The best hikes near New York City

New York City doesn’t exactly conjure up images of roaming wildlife and deciduous forests, but while the boroughs’ streets lead to skyscrapers and bodegas, their surrounding trails connect to a multitude of landscapes.

Many scenic trails crop up within or close to the city; the Long Island Railroad links with the Greenbelt Trail, while the Hudson Line brings visitors to Westchester’s Croton Point Park. The best hikes, however, tend to surface farther in NYC’s outskirts. Collectively, the Catskills, Poconos and sections of the Appalachian Trail (AT) encourage New Yorkers to trade their office shoes for hiking boots.

These various geographies also lend themselves to a deeper range of hikes, which encompass everything from mountain summits to the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge. New Yorkers often seek outdoor experiences come summer, though leaf-peeping season draws crowds Upstate – and out of the state – every October. That’s not to imply the trails hibernate in the winter, either, as snow transforms select hiking havens into winter sports hubs.

Below, you’ll find an assortment of trails far greener than Central Park, so you don’t have to choose between New York City and nature. 

Fall foliage in the Hudson Valley. Getty Images Getty Images

1. Pochuck Valley to Pinwheel Vista: Stairway to Heaven, NJ

Best for a taste of the Appalachian Trail
Distance: 7.3 miles
Duration: 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Travel time to NYC: 1 hour, 20 minutes drive or 1½-hour bus to Warwick, NY, plus 10-minute drive

The AT’s Pochuck Valley to Pinwheel Vista hike starts on a boardwalk, where you’ll stroll through a marshy area, lush with singing warblers and wind-blown cattails. Because boardwalks cover the trail’s first, mostly flat section, you can always cut your hike short for great accessibility. 

Traverse deeper into the Pochuck Valley, and eventually reach a suspension bridge – a unique photo opp – and an open field where cows frequently roam and graze on tall grass. Just beyond the animals is the trail's most challenging leg: the Stairway to Heaven. It starts with a rocky scramble — and more than 800 feet of elevation over the first mile and a half — before ending with a rewarding view of the Vernon Valley. 

To access the boardwalk, park on the shoulder of Rte 517, though there’s also a designated lot before the Stairway to Heaven segment. Signs warn of potential snakes, so adhere to the boardwalk whenever possible.

Insider Tip: Because this route is in rural New Jersey, it’s not easy to reach without using a car at some point along the route. If you’re looking to hike the AT entirely via public transportation, head instead to Upstate New York’s Dutchess County, where the Metro-North train line stops at Appalachian Trail Station.

2. Lemon Squeeze and Eagle Cