Well Hiked Dutchess County Trail Will Close for 5 Months

Hikers of the Hudson Valley be warned. An insanely popular trail in the Cold Spring-Beacon area will be closed for 5 months.

Those who enjoy hitting the Hudson Valley trails will have to find a different way to enter the infamous Breakneck Ridge. In a press release the Highlands Fjord Trail, Inc., New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation,  Metro-North Railroad, and New York-New Jersey Trail Conference shared the following update:

Initial work to relocate the Breakneck trailhead farther up the ridge and repair eroding trail surfaces will begin on March 1, 2023 and is scheduled to be completed by July 1, 2023. During this construction phase, OPRHP will close the Breakneck Ridge trailhead to the public.

Will this mean less traffic during the spring and early summer months? Probably not, but I digress.

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Breakneck Ridge Closed, Other Access Points Available

The press release goes on to explain that there will still be access to Breakneck Ridge at the Wilkinson Memorial trailhead. The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference explains further in a press release writing:

During this period, the Wilkinson Memorial trailhead is expected to remain open, along with the Metro-North Railroad train station, however additional utility relocation work by Central Hudson along the Route 9D corridor may make some additional closures necessary.

However, with all of that being said, hikers are encouraged to take Metro North to the trail since parking will be reduced. You can learn more about the complete project on the Hudson Highland Fjord Trail website.

Looking for your next hiking adventure? Maybe you want to come across some abandoned ruins? Check out 6 Hudson Valley hikes that will have you crossing paths with Hudson Valley history below: