Forest View Trail to Closter Dock Trail Loop on Palisades

Palisades Interstate Park
Bergen Co.
New Jersey

Hiking Trails:
Forest View Trail: Blue/White Blaze
Long Path: Green blaze
Closter Dock Trail: Orange blaze
Shore Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 3:15 hour
Estimated Distance: 6.3 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Pros: Peaceful walk along river and good views
Cons: Area is not remote

Hiking Partners:
Morty Rosenberg
Elad Hillman

This was a late autumn hike, and was my completion of all the hikes along the New Jersey Palisades. I had remembered that the previous year there was still much foliage in the area late in the season at the foot of the cliff, so I wanted to get one last seasonal fall hike with the foliage colors.

I parked with Morty on Route 9W at the Forest View Trail trailhead, and met up with Elad who joined us. We crossed the pedestrian bridge over the Palisades Parkway, and went to the Women's Federation Monument, a small stone edifice right near the cliff edge. There are some great views hear above the steep cliff wall which is probably about 300 feet straight down.

We took the Long Path South, and stopped briefly at the view at Ruckman Point, and then continued to Bombay Hook, which featured a narrow rock crevice with a small bridge above it, slightly off the trail. We continued along the Long Path, and shortly after the Palisades police station we took the Closter Dock Trail, which snakes down the steep hill to the Shore Trail. We walked along the Shore Trail north, along the side of the Hudson River, and then passed a nice seasonal waterfall along the side of the trail, and it was flowing strong.

We then took a short break and some pictures at Excelsior Dock, which juts in slightly into the river, and then continued north to the Forest View Trail. We took the Forest View Trail up the side of the cliff. This is a steep and difficult trail. We then took this trail south at the rim of the Palisades, where it coincides with the Long Path, past the Women's Federation Monument, and then back across the pedestrian bridge to our car at the trailhead.

Map of the Route

Morty on the Palisades Pedestrian Bridge

Palisades Parkway from the Pedestrian Bridge

Plaque at the Woman's Federation Monument

Women's Federation Monument

View at the Women's Federation Monument

Me on the Women's Federation Monument

Me at the View at the Women's Federation Monument

Me at the View Facing South

Morty at Ruckman Point

At Ruckman Point, Facing North

View near Bombay Hook

Morty on Rock at Bombay Hook

Elad at Bombay Hook

Long Path Trail Sign

Stone Tunnel at the Long Path/Closter Dock Trail Intersection

Foliage along the Shore Trail

Scenic Waterfall at the Shore Trail

Me at the Waterfall

View of Yonkers from Across the Hudson River

Barge on the Hudson River

Me on the Shore Trail

Fast Boat on the Hudson River

Manhattan Skyline, Facing South, from Excelsior Dock

On Excelsior Dock, Facing North

Steep Cliffs Above the Shore Trail

Morty and Elad along the Shore Trail

Shore Trail and Forest View Trail Intersection