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Greater New York City Area
Day Hike Selector

Hike Name
(Click on the hike's name
to see detailed information.)
Length (miles)
(estimated)
Difficulty Hiking Time (hours)
(estimated)

*Terrain
Rating

Elevation
Gain

(approximate,
in feet)
General Area Trailhead Location Notes
Anthony's Nose 6 medium+ 3.5 - 5.5 C 1,500' Bear Mountain Bridge Bear Mt. Bridge Toll House hilly/steep/rocky terrain, nice river views
ASB - Dunning - LongPath Circular 3 medium 1.5+ C 500'+ Harriman State Park Lake Skannatati  
Beacon Hills & Views 10 medium+ 6.5+ (group) D 2,250'+ Beacon, NY Mount Beacon Park hills & views !
Bear Mountain 4 medium+ 3.5 C 1,100'+ Harriman State Park Bear Mountain Inn steep hill
Bearfort Ridge 8.3 medium+ 5-7+ D   Greenwood Lake (NY&NJ) Warwick Turnpike near Route 513 (NJ) some rock scrambling, hilly
Black Rock Forest 8.6 medium 4.5+ (individual) C 1,500'+ Black Rock Forest Mine Hill Rd, Cornwall, NY moderate / rolling hills, nice views
Breakneck Ridge - Breakneck Bypass 3.1 medium - difficult < 4 E 1,400'+ Cold Spring, NY Route 9D @ Breakneck Ridge Lots of rock scrambling, not for those with a fear of heights
Breakneck Ridge & Mount Taurus 7.2 medium - difficult 5.5+ E 2,100'+ Cold Spring, NY Route 9D @ Breakneck Ridge Lots of rock scrambling, not for those with a fear of heights
Breakneck Ridge - Notch Trail 3.7 medium - difficult < 4 E 1,400'+ Cold Spring, NY Route 9D @ Breakneck Ridge Lots of rock scrambling, not for those with a fear of heights
Breakneck Ridge & Sugarloaf Mountain 5.5 medium - difficult 4+ (5-6.25 group) E 1,670'+ Cold Spring, NY Route 9D @ Breakneck Ridge Lots of rock scrambling, not for those with a fear of heights
Breakneck Ridge, Sunset Point & Sugarloaf Mountain 6.6 medium - difficult 5+ E 2,100'+ Cold Spring, NY Route 9D @ Breakneck Ridge Lots of rock scrambling, not for those with a fear of heights
Taste of Breakneck Ridge 2.4 medium - difficult <3 E 1,125'+ Cold Spring, NY Route 9D @ Breakneck Ridge Lots of rock scrambling, not for those with a fear of heights
Car Pond Mountain 6.6 medium 4+ C 1,600'+ Harriman State Park County Route 106  
Catamount Mountain 6 medium 3+ C 1,000'+ Harriman State Park Town of Ramapo Equestrian Center  
Dater Mountain Nature County Park 4.75 medium 3+ C 600'+ Harriman State Park Johnsontown Road  
Delaware Water Gap - Dunnfield Creek 10 moderate- strenuous 5.5+ D 2,140'+ Delaware Water Gap Worthington State Forest near Route 80  
Delaware Water Gap - Holly Springs 6 moderate- strenuous 4-5.5 D 1,600'+ Delaware Water Gap Worthington State Forest near Route 80 .
Delaware Water Gap - Mount Tammany 3.3 moderate- strenuous 2.5+ D 1,200'+ Delaware Water Gap Worthington State Forest near Route 80  
Delaware Water Gap - Sunfish Pond 10 moderate- strenuous 5.5 - 7 D 1,300' Delaware Water Gap Worthington State Forest near Route 80  
Delaware Water Gap - Tammany Fire Road 10 moderate- strenuous 5.5 - 7 D 1,325'+ Delaware Water Gap Worthington State Forest near Route 80  
Doodletown Plus West Mountain 7 moderate+ 4.5+ C / D 1,330' Harriman State Park Route 9W
near Iona Island
views and history
Dover Oak & Nuclear Lake 7 / 7.5 moderate+ 3.5+ C 1,300'+ Pawling, NY West Dover Road / County Road 20 views, nice lake
Dunderberg (and Bald) Mountain and the Timp strenuous 4.5+, 5.5 - 7 (group) D 1,500'+ Harriman State Park Jones Point  
Elk Pen Five Mile Circular 5.2 medium 3+ C 1,100'+ Harriman State Park Elk Pen / Arden Valley Road  
Elk Pen - Lemon Squeezer Circular 7.2 moderate+ 4.5+ C/D 1,300'+ Harriman State Park Elk Pen / Arden Valley Road  
Elk Pen - Lichen Trail Circular 7.3 moderate+ 4.5+ C/D 1,400'+ Harriman State Park Elk Pen / Arden Valley Road  
Elk Pen Seven Mile Circular 7.2 moderate 4+ C 1,000'+ Harriman State Park Elk Pen / Arden Valley Road  
Elk Pen - Times Square Circular 10.6 medium+ 5.5+
(6.5+ groups)
C 1,273' Harriman State Park Elk Pen / Arden Valley Road Lemon Squeezer, ridge walking along the RD trail
Fingerboard Shelter 9.4 moderate - strenuous 5.5+ D 1,600'+ Harriman State Park County Route 106  
Goshen Mountain 8 medium 4+ C 1,400'+ Harriman State Park Silvermine Lake  
Hogencamp Mountain 6.8 medium+ 4+ C 1,360'+ Harriman State Park County Route 106  

