Challenging Hikes
Information on this page current as of
May 21, 2008
What do we mean by
"challenging" hikes?
The hikes on this page
are better suited to hikers who have some real hiking experience. The trails
traversed are in places rugged and have steep slopes. ("The Giant Stairs" is
rated as "most difficult" because it includes a challenging rock scramble
coupled with steep slopes.) These hikes may take over three hours to complete,
and younger children may
not be able to complete them. Older children and adults should be
in good shape and confident of their hiking abilities. All hikers should read and understand our "Tips" before
setting out on one of these hikes.
Hikes on this page:
The Giant Stairs (most difficult)
Are you coming by public transportation?
Bombay Hook
Area: Alpine
Length: 8 miles (including side trips)
Time: 5 hours
Parking: Alpine Boat Basin & Picnic Area
Alternative access: Park Headquarters
This 7-mile hike will bring you to some of the most impressive scenery in the area. And if the ascent up the Forest View Trail seems daunting (it is, arguably, our most difficult climb in the Park), you can always turn around at that point...
By bus
from New York City...
Get off the bus at the first stop north of Closter Dock Road in Alpine. The
pedestrian tunnel beneath the Palisades Interstate Parkway is the trailhead for
the Closter Dock Trail; the Closter Dock Trail intersects the Long Path on the
other side of this tunnel.
Begin at the Kearney House at the north end of the Alpine Picnic Area. As you look north up the river, you will notice a pronounced point—or "hook"—extending out into the river. This is "Bombay Hook," and the stone column you see on it is called "the man in the rock." This geological formation is at the center of this hike. Head north along the white-blazed Shore Trail, which ascends behind the stone picnic pavilion. The trail will level off at its intersection with the orange-blazed Closter Dock Trail. Keep heading north along the wide, inviting Shore Trail. Here you will pass through an area that was once a small fisherman's village, known as "Cape Flyaway." Several stone stairways to the river make interesting side trips, and notice the many non-indigenous, ornamental plants that have come to thrive here (a more complete description of this part of the hike is in the "Cape Flyaway Loop" hike description, above).
About a mile from the start, the trail divides, with the "official" Shore Trail going downhill, toward the river. The other trail, called the "Upper Trail" on a painted rock, will rejoin the Shore Trail in about 0.5 miles—you can use either trail (after heavy rains, the "Upper Trail" is preferred, as the Shore Trail tends to flood). The two trails eventually rejoin, now following close to the river. In less than a mile you will come on spectacular views of the wild cliff face of the Palisades. (Looking north, you should be able to make out the "Indian Head" profile at the top of the cliffs.)
The shore will grow wider and meadow-like. You are entering the park's old Forest View Area—a picnic area and boat basin that was abandoned to nature after World War II, due to a decline in visitors. (To learn more about Forest View, see the "The Three Ghosts of Forest View.") Keep a sharp eye out for the blue-and-white-blazed Forest View Trail to your left—take a break!—then climb this steep trail toward the summit.
Near the top, the Forest View Trail intersects with the aqua-blazed Long Path. Stay on the Forest View Trail, heading south, as it overlaps the Long Path, continuing on the final ascent to the summit and the Women's Federation Monument. This makes a good lunch spot—and please take a moment to read the plaque on the southern end of the Monument.
A side trip...
Just south of the Monument, you'll see a wide unmarked trail that enters the woods, headed more or less south, roughly parallel to the cliff edge. Following this trail takes you into the former Timken-Burnett property, a large estate owned by Cora Timken (heiress of the Timken roller bearing fortune) and her husband, John Clawson Burnett, an osteopath. Little remains of the estate, but what does is intriguing. (A short way along, for example, on the right [west] side of the unmarked trail, is their former swimming pool, now mostly filled in, but of a unique shape and design.) The area is fascinating to explore, but please keep to the several unmarked but obvious trails, use caution around slopes and cliffs, and do not "bushwhack" through this area, which is also prime habitat for some wildlife. (The trails in this area are not on our hiking maps.)
For more about the Burnetts: "Stranger Than Weird"A short way down the trail from the Monument, the Long Path will separate from the Forest View Trail to head south. Stay on the aqua-blazed Long Path, following it south (you'll be on the Long Path for most of the rest of this hike). The Long Path will eventually wind back toward the cliff edge, at an impressive overlook called Ruckman Point (it's worth investigating some of the "graffiti" carved into the rocks from over a century ago), where you can look down on the route you took earlier.
