Breakneck Ridge is by far the most popular hike in the Hudson Highlands area and one of the most popular and talked about trails among NYC residents. For me, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve hiked it and that gives me an expert’s perspective to show you everything you need to know before you try it out and that’s exactly what I’m going to be doing in this post.
Info:
- Name: Breakneck Ridge
- Location: Hudson Highlands State Park
- Length: 5-9 miles
- Elevation: 800-1,200 feet
- Difficulty: Hard
- Distance from NYC: 1-2 hours
- Reviews: 4.8 out of 5
Overview:
Breakneck Ridge is a difficult, scenic and super popular hike. The trail is known for its steep inclines and rocky scrambles. This is the kind of place where each step up feels like a real accomplishment and believe me, there are many parts of the trail which are steep and difficult to hike, but the reward for doing so is worth it.
What makes Breakneck Ridge truly special is the reward that comes after the demanding ascent: a panoramic skyline that stretches wide across the Hudson Highlands. On a clear day, you can see the Hudson River Valley for many miles and even NYC in the greater distance, and it’s moments like these that make all of the effort worthwhile.
The hike is pretty straightforward but I want to give you some important context in the next sections on the different ways you can hike Breakneck Ridge and that’s because it’s length (which is up to 9 miles) isn’t set in stone. You can exit out of it in multiple spots, other trail colors to cut the trip short and it’s important that you have a map of the area in order to do (I’ve included that below).
How to hike Breakneck Ridge:
When you get to the Breakneck Ridge trailhead, you will find plenty of parking available and the trailhead begins right next to a tunnel. The trail is marked as white and it’s also referred to as ‘BR’
which stands for Breakneck Ridge.
If you follow the white trail all the way to it’s end (5 miles), you will reach the famous Beacon Fire Tower. You can then return back on the same white trail or other connecting ones to reach about a 9 mile in and out hike.
However most people don’t do this full version and there are numerous connecting trails you can exit out from to make it shorter. Here are some of the more popular ones:
- Start at BR trail, head up to the green trail, take it down to the parking lot (1 mile, difficult)
- Start at BR trail, head up to the yellow trail, take it down to the red trail, then back to the parking lot (3 miles, difficult)
- Start at the BR trail, head up to the red trail, take it down to the yellow, then yellow back to the parking lot (6 miles, difficult)
These 3 options will cut the Breakneck Ridge hike by a lot and have you explore other parts of the Hudson Highlands Park, but they are all difficult in different ways and I’ve labeled them from shortest to longest. Again if you want to do the full in and out trail, just follow the white trail to it’s end, then back (I’d go back to the red trail and use that to come back).
When to go:
Here’s the “30,000 foot overview”: Go here during early mornings, weekdays during spring OR fall.
Spring and fall are highly recommended as the weather is chilly enough to enjoy the difficult hike, but not overheat. I’m not a fan of hiking here in the summer (speaking from experience) due to the intense heat, on top of the hike’s difficulty. I actually had a heat stroke doing that once. I also hiked here in the winter and that has too much ice, so I’d avoid going then too.
In my opinion, to fully appreciate the panoramic views without the midday sun in your eyes, aim for an early morning start. This will give you plenty of time to hike the area, have numerous rest stops and choose which of the above options to do, while having plenty of daylight to do it and not only will you catch the breathtaking sunrise, but you’ll also avoid the afternoon crowd which peaks around midday.
Now, if you’re wondering about avoiding long waits at the trailhead or congested paths, consider hiking on a weekday. Weekends see a significant influx of visitors, which might detract from your experience if solitude is what you’re after.
A quick check of local forecasts before departure is also going to save you from any unwanted surprises, and don’t worry too much about minor shifts a well prepared hiker can handle a little rain!
Dangers and other things to know:
I’m going to level with you: Breakneck Ridge isn’t your average stroll in the park. This hike is as electrifying as its name suggests, offering a cocktail of steep rock scrambles and narrow pathways. If you’re not someone who is used to this type of stuff, I’d do the shortest version of the hike I listed above.
At the same time, there are parts of this hike that break off (no pun intended) providing an “easier” way to reach the top and you will see the signs as you follow the white markers for that.
Bringing the right gear is also important so stick to the basics:
- A backpack that can hold about 2 liters for each person, candy bars and snacks, and some first aid stuff just in case.
- Hiking shoes are also imperative on a hike like this.
- I’d also recommend wearing clothing that covers you body and especially the legs (there are ticks there, some one of the most dangerous animals in Upstate NY)
Stuff to do after:
After conquering Breakneck Ridge, the adventure doesn’t have to end there. There’s a plethora of attractions and activities waiting just around the bend. If you’ve got any energy left, or you’re planning to stick around for a while, you’re in for a treat. Here’s what I recommend:
- Little Stony Point (5 min from Breakneck Ridge)
- Bull Hill Loop trail (next door mountain to Breakneck Ridge)
- Town of Beacon (It has art museums and more)
- Bannerman Castle
- Cold Spring (decent restaurants, shops and awesome views)
- Bear Mountain State Park (30 minutes away)
- Hudson Line (there is a train that runs here, and you can take it to further towns, or to Breakneck Ridge itself)