Iron Mine Hike

6.5 medium 5? C 1,050' Harriman State Park Lake Skannatati  
Jackie Jones Fire Tower 8 moderate - strenuous 5 - 6 D 1,700'+ Harriman State Park Diltz Road, Pomona, NY  
Jackie Jones Mountain 5.4 moderate - strenuous 3.5+ D 1,300'+ Harriman State Park Call Hollow Rd, Stony Point, NY  
Johnsontown Road - Diamond Mountain 6 medium 4+ C 900'+ Harriman State Park Johnsontown Road  
Johnsontown Road - Lake Sebago 7 medium 4+ C 800'+ Harriman State Park Johnsontown Road  
Johnsontown Road - Lakes Skenonto & Sebago 6.8 medium 4+ C 800'+ Harriman State Park Johnsontown Road  
Lake Askoti - Fingerboard Shelter Circular 6.2 medium+ 4 C 1,120'+ Harriman State Park Lake Skannatati  
Lake Sebago - Diamond Mountain 7.6 medium+ 4+ C 1,300'+ Harriman State Park Lake Sebago Boat Launch  
Lake Skenonto Circular 8 medium+ 5.5-6 (group) D 1,500'+ Harriman State Park Tuxedo, NY  
Macedonia Brook State Park 4.4 medium++ 3+ (group) C+ 1,000'+ Kent, CT Macedonia Brook State Park some rock scrambling
Mombasha High Point 8.7 medium+ 5+ (group) C 1,100'+ Southfields, NY Route 17A, Tuxedo Park, NY  
Mt. Taurus 5.2  medium - strenuous 4+ group D 1,400'+ Cold Spring, NY Route 9D, south of Breakneck Ridge  
Palisades Interstate Park: Giant Stairs 4 medium - challenging 3 E 700' Alpine, NJ State Line Lookout, Alpine, NJ rock scrambling, rocky terrain!!
Palisades Interstate Park: Northern Section 7+ moderate 4 C 600'+ Alpine, NJ Alpine Boat Basin Very close to NYC
Palisades Interstate Park: Southern Section 11.8  moderate 5+ C 650'+ Englewood Cliffs, NJ Englewood (NJ) Boat Basin Very close to NYC
Pine Meadow Lake 8.3 or 9 medium+ 6+ D 1,300'+ Harriman State Park Kakiat Park (Suffern, NY)  alternative adds 0.7 miles
Pine Swamp Mountain 6.2 medium 3+ C 600+ Harriman State Park Lake Skannatati  
Popolopen Torne 6 strenuous 3.5+ D 1,000'+ Harriman State Park Fort Montgomery State Historic Site / Route 9W excellent panoramic views, rock scrambling, steep climb
Pound Mountain Circular 6 medium 4+ (group) C 1,200'+ Harriman State Park Tuxedo, NY  
Pyramid Mountain 5 moderate 3 - 4 C 700'+ Boonton Township, NJ Route 511 (Boonton Townhip, NJ)

