This 3.7-mile hike in the East Hudson Highlands features a series of spectacular views up and down the Hudson River. It also traverses an historic road used by Benedict Arnold to escape during the Revolutionary War. The hike should take about three hours. Most of the hike is relatively level, and the climbs and descents are gradual. Dogs are permitted on leash.
To get there from Bergen County, take the Palisades Interstate Parkway north to its terminus at the Bear Mountain Bridge, and cross the bridge. At the east end of the bridge, bear left onto N.Y. Route 9D, and proceed north for 4.5 miles to an intersection with N.Y. Route 403. Turn left at this intersection onto Lower Station Road and follow it downhill to the Metro-North Garrison station. Park in the station parking lot. (Parking is free on weekends; there is a fee on weekdays.) The trailhead is about 45 miles from Teaneck, and it should take about an hour to get there.
Just south of the southern entrance to the parking lot, you’ll notice two stone pillars and a sign for “Arden Point—Hudson Highlands State Park.” This is the trailhead of a blue-blazed woods road which heads south. Follow this woods road, soon passing ruins of brick buildings on the right and crossing a wooden footbridge over a stream.
In about half a mile, you’ll notice on the right a one-lane steel truss bridge that goes over the railroad tracks. Turn right and cross the bridge, which leads to Arden Point. Immediately after crossing the bridge, follow the blue-blazed trail as it turns right onto a woods road that narrows to a footpath. Soon, you’ll reach a junction where a red-blazed trail begins on the left. The red-blazed trail will be your return route, but for now, continue ahead on the blue-blazed trail.
Follow the blue-blazed trail through a gap in an old stone wall and down to the water’s edge at the northern tip of Arden Point. Here, there is a broad view north up the Hudson River, with the United States Military Academy at West Point visible to the left, on the west shore, and Bull Hill of the East Hudson Highlands in the background.
After enjoying the view, retrace your steps on the blue-blazed trail until you reach an intersection with the red-blazed trail. Turn right onto the red-blazed trail. Soon, a short side trail on the right leads to a west-facing viewpoint over the Hudson River. The large red-brick building directly across the river is the Hotel Thayer at West Point. Running along the west bank of the river is the West Shore Railroad, built in 1883 (this is the same rail line that passes through Teaneck). The line is now operated by CSX for freight service, and you may see a mile-long freight train snake its way along the river.
When you’re ready to continue, return to the red-blazed trail and turn right, heading south. Near the southern tip of the point, the red-blazed trail makes a sharp left turn. Bear right and continue ahead on a wide path to a rock outcrop at the very end of the point, which affords a panoramic south-facing view, with the Bear Mountain Bridge in the distance. The yellow brick buildings on the west side of the river are occupied by the West Point Museum and Visitor Center, established in 1989 on the site of the former Ladycliff College.
After taking some time to enjoy this view, retrace your steps up the hill to the red-blazed trail and bear right, now heading north on the trail, which ends at the bridge over the tracks. Bear right, recross the bridge, and turn right (south) onto the white-blazed Marcia’s Mile, which follows a woods road. Just ahead, Marcia’s Mile turns left, leaving the woods road, but you should continue ahead on the woods road, blazed with large white circular blazes and bordered for part of the way by low stone walls.
In a quarter of a mile, you’ll reach a junction, marked by a bench and a signpost. Turn right and head uphill on stone steps, now following the red-blazed Glenclyffe Loop, which circles the Glenclyffe property of the Open Space Institute (OSI). Just ahead, you’ll reach a large gazebo, with a view over the river.
The trail passes to the left of the gazebo and heads south, parallel to the river. Just ahead, the trail reaches an open area overlooking the river, with two benches (and a stone patio with tree stumps below). The large brick building on the left was built in the 1920s as a friary by the Capuchin Franciscan order and acquired in 2001 by OSI, which has preserved the property as publicly accessible open space. (The buildings are not open to hikers.) The trail descends concrete steps, turns right, then bears left to reenter the woods.
At a tree stump with a red-on-white blaze, the trail bears left and descends. Just ahead, it bears right and continues to head south, parallel to the river. It goes by a water treatment facility and bears right at a bamboo thicket.
Soon, the red-blazed trail comes out at the top of a ravine. It bears right and descends, then continues ahead, paralleling the river. After climbing a little and then descending, the trail turns sharply left and descends into the ravine, where it begins to follow an old woods road which has narrowed to a footpath. Known as the Beverly Dock Road, this road was used by Benedict Arnold to flee in 1780 after his treason was discovered.
The trail crosses a stream on a large metal culvert and climbs gently, with the stream on the left. After bearing right at a small dam and bamboo thicket, the trail passes to the right of a small pond (largely obscured by the bamboo thicket). Near the end of the pond, a kiosk on the left relates the story of the escape of Benedict Arnold along this road during the Revolutionary War.
Just beyond, the trail turns left, recrossing the stream on another culvert and passing a cinder-block building. It immediately turns right, passing to the left of a second pond. As the trail approaches Route 9D, it bears left, climbs a rise and emerges onto a broad grassy expanse. The trail follows a line of trees parallel to the road, with Castle Rock visible on the hilltop to the east.
At a sign for the Garrison Institute, turn left onto the paved entrance road. Just beyond a large trail map on the right, you’ll see a white blaze that marks the start of Marcia’s Mile. Follow the white blazes down a grassy knoll and along a woods road, passing a small pond on the right. The trail crosses a meadow and reenters the woods, traversing undulating terrain. It turns right onto another footpath, which descends steadily. Before reaching a stone wall, the trail turns left onto yet another footpath which continues to descend, paralleling a stone wall for part of the way.
After a short level stretch, turn right onto the woods road on which you began the hike earlier, still following the white blazes of Marcia’s Mile. When you reach the bridge over the railroad (do not cross it), continue ahead on the blue-blazed woods road which leads back to the Garrison railroad station, where the hike began.
This hiking article is provided by Daniel Chazin of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. The Trail Conference is a volunteer organization that builds and maintains over 2,000 miles of hiking trails and publishes a library of hiking maps and books. The Trail Conference’s office is at 600 Ramapo Valley Road (Route 202), Mahwah; (201) 512-9348; www.nynjtc.org. Daniel Chazin can be reached at [email protected].
