Breakneck Ridge Trailhead Reopens Saturday

COLD SPRING, NY — The Breakneck Ridge Trailhead in Hudson Highlands State Park will reopen this weekend. It closed two weeks ago after a boulder dislodged and fell a distance along the trail.

Now State Parks officials have determined that the boulder is stable in its present location.

"Often called ‘the most popular day hike in America,’ Breakneck Ridge is a challenging climb in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve about 90 minutes north of New York City," say the folks at the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. "The trails on Breakneck Ridge test hikers of all ages with steep rock ledges and then reward them with sweeping views of the Hudson River."

The Hudson Highlands are part of the Appalachian chain, a set of mountains that run from the Deep South to Maine. The granite that makes the hiking so enjoyable and affords breathtaking views of the Hudson River and surrounding landscape also is ever changing due to the forces or nature as well as patterns of use.

While State Parks rangers continually assesses the condition of its parks to maximize patron safety, hikers should be aware that hiking, like all outdoor recreational activities, has inherent risks.

State Parks officials ask that all visitors plan their visit, downloading a map of the area through Avenza maps (a free app) or picking up a paper trail map. Visitors are urged to wear appropriate footwear, bring water and allow at least three hours for the hike.

Park patrons should be aware of the potential for loose or falling rocks along the trail.

>> Check out and Like the Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook pages.