook trail (not a well marked intersection, this intersection comes just before a bridge over a stream). Take the Brook Trail until you reach Route 9D. Make a right turn onto Route 9D to get back to your car, just beyond the underpass.
REFERENCES: New York - New Jersey Trail Conference Map #102 (East Hudson Trails)
Driving Directions from NYC
From NYC take the George Washington Bridge to the Palisades Interstate Parkway (going north). Take the Palisades Interstate Parkway for about 40 miles until its end at the Bear Mountain Bridge. Cross the Bear Mountain Bridge and make a left onto Route 9D (north).
Take Route 9D north for about 11 miles passing through the town of Cold Spring. About two miles north of Cold Spring you will drive through an underpass. Park on the roadside just north of the underpass (GPS: N 41.44354, W 073.97791).
The total driving time is estimated at one hour without traffic.
Public Transportation
Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Valley line stops at the "Breakneck Ridge" station which about 0.25 miles north of the trailhead (212/532-4900 or 800/638-7646).
Click here for What to Bring on a Hike
Click here for Information for Group Hikes
Questions: Michael Brochstein
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| Breakneck Ridge as seen from just south of it. (December 2010) | ||
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| The Breakneck Ridge trailhead next just north of the Breakneck Ridge underpass on the southbound side of the road (Route 9D). Note the box with "Trail Maps" sign on it. These maps are nice general maps but no substitute for the NewYork-New Jersey Trail Conference map covering this area. (July 2011) | Larger parking lot north of the trailhead on the southbound side of the road. (December 2010) | |
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| West Point as seen (looking south across the Hudson River) from Mount Taurus. Those with very very good eyesight (I needed binoculars) will be able to read the words on the roof of the large building in the foreground by the water (Gillis Field House) which read "Beat Air Force". (July 2011) | ||
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| Breakneck Ridge as seen (looking north) from Mount Taurus. (July 2011) | ||
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| Next to the Breakneck Ridge trailhead is a small parking area, located on the southbound side of the road. (December 2010) | ||
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| The Metro North "Breakneck Ridge" train stop about 0.5 miles north of the trailhead. It is located between the road (Route 9D) and the river. The "Breakneck Ridge" sign is not visible from the road. There is a pedestrian bridge located not far from the road (there is an very very short and unmarked access trail from the road to the bridge) which safely takes one from the road to the area of the train stop platforms. (December 2010) | ||
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| A overview of the train platforms with Breakneck Ridge in the background. The Hudson River is on the right and Route 9D is behind the trees on the left (December 2010). | ||
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| Another overview of the area where the pedestrian bridge and the train platforms are located (December 2010). | ||
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| Elevation profile | ||
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| View from across the Hudson River of Breakneck Ridge. The hike starts at the bottom, near the water, just to the left of the ridge and then goes straight up the ridge which is slightly right of center in the above image (January 2009). | View from across the Hudson River of Mount Taurus, the mountain just south of Breakneck Ridge (January 2009). | |
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| View from "North Point" (on the Howell Trail) looking northward with Route 9W on the left, Storm King Mountain to the north and Breakneck Ridge and Mount Taurus on the right, across the Hudson River - click on image to see an even bigger version (January 2009). | ||
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| Pollepel (Bannerman) Island (December 2010) | ||
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| A closer view of the ruins on Pollepel (Bannerman) Island (December 2010) | ||
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| Pollepel (Bannerman) Island (October 2003) | Rock Scrambling at a higher elevation of Breakneck Ridge. (October 2006) | |
Last updated: 7/2011