High Tor Late Summer Hike

High Tor State Park,
Near Haverstraw
Rockland Co.
New York

Hiking Trails:
Long Path: Green blaze
Blue Connector Path: Blue blaze

Total Time: 2:00 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.5 Miles

Pros: Good climb with great views
Cons: Urban area in view, graffiti

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

High Tor is the tallest peak of the Palisades, towering over the village of Haverstraw and the Hudson River. The peak offers 360 degree views from all sides, with a challenging hike that requires some scrambling. I had not been here in some time, and this was a hot, late summer day with a bright blue sky and low humidity.

We parked the first car at Old Route 304 and Ridge Road, and took the Long Path from there into the woods where it climbs the south side of High Tor. The trail then steeply ascends to the summit. Several years ago the Long Path was rerouted away from the steep climb that it used to take up directly on the scramble, to a more gentle ascent to the side. However, we did notice a new trail marker following the old steep scramble along the former route, which we took. After the summit, we descended further along the trail, where the trail turns into a wide path all the way back to the parking area along Central Highway, where we had our second car parked.

Map of the Route

Sign at the Beginning of the Hike About Keeping the Trail Clean

Shimmy on he First Ascent

New Marking on the Scramble Trail

NYC Skyline Facing South

Couple Overlooking Haverstraw at the First View

High Tor Cliffs and Haverstraw

New Apartments and Hudson River at the Foot of the Mountain

View South Towards New City

Lake DeForest and High Tor Summit

Zoomed into Lake DeForest

Facing North from the Summit

Haverstraw and the Hudson River

View Facing South

Shimmy at the Summit

Haverstraw and Surrounding Area, with a Conrail Freight Train

Me at the Summit Facing Haverstraw

Me Atop High Tor

High Tor & Little Tor

High Tor State Park
Rockland Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Long Path: Green blaze
Little Tor Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 2:10 Hours
Estimated Distance: 4.0 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Level of Recommendation: Highly recommended

Points of Interest: Excellent views
Cons: Lots of graffiti and views are very urban

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

High Tor is one of the most prominent peaks in Rockland County. It is the tallest point in the Palisades, formed from a volcanic diabase intrusion. It had been a while since I had last been here at High Tor, and decided to give it another visit. This was a two car hike, where we parked the first car on South Central Highway, near its location at the Long Path, and the other car on South Mountain Road at the parking area on the top of the ridge.

We started at the Long Path off of South Mountain Road near Ridge Road, and took the Long Path up the mountain. The beginning part is a mild climb, and it then evens out, before a more serious climb to the summit. We took this trail up to the top, where there is a fantastic, 360 degree view looking over the entire Rockland county, Westchester across the river, and the Manhattan skyline is clearly visible in the distance. The mountain sits directly over Haverstraw, which provides the viewer an unobstructed view of the urbanized landscape below, which also includes West Haverstraw, Garnerville, and Stony Point.

After High Tor, we continued along the Long Path towards Little Tor. Little Tor is a very similar formation in the Palisades as High Tor, with a rocky Promenade sticking out from the surrounding area. We veered off the Long Path the short Little Tor path, which goes to to the summit where there is another excellent view. Instead of turning around at the end of the short dead end trail, we bushwacked down the northwestern side of the mountain back to the Long Path. We then continued along the Long Path to the trailhead at South Central Highway where we had our other car.

Map of the Route.
Palisades Trails (northernmost map)

Shimmy on the Final Ascent Towards the High Tor Summit

Lake DeForest from the High Tor Summit

New Condo Development on the Hudson River,
and Across the River into Westchester, from the High Tor Summit

Zoomed Out into Haverstraw from High Tor Summit

Looking North Into the Hudson River and Hudson Highlands

The Manhattan Skyline from High Tor Summit

New City from the High Tor Summit

Looking Southeast Towards the Hudson River and Hook Mountain

Looking into Ossining from Across the Hudson River

Zoomed Into Colorful Houses in Haverstraw

Hudson River and Hudson Highlands, Looking North.

