Storm King State Park
Orange Co.,
New York
Hiking Trails:
Butter Hill Trail: Orange blaze
Stillman Trail / Highlands Trail: Yellow / Blue blaze
White Trail: White blaze
Total Time: 2:05 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.3 Miles
Pros: Good climb, amazing views
Cons: None
Hike Type: Back and out
Level of Difficulty: Very difficult in snow conditions
Google Maps of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/muYUeDq3wg9PGLMP9
A large Nor'easter storm affected the region on Friday. It fell as rain in the region, but further upstate it fell as snow. I had driven north through Harriman, where there was no snow, and as I drove up Route 9W, the snow covered the area at about the 800 foot level. I parked at the Butter Hill parking area, and started the hike at the Butter Hill Trail trailhead. There was about 5 inches of snow on the ground.
At the notch between Butter Hill and the Western Ridge of Storm King, I cut across to the combined Stillman Trail and Highlands Trail which goes along the Western Ridge of Storm King, with great views on both sides of the mountain. I took the trail to the White blaze, a short spur to the northern lookout, and then turned back at the end and continued along the combined Stillman Trail and Highlands Trail. I took the trail down to Mountain Road, and then turned around and then went back up the combined Stillman Trail and Highlands Trail. I cut across up the hill to the White Trail and then back to the Stillman / Highlands Trail, which I took back to the notch and then took the Butter Hill Trail back to the trailhead.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeL3IRjWekKbkVnDKEQkMhEkE7Dh1TCxdM3a6DQW7BQa_vz5IIR7L0AAGCgOAeRbXVi-IpqgJV191pP8avj-a-ctPjVf5c_B-1M0NaOdv4ju-eDIrpy_eVEnwIjiOJ_LKO8DTfHhdueb64H2uD1X72bKOVut-14jU2oeUqNWPAROLv8llVtN8mf5Zr/w640-h536/2022-12-18%20Storm%20King%20Mountain%20Western%20Ridge%20Snow.jpg) |
Map of the Route |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwtOK_IxuOul3v5oAr_PeTNApRjOvb5n0_PICFcuWfofWlZ451RVCBuUG60FgolqPcwO0gnJi_EaYkwwSPu7biRTRs-PgU1BnbcT8T-Fkbn-N2qDcDMnapxs97zTk3-VNjqeOITMHRENd_u6B4MKT3BwGDGRNMQlUaKPjTo28xyIu_TUyUdZi8RtA/w640-h426/storm-king-mnt-western-ridge-snow-01.jpg) |
View of Butter Hill from the Parking Trailhead |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vyTAKYKAPFndqi-ydMLtSPN6VGawVkqmLtJcLMp7J64yEpuITtWL0Na8oiEI4wKb97TUokgmoHOyUcZT1IByoOE79Vyh0M0q31yJvsFO4iv7_mGQyiMkaGXIhdAdx_S0AyeXWzSBvfszJ0gdlm9JxVvOUee7-5Nih0mR3Ehx1G-Ojs2tVVB6cwae/w640-h426/storm-king-mnt-western-ridge-snow-02.jpg) |
Parking Trailhead |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIA_bF1EOQTEYE2N2qSi200drZf_3WuXCryFCMqPLbDFxyW8OqiQ9lLBVNW_JrS-BuvkdQ4UEJsaLSp4XJVQWcnJFH0lbFmFVDZvzRPMFRVzXEjt_O41X3CG3gyrDZZPeW5JlFigylN0KyWiTHRu17GAOUa0qCOQzhJqmcSFkAc7qwbo3jYbQLyUO/w640-h426/storm-king-mnt-western-ridge-snow-03.jpg) |
Butter Hill Trail |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSXnRI15DKx35d7c3nWHDcrtK-f4-8X8jFj7BvDZNwEo4YhgD0KQM21naIiamCAQatcng3-Ui6IykHyHD99QvmZoTZoXO65pqk1T4pVQRq8Ebh3EkSWQrRNb_mXMR55a-L_79BJTw1luwlf1oVUkiI6qCV9rbjrphWLyC56yBrVJrGw1UpizQk5UF/w640-h426/storm-king-mnt-western-ridge-snow-08.jpg) |
Stillman / Highlands Trail Views |