Another Side Trip...
From Ruckman Point, a well-defined but unmarked trail heads north, parallel to the cliff edge. This trail actually goes out for about 0.5 miles onto a large "point" on the cliffs—in essence, it is a dead end. But it is also one of the most picturesque spots in the Park, and a great location for observing hawks and other raptors.Keep on the Long Path as it goes through the woods above Bombay Hook. You will eventually cross a stream on a wooden bridge. Keep an eye out for "Grey Crag," with an old concrete span that goes out to a free-standing crag of rock. This bridge was built by John Ringling, of the Ringling Brothers' Circus, to accompany his summer mansion at this location (you can find some of the foundation remains of the mansion just south of the concrete bridge). Cross this bridge at your own risk, noting that the crag is prone to heavy poison ivy growth.
The Long Path will bring you to Park Headquarters in about 0.5 miles. (Restrooms and a drinking fountain are available here.) Continuing south, you will get to the top of the orange-blazed Closter Dock Trail, right where the Long Path crosses Alpine Approach Road through a small tunnel to continue south. Take the Closter Dock Trail (orange) downhill to the Shore Trail, just a couple of hundred yards from where you started.
The Giant Stairs (most difficult)
Area: State Line
Length: 3 miles (includes steep descent, mile-long rock scramble, and a steep climb)
Time: 2+ hours
Map: Map 3
Parking: State Line Lookout
Bus Access: See "Point Lookout" hike description on our "Public Transportation" page
This is the "hike of hikes" on the Palisades, and we really recommend trying something a little easier first ... the "Stairs" are as much rock scramble as hike, with a very steep ascent at the end—never attempt this hike when it’s wet or icy out!
Begin this loop hike at Lookout Inn at State Line Lookout. From here, you can begin by going either south or north.
To begin south: Begin at Lookout Inn and head south along Old Route 9W, following the aqua blazes of the Long Path as they follow Old Route 9W (once you pass the barrier stones, you are on the active roadway on which you drove into the Lookout, so use caution here). About a hundred yards along, you will see where the aqua blazes leave the road through a gap in the parapet stones, and the trail enters the woods. The trail goes down a ravine on stone steps. At the base of the Ravine, the aqua trail intersects the blue-and-white-blazed Forest View Trail; here you will turn left (east) on the Forest View Trail, taking it down to the river, where it will end at the white-blazed Shore Trail (this descent is very steep). Take white north about a quarter mile to the beginning of the Giant Stairs, a formation created by thousands of rockslides over the eons. You’ll scramble over the rocks for about a mile, following the white blazes all the way (some of these, you’ll notice, are in the shape of half-moons—don’t let this throw you). The Shore Trail finally levels off along the river, and goes to Peanut Leap Cascade. After a steep ascent on white, turn left (south) on on the aqua-blazed Long Path, cross the stream, and follow the Long Path back to start.
To begin north: Head north along Old Route 9W, noting the aqua blazes of the Long Path along the way—you’ll be following these markers for the first part of this hike. About 100 yards along, the Long Path leaves the old cement road and goes into the woods, more or less following the cliff edge (and for a while overlapping Ski Trail E). About 1 mile along, you come to the State Line Monument and a chain link fence; here the trail jogs right (east) to go around the fence, and begins to descend a series of stone steps, with excellent vistas north toward the Tappan Zee. At the base of the steps, the trail jogs to the left, to bear northwest for a time and so headed away from the river. In less than 0.5 miles, you’ll cross a stream on wooden bridges. Across this stream, turn right (east), at the start of the white-blazed Shore Trail that follows the stream toward the river. Just before the river, this trail gets quite steep and is prone to erosion—use caution. You will arrive at river level at the base of Peanut Leap Cascade. Continue on the white-blazed Shore Trail as it heads south along the Hudson, then follow it over the Giant Stairs, finally to the trailhead of the blue-and-white-blazed Forest View Trail. This will lead you steeply back up to the aqua-blazed Long Path. Here, turn right (north), still going up, and follow the Long Path back to the starting point.
