An Easy Daytrip from New York City to the Hudson Valley
Written: Mar 15 '01 (Updated Mar 16 '01)
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Pros: Easy and convenient by train, or car. great views.
Cons: If you don't like hiking, this is not for you.town can get crowded with visitors.
The Bottom Line: The Hudson Highlands feature some strenous hiking trails, but spectacular views of the Hudson Valley and of the village of Cold Spring below. Convenient by train.
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| soothsayer's Full Review: Hudson Highlands State Park |
The Hudson Highlands is the perfect and convenient place to go for a daytrip and hiking outside of New York City on a nice autumn day. I say perfect daytrip because part of the Hudson Highlands is located near Cold Spring, a small town on the Hudson River with fine scenery; convenient because the Metro-North stops at Cold Spring.
The Hudson Highlands is a small mountain range extending from Massachusetts all the way to New Jersey. It extends unbroken except for the beautiful Hudson River cutting through it near the town of Cold Spring to form a true fjord like those found along the Norwegian coast. There is also a bit of marshland.
For hiking, the Hudson Highlands provides some of the most strenuous hiking available just outside New York City. The trails are a challenging in and around Cold Spring, but with great rewards of scenery if you can get to the top of Mount Taurus, or even just to the Overlook (overlooking Cold Spring and Storm King Mountain) halfway to the top.
Do this on a nice fall day, when the autumn leaves change color, and the valley will be ablaze with color. This is the cheapest way of getting out of the city in autumn just for the day.
For starters, grab a guidebook about the Hudson Highlands from the bookstore, or library. Study the trails listed in the Hudson Highlands section. You may need a copy of a good map if you want to go hiking; a line drawing roughly illustrating the trails is good enough. The trails are well marked with visible landmarks (ruins, lakes, overlooks) nearby, but in some spots, the blazing is spotty, or may have an old name listed instead of a splash of paint.
The highest point (of convenience) is Mountain Taurus. Getting to the top will take you at least 1-2 hours. There are two ways of getting there, the white trail and the red trail. Both trailheads are located off of route 9D about 1 mile north of Cold Spring. The white trail is the one closest to town, the one with a tiny parking lot, and the one with the direct path up the mountain. Unfortunately, it is the hardest trail to climb, and you will be climbing with your hands near the summit. Fortunately, one can take an easier path up the mountain by taking the red trail.
The red trail is located about a mile up route 9D near a ruined iron gate. Past the ruined gate is a wide path leading up a hill, this actually was the old driveway leading up to an old estate that was burned to the ground decades ago. The red trail meanders easily up the hill, past the ruins, and will intersect with the blue trail. Take the blue, and it will lead directly up to Mount Taurus. There is no strenuous climbing with hands, but the path takes a half-hour longer to climb. It is also more scenic as you pass by the ruins of the old estate, and can also rest awhile at a small lake near the ruins of the main house (near the red-blue intersection). Whichever trail you take (red-blue, or white), both connect at Mount Taurus, and you can see everything if you walk in just one direction. Carry at a minimum, one liter of water, you will need it.
If you want to go only to the ridge overlooking Cold Spring, it is shorter hike if you use the white trail. The overlook is quite beautiful and can be used as a picnic spot.
Should one not wish to visit the Highlands for hiking or for picnicking, one can remain in Cold Spring to enjoy the afternoon antiquing or exploring the town. Cold Spring is very historic; this is where the West Point Foundry was located. It forged many of the cannons used by the North during the Civil War. Right across the river (to the west) from Cold Spring is Storm King Mountain where it was used as a testing range for some of the cannon.
Visiting the Hudson Highlands by car, one only needs to travel to Cold Spring on route 9D or 301 depending on direction. If you do not have a car, one can take the Metro-North Railroad from New York Grand Central; it stops at Cold Spring in the center of town ($7.75 one-way, hourly service). The train travels along the Hudson River, so you can enjoy the scenery along the way. The hiking trails are located about 1-2 miles north along route 9D, really easy to walk.
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: September-November
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Hiking & Trails
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