 

Raccoon Brook Hill 10 moderate+ 6+ C / D 1,000'+ Harriman State Park Kakiat Park (Suffern, NY)  
Ramapo Mountains 10 medium+ 6+, 6.5-7.5 (group) C 1,000'+ Harriman State Park Town of Ramapo Equestrian Center  
Ramapo Torne and the Pulpit 6 medium - strenuous 5 - 6
(group)
D ~1,400' Harriman State Park Reeves Meadow Visitor Center hilly, some rock scrambles
Ringwood State Park 5.5 medium 4 C   Ringwood State Park Ringwood State Park   
Rockhouse Mountain 8.4 medium 4.5+ C 1,030'+ Harriman State Park Lake Skannatati  
Schunemunk Mountain 9.6 strenuous 6.5 - 7.5
(group)
D 1,575'+ Woodbury, NY Mountainville, NY some rocky terrain and scrambling
Schunemunk Mountain: The Megaliths 6.4 strenuous  5+ (group) D 1,350'+ Woodbury, NY Mountainville, NY  
Southern Storm King State Park 4 medium 3 C 1,250'+ Cornwall, NY Route 9W,
Cornwall, NY
panoramic views
Southfields Circular 10.25
(or 8)
medium 5.5+
(~6.5+
group)
C 1,000'+ Harriman State Park Route 17, Southfields, NY car shuttle needed for shorter version
Sterling Fire Tower 8 or 9.5 medium 4 C   Cornwall, NY Route 17A,
Tuxedo Park, NY
small / medium hills, two options.
Storm King Mountain 4 medium 3 - 4.25 C 1,200'+ Cornwall, NY Route 9W,
Cornwall, NY
small amount of rock scrambling
The Timp & the Anchor 6 medium - strenuous 4 - 5 group 
(3+ solo)
D 1,240'+ Harriman State Park Jones Point  
The Timp & Bald Mountain
strenuous 5.5 - 7 (group) D 1,500'+ Harriman State Park Jones Point starts near Jones Point
Tom Jones Mountain 9.1 medium+ 5+ D 1,860'+ Harriman State Park County Route 106  
Three Mountains Plus Doodletown 7.5 medium+ 5+ C / D 1,875' Harriman State Park Route 9W
near Iona Island
views and history
Three Mountains: West, The Timp & Bald 8.5 medium+ 5+ D 2,000'+ Harriman State Park Bear Mountain Inn Starts and ends at the Bear Mountain Inn.
Tuxedo + Two Lakes 7.5 medium+ 4.5+ C 1,300'+ Harriman State Park Tuxedo, NY  
Wayne's Timp 8+ medium - difficult 5+ (6+ group) C / D   Harriman State Park Anthony Wayne Recreation Area hilly, steep, many views
West Mountain Ridge 4.7 medium 3 C 850'+ Harriman State Park Near Exit 19 / Palisades Interstate Parkway many great views
West Mountain & Nuclear Lake (Pawling, NY) 7, 12, 12.5 moderate 4, 6+, 7
(group)
C 900' or 1250' Pawling, NY Route 22 3 versions
West Pawling Appalachian Trail Highlights 7.2 moderate 4-5 (group) C 600'+ Pawling, NY Route 55 small rolling hills
Wyanokie High Point 8.4  medium+ 5+ - 6.5+ C ~1,000' Norvin Green State Forest (Wanaque, NJ) Weis Ecology Center hilly

*Terrain Rating using the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) scale;
A - Solid pavement/sidewalk
B - Soft ground/sand/carriage trails
C - Hiking trails/gentle rolling hills
D - Steep hills, scrambles possible
E - Rough terrain/exposure and/or thick brush possible
F - Extremely difficult terrain/possible sustained exposure

Guide to Day Hiking: Getting Started  - Your first day hike, a detailed discussion about what to bring, planning a hike of your own and leading a group hike. 

What to Bring on a Hike (IMPORTANT)

Trail News: To get the latest info about trail relocations and closures go to the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference website.

Which hike has the best views? All hikes listed above have at least one really nice view (and some have more than one!).

Questions: Michael Brochstein

Copyright © 2012-2014 Michael Brochstein. All rights reserved.