Hiking
Hiking Tips
Watch my brief vlog for a video summary!
Just an hour north of Manhattan are quiet riverside towns that feel wonderfully removed from the buzz of urban life – a favorite escape for New Yorkers and New Jerseyans. This is where the Hudson river carves through rolling green mountains and stone trails that take you through pivotal Revolutionary War history. Cold Spring is one of those historic towns. It feels like a place where time slows down where you can just wander through its inviting cafes, vintage storefronts and bookstores. It’s hard to ignore its deep historical roots when you see posters celebrating the town’s Revolutionary War reenactments. And near the historic train depot is a plaque installed in 1893 that commemorates General George Washington’s frequent visits as his troops were staged nearby – he drank at a spring here, which gave the town its name. For me, Cold Spring is a perfect place to charge up before starting a decent hike.
Slightly south is Castle Rock Unique Area – a bit under the radar with a vast interconnecting network of trails and is where we connected onto the Appalachian Trail (AT). The hike starts with a gradual uphill, but once on the AT it’s a comfortable walk along the forested ridge. It’s mostly quiet through canopied forest and occasionally there are openings through the trees where I got glimpses of the Hudson River. We periodically would run into solo backpackers and some day hikers. However, as we near the iconic Bear Mountain Bridge, throngs of day hikers were summitting the popular Anthony Nose for a panoramic view of the river. I took a slight turn to head towards the bridge, which is part of the AT. This suspension bridge was built in 1924. But just like the towns, you’re reminded about the region’s older history. This region provided the Americans strategic advantage during the Revolutionary where they stretched iron chains across the Hudson to restrict the movement of British ships.
On the other side of the bridge is Bear Mountain State Park and Hessian Lake. It’s completely packed with local families barbecuing, celebrating Independence weekend. Typically on Friday summer nights a band plays at the lake which unfortunately we didn’t get to experience because the holiday fell on a Friday. Bear Mountain Inn is a historic hotel built in 1915 that sits right on the lake. It exudes rustic vibes and offers modern amenities: a full service restaurant, cafe, bar, and spa so you don’t have to leave the park to find overnight comfort. At dusk, fireflies lit up the trees and grass, adding to the allure of the area.
The next day we were back on the AT, but started slightly more south in the Anthony Wayne recreational area. Anthony Wayne was an American general during the Revolutionary War who led the capture of Stony Point, another nearby riverside colonial town, from the British in 25 minutes (yup that’s correct) which ended the British control of the river. There’s a lot around here named after him. The views along the AT are striking – once you’re above the treeline it’s an amazing panoramic of the green highlands and snaking river. Once we arrived atop Bear Mountain, we were able to get even higher by climbing up Perkins Tower. There’s plenty of vintage photos in the tower showing the local history – this is where I learned that the stones around the area were used towards building NYC. I was also able to see the NYC skyline from a hazy distance.
The New York Hudson Valley is that rare place where natural beauty, American history, and outdoor recreation all meet—and it's waiting just beyond the city limits. If you want to experience this trip, learn more at my Trips page and reach out to me at lily@selfguidedtrails.com.
