As far as hiking trails go in the immediate NYC-metro region, this is one of the best in terms of…read moreviews and a good choice for moderate aerobic exercise. From the hilltop peaks your sightline on a clear day follows the winding path of the Hudson River and then extends for miles along the east and west horizons. Arrival to the trail is by car or train. There's no parking lot at the main two trailhead entrance/exit points so cars park alongside the road next to these markers for about half a mile each way. Arrival by metro-north train drops you off at Breakneck Ridge station, though worthwhile to double check whether it stops here on off-peak weekdays and winter months. There are a few main options for trail difficulty and length. The short loop takes 1 hour though doesn't ascend the main peaks, the long loop takes 3 hours and involves a pretty arduous (steep rock scramble for hiking novices) climb up to reach 2 main peaks, the Break Neck to Cold Spring route includes the rock scramble portion of the long loop and the takes 4 hours. There are other combinations of trails you can take, and park services has done a good job of posting trail markers so you don't get lost. My friend and I took the long trail and on a clear fall Saturday morning tons of other hikers had the same idea. The rock scramble was about 30 minutes of continuous steep ascent, some parts of which you need to push or pull yourself over boulders so a decent level of physical fitness, a good sense of balance and shoes/boots with good traction are a must. This part of the trail is one-way meaning for ascent only--descending would be rather dangerous if other people were trying to climb up at the same time--and especially bc on certain parts there's only 1-2 routes uphill with a clear path and good grip (at least for inexperienced rock climbers like me). There are signs warning not to take this route if you have a fear of heights. The second peak along the long loop requires similar rock scaling though there's an option to go up via a side route which was still steep but involved less scrambling. The rest of the loop is mild and mostly downhill though you do need to be careful of dusty (or muddy) patches and loose rocks and pebbles causing slippery slopes. Make sure to bring enough water if you're doing the longer trails, and ideally a snack to replenish some energy part way. No rest stops or bathrooms on the trail (it is after all a hiking trail in the woods) so plan accordingly! Dogs are allowed and I saw some on and off leash.

So the novice in me (and I use that term very loosely) decided to embark on this journey without…read moreeven knowing that a scramble was. The views at every point, the nice breeze amidst the summer heat, and the friendly folks along the way made this a highlight of the summer. Oh, and hiking snacks came in clutch

Returned just to enjoy this amazing, local, park. Seems used by mostly dog walkers, or individuals…read moreexercising in some manner. The board walk is wonderful, as makes it wheel chair accessible, if you like to view the huge marches. We enjoy hiking. The trail, and any challenge that follow the creeks.

Cute little park to visit. Very small, not much walking. the views are beautiful. Great to read a…read morebook if you want or just look at the views.

Large and beautiful park. Friends chose it for an easy social hike and chose/followed along the…read morepaths using a trail app. (There is also a map available at the visitor's center but the app makes it easy to detour without getting lost, plus it details length of the hike and other trail details.) This park is SO lovely. While there we saw ducks, frogs, goats... Some took the train from Manhattan and an Uber to the park from there. If you drive it is only $6 to park. There are restrooms and water fountains in the main parking lot. Bring a bag to keep any garbage! In this park there are no trash cans, you take out what you bring in.

Rockefeller State Park has some nice walking trails. They are pretty low impact which is nice if…read moreyou're not looking for something too intense. There are also beautiful views of the Hudson River. There is a small parking lot, but not too many spaces so try to come early to find a spot.

Lots of lush land, prime for hiking, hanging, picture taking, and overall enjoying nature! You do…read morehave to pay a fee to enter from may thru Sept BUT you can walk in for free! The pals and I went early summer to collect wild berries and they were plentiful! Lots to do for every nature lover whether avid or beginner. Take in the history and find something new and majestic here!

Not the prettiest this time of year with barren trees and wet muddy swap areas. Off-trailing is…read morehighly unrecommended. Follow the trails and do some research beforehand, maybe even use a hiking app. The basic trail was probably easier than the weird way we tackled the mountain. Definitely start the trail where it's marked on Google Maps. Real muddy after the rain from yesterday and got real messy. Thorny plants too. And many bugs buzzing around your head (no mosquitoes yet despite the swampy wetness). Can take the Metro North to Peekskill and walk up a steep hill to the reservation. 1) follow the trails 2) bring bug spray 3) check out the weather and the season 4) don't get lost

I seriously adore this island…read more Small parking area off the main road and its legit in such a random spot that it gets very little traffic which i really appreciate. You walk along the inlet and up a hill, eventually you will on top of the 'mountain' that is also the metro north train tunnel. You can go around one of the fences and sit directly above the tunnel but we aware-- there is no additional fence before the drop. And if you drop..well, um. You dead. But otherwise its super cool to watch the train approach and feel it rumble underneath you. Going along a little further up the trail you will come to an outcropping of an old foundation and what is left of a fireplace and chimney. I believe this was one of the guest houses or the daughter homes belonging to the McAndrew's estate that is directly opposite the island. (That is another great hike with lots of ruins including an old race track, ice house and some old foundations.) Eventually you will start downhill and get to the waterfront which is gorgeous and has a great view of Haverstraw. It's a rocky area but can be traversed with slight caution, in order to skip rocks or fish or even hang out in the water. There's a beat up picnic table or two and some benches around in case you feel like packing a picnic. Please be sure to pick up after yourself though and keep the preserve clean for all! Cans are usually by the exit. No bathrooms either so be one with the call of nature.

I made my Gunks debut yesterday and was pretty impressed despite the very meh weather situation…read more This is about 90 minutes from my HQ so probably right at the limit of a convenient day hike, and somehow I've never really been in this area before beyond travelling past it going up and down the NY Thruway. Definitely returning when the sun is actually out. I did the 8.7-mile Castle Point hike (my gut says it wasn't QUITE that long, but I don't want to argue with my book) from the Awosting parking lot down the Mossy Glen Trail (yellow blazes), making a left onto and up Blueberry Run (blue) to Castle Point itself, and then went basically straight down the cliff on the Scenic Trail (lavenderish and formerly light blue), down the Rainbow Falls Trail (orange) and finally making a right on the Lower Awosting Carriageway back to the parking lot. Wasn't crazy about the $10 fee to park - nature shouldn't cost anything - but it is what it is. It's really a shame the weather was crappy because I could tell that viewpoint at Castle Point is legit - it's sprawling and you can see for miles in almost every direction. That's a very cool spot and easily the highlight of the hike. There are some interesting viewpoints throughout the rest of the adventure, but I'd say they're primarily of rock formations and water features, which have their selling points but nothing beats a view at the top. I'm in decent hiking shape right now, and this was just not particularly challenging for me. The only part where I was even a little out of breath (and it was humid, so grain of salt in that regard) was on Blueberry Run, which was a pretty steady incline up, but really not hardcore at all from my perspective. The drop down from Castle Point on the Scenic Trail IS a little tricky and you really want to spend some time there figuring out where your foot is going to go next. Compared to other parks in the tristate area, this one definitely has more hazards, cliffs you could potentially fall down, etc. But same token, it has a ton of these completely flat carriageways as well. It rained while I was on the Rainbow Falls trail and I DID slip/fall on some of the rocks at one point, but that's on me since I willingly came over here knowing what the forecast was. Wasn't impressed by the Rainbow Falls themselves, and neither were the other hikers who were there at the time. Maybe it was just not an ideal situation for them, but it's been rainy the last few days so unclear when you should take advantage of the optics there. The trail blazes were EXCELLENT, easily some of the best I've ever encountered. Each official trail had an accompanying sign that not only gave you the name of the trail, but a map of the nearby area, the grade profile so you can see what types of inclines/declines you'll experience on that trail and tons of basic facts. Really well done stuff. The bathroom situation was pretty good as well, with ample restroom options in the parking lot albeit without plumbing. You get what you get, but I'll take a clean bathroom situation in a heartbeat, regardless. Okay wildlife sightings. The rain I'm sure kept some of the good quality shizzle away, but I got a cool shot of a black vulture and saw an edgy newt. Worth the trek and will return for further investigation shortly.

I think this may be my favorite state park within a short driving distance from my home. There are…read moreso many hiking trails of different levels, and carriage road trails too! And the views are amazing, plus there are a bunch of waterfalls! While it does get crowded, especially in the parking lots, I find the hiking trails to be a little less crowded than the parks that are a little closer to NYC. Even though I am not a rock climber I do also enjoy seeing the climbers out there doing their thing.

Lovely lake beach area for in season Fairfield residents which is not accessible off season or…read morewithout residency. Many trails throughout although no clear map or directions at starting points nor marked throughout. Lots of dogs off leashes so be aware. Drive past the lake and parking area to get to "cascades" area. Peaceful and tranquil nature. Fairly easy "hike" but hiking shoes recommended due to wet leaves and exposed roots and rocks.

love the lake so nice and refreshing. Love eating some fruit on a hot sunny day while jumping right…read moreinto the lake. After that, we immediately started walking in the trail it's absolutely beautiful and if you enjoy nature and staying active you will love this. Perfect for fishing too! The staff were so kind and welcoming