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

Shore Trail and Giant Stairs

Palisades Interstate Park,
Rockland and Bergen Counties,
New York and New Jersey

Hiking Partners:
Yehuda Koblick

This was actually the 3rd Sunday in a row I did a hike in the Palisades. Was on my way back from an event from Brooklyn so this hike made the most sense in terms of location. Parked on the State Line Lookout off the Palisades Parkway, and headed north on the Long Path (LP). Passed the NY/NJ State Line (crossing over into NY), and took a picture of the monument there. Continued on the LP and Spurred off on the Shore Trail to descend down the cliffs to the shore, following the stream to Peanut Leap Falls. The falls are right above where the Stream enters the Hudson River. The falls are on the site of an ancient destroyed mansion called the Pergola.

Continued along the Shore Path south along the Hudson River edge. Scrambled along the crazy Giant's Stairs, which are massive columns of diabase which tumbled from the sheer cliffs above. This part of the hike is very intense with the entire portion rocky and uneven. Took the Forest View trail back up (this is a very steep and winding ascent thru a small notch in the vertical cliffs), and then headed north on the Long Path back to the car.

I just have to comment at this point on how awful and innacurate the 1991 edition of the Trail Conference Maps on the Hudson Palisades Trails are. I don't know if the newer editions are better but I suppose I should make the investment.

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Looking north from the Overlook

Sheer cliff walls facing north from the Overlook

Me at the Overlook

Facing south from the Overlook, viewing the
city of Yonkers across the Hudson

Me and Yehuda at the Overlook

The monument at the NY/NJ Border

View north from the Long Path before the
descent with the Tappan Zee Bridge in view

Shore Trail Warning Sign

Descending the trail near the falls

At Peanut Leap Falls.
I am sitting on the ruins of the Pergola.

Me and Yehuda at Peanut Leap Falls
Yehuda on the Hudson River shore at the Pergola

Yehuda scrambling along a small portion
of the Giant Stairs

Giant Stairs with the Overlook on top,
more then 500 feet straight up