Looking West Towards Concklin Farm and Ramapo Mountains

Another View of the Manhattan Skyline

Zoomed Out Over Haverstraw from the Summit

Me at High Tor Summit

Bowline Park in Haverstraw

Bowline Poweline, Haverstraw, and Train from Little Tor

The same view at Little Tor, Zoomed Out

View at Little Tor, Looking North

View from Little Tor Looking Northwest

Shimmy at Little Tor

Looking at the Western Ridge of the Palisades from Little Tor

Looking over Garnerville from Little Tor

Little Tor Loop, High Tor State Park

Rockland Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Long Path: Green blaze
Little Tor Trail: White blaze

Total Time: 1 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.3 miles
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Level of Recommendation: Recommended for an easy hike to a view
Points Of Interest: View of the Haverstraw Area
Pros: Excellent Views
Cons: Full of Creepy Graffiti, Views are Very Urban

Google Map of Parking:

View 2013 Hiking Locations in a larger map

I had was able to take off Monday morning for a short and easy hike. Little Tor is a short mountain popping out of the Palisades Ridge with dramatic views and a steep cliff face. I parked at the top of Central Highway, and then the took the Long Path west. Where the power lines cross, I veered off onto the power lines trail to the top to get glimpse of the view here. The view is very good, but it is full of graffiti which really ruins the atmosphere, together with the power lines. You can merge right back onto the Long Path from here, and I did that and continued along the Long Path until the Little Tor Trail. Although this trail is not an official trail on the map, it is blazed with a white blaze. I took the Little Tor trail  up to the top, and then climbed down by bushwacking back to the Long Path, and then went back to my car.

Map of the Route.
Hudson Palisades Trails - New  York Section

View from the Power Lines Looking Northwest
Towards West Haverstraw and Stony Point

View from the Power Lines Looking North

Rocks Atop the Power Line View

View of the Ramapo Mountains.
Facing Northeast.

View of Haverstraw and  Power Plants from Little Tor

View of Garnerville from Little Tor

Haverstraw Palisades

Hook Mountain State Park
Rockland County,
New York

Trails:
Bike Path: Unblazed
Connector Trail: White blaze
Long Path: Green blaze

Total Time: 1:45 hr
Estimated Distance: 2.6 Miles

I parked in Haverstraw behind the enormous mine works at the terminus of the biking trail that goes along the Palisades Cliffs and the Hudson River. Walked down the bike path until the abandoned park cabin, where I picked up the white-blazed Connector Trail that goes to the Long Path. This trail passes near a trail tunnel where the railroad goes underneath the mountain, so it was interesting watching a trail go through the tunnel while hiking.

Once I hit the Long Path I continued to the summit. Although the summit is a narrow ridge above both sides which are lower, there are surprisingly no good view available. At this point I turned back, went down the Connector Trail, and went south once I hit the bike path to explore the old quarries along the side of the mountain. These quarries are very old and were used to mine traprock at the turn of the century. Their walls are very impressive sheer cliffs with vast amounts of talus at their foot. The Palisades Park was created to protect the area from being totally obliterated from the quarrying operations. From there turned around and went along the bike path back to the car.

Map of the Route.

Abandoned Ranger Cabin

Inside the Abandoned Ranger Cabin

The Start of the White Connector Trail

View of the Quarry Wall while ascending the white Connector Trail

Mountain Behind the Quarry.
Ascending on the white Connector Trail./

Lake DeForest from the top. Facing Southwest.

The Hudson River at Haverstraw Bay from the the top.
Facing Northeast.

The bottom of the Quarry.
A little snow still remains.

Looking up the Quarry Cliffs and the Talus.

Benedict Arnold Treason Site along the Bike Path.

Ship in Haverstraw Bay. From the Bike Path.