Dunderberg Spiral Railway and Tunnels

Bear Mountain State Park
Orange Co, NY

Hiking Trails:
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail: Red blaze
Jones Trail: Unblazed
Timp-Torne Trail: Blue blaze

Total Time: 3:00
Estimated Distance: 4.2 Miles

Pros: Good climb, great views, historic areas
Cons: None
Hike Type: Loop
Level of Difficulty: Difficult

Google Maps of Parking:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/hPpvytjCsH9oq2r79

Hiking Partner:
Yehudah Koblick

It had been a while since I had been to Dunderberg. The weather was hot and humid, and with a good climb almost 1000 feet, the conditions on this hike were very difficult. We hike portions of the Dunderberg Spiral railway, a project that was never completed for a hotel that was never built on the top of the mountain. We parked at the beginning of the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail and took the trail steeply up the mountain, passing the first railway tunnel, and continuing up the incline to the view.

After the view, which faces directly to the Indian Point nuclear plant, we continued to the summit of Dunderberg, where there is a nice view facing north towards Bear Mountain and the Bear Mountain Bridge. We then continued off the trail on the railway trail, which we intended to take to the Jones Trail, but we went a bit too far and had to turn around back to the Jones Trail. We took the Jones Trail to the Timp-Torne Trail, which we took to the next tunnel and former railway path, and continued along the trail back down the mountain and down to our car. 

Map of the Route

Trailhead at Dunderberg

New Map Sign at the Trailhead

Dense Brush and Ivy

The First of the Dunderberg Railway Tunnels

First View Facing Indian Point

Second View Facing Peekskill

Third View at the Summit Facing the Bear Mountain Bridge

Large Glacial Rock Near the Summit

Partial Tunnel

Water in the Tunnel

Dense Vegetation Near the End of the Hike