Name: Breakneck Ridge Trailhead
Address: 472 Bear Mountain-Beacon Hwy, Cold Spring, NY 10516, Cold Spring
Telephone: +18452653175

At a glance

#1 of 6 Hiking areas in Cold Spring

LocalGuideWorld score: 4.88

1.1 km from the center of Cold Spring

Rating breakdown

5 ★93%
4 ★5%
3 ★1%
2 ★0%
1 ★1%

472 Bear Mountain-Beacon Hwy, Cold Spring, NY 10516

parks.ny.gov

(845) 265-3175

Photos of Breakneck Ridge Trailhead (75)

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Breakneck Ridge Trailhead, Cold Spring – photo 1

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Breakneck Ridge Trailhead, Cold Spring – photo 12

Quick facts

What is the rating of Breakneck Ridge Trailhead?: Breakneck Ridge Trailhead is rated 4.9 out of 5 based on 149 reviews.
How does Breakneck Ridge Trailhead rank in Cold Spring?: Breakneck Ridge Trailhead is #1 of 6 Hiking areas in Cold Spring by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
Where is Breakneck Ridge Trailhead located?: 472 Bear Mountain-Beacon Hwy, Cold Spring, NY 10516 — 1.1 km from the center of Cold Spring.
How can I contact Breakneck Ridge Trailhead?: Phone: (845) 265-3175 · Website: parks.ny.gov

Reviews (8)

Julius Baltonado 2023 Nov 25

Tough scramble, but otherwise, a very doable hike. I've probably done the long loop 4 times so far.

Make sure to bring ample hydration - 2 Gatorade bottles and 24 oz of water were not out of the question for me. You're gonna need it! Also: skin protection.

Anna T 2023 Oct 29

One of the best but most challenging hikes in NY. I went on a late October weekday afternoon and the trail wasn't too crowded, but you do have to trek all the way from the Cold Spring metro north station if you're not driving. I did the medium loop and was very satisfied. The hardest part of the hike is definitely the beginning but there is one kind of intimidating scramble right after you pass the flagpole as well. After that it's smooth sailing, almost boring on the return back after you accomplished all that!

Atlas Manuel Amante 2023 Sep 07

Awesome Day Hike!!! Commute from Gramercy was not bad. Took the 6 train to Grand Central and hopped on the train to Poughkeepsie. Got off at Breakneck Station. From there, we walked about 6 minutes to starting trail for the Long Loop, which took us 3.5 hours. Starting from Breakneck Ridge White trail, then to Breakneck Bypass Red trail, then to Wilkinson Yellow trail, which led us back to the train station.

It was a challenging ascent. Rocky and steep at times. We loved the challenge, though. It pushes you to keep the presence of mind. It was funny too because my partner and I were bickering at the beginning. About petty stuff like pace, better steps to take, which crevice to hold on to, etc. Then we started pushing and helping each other. It was so gratifying reaching the top together. Found a nice flat boulder with shades, overlooking the 2 peaks and Hudson River. We had lunch there with a beautiful view. We brought some pasta fredda from Eataly and ate them with our chopsticks...lol! Please bring your own trash with you. Let's keep these trails free of trash.

Other hikers were very nice and patient. There were older hikers and very young kids. It's really impressive. There was a group of young men who were very loud and like to speed past other hikers. A couple of times, we just let them pass until we don't hear them anymore, and we keep going. The whole time, I was hoping the Mountains don't curse them. Something we believe in the Philippines. Respect the mountains and their supernatural inhabitants.

The trail markers are very clear. The trail makers did an amazing job. It was challenging in the beginning. Then, the bypass red trail was descending and ascending with flats. Then the yellow was more descending and more flats and really gave my partner and I time to wind down, to relax and enjoy the last leg of the hike. Especially when we started seeing the ferns we knew we were close to the water and we did it!

Afterward, we took a lyft to the next town, Cold Spring. We had a nice dinner and a bottle of wine.

John Sinclaire 2023 Sep 05

This is one of my absolute favorite hiking trails in the Hudson Valley. I usually do the moderate loop, which takes a little under two hours. It's a fantastic workout resulting in some of the views of the around. It does tend to get super crowded these days, so the earlier you get there, the better.

Kara Citarella 2023 Sep 04

What a fun hike! If you do the mile hike that’s the shortest, you won’t get the rock scramble, but you’ll still get plenty of exercise. It’s uphill almost the whole way, and sometimes they provide steps. We loved the view of the Hudson! Parking was tough and it’s basically the side of the road. Maybe cause it’s Labor Day weekend they had cops there keeping an eye out. They have a food and drink stand with delicious fresh smoothies! Porta potties nearby. Want to come back to do the rock scramble and go farther!

Roman 2023 Sep 03

They should rename this to Breakknee Ridge because of all the sloping/unstable ground you'll find here. The long trail to Mt. Beacon wasn't too bad, especially once the majority of the trail crowd evaporated after the first mile and a half or so. I'd prob come here on a weekday instead next time. Otherwise, pretty solid for a day trip from Manhattan.

Hassan Sarker 2023 Aug 18

One of my go-to day hikes around NYC! Extremely challenging the first 700ft up (scrambling that’s basically rock climbing).

Views on top of the Hudson River and surrounding peaks are gorgeous. If you take the red trail, expect to finish in about 4 hours (with breaks in between). Def bring at least 1liter of water and maybe a snack or two.

Parking situation is horrible. Try to get there by 8/9am if possible. Also, please don’t bring your dogs - too many tight spots and many people are not comfortable with dogs being around them (I’ve seen a situation where a hiker basically froze because a dog ran up without a leash). Not safe at all when you’re looking at a 200ft+ drop.

Shreenidhi 2023 Aug 07

It's about a 3 mile trail I hiked. Parking is by the road in front of the station. There are sign boards with details about the various hiking options available. I hiked the moderate one to see the photo(3rd). First 1 mile is hard as you have to climb through boulder and max elevation gain is in the first mile. Not suitable for younger kids. Trails are very well marked and have a decent view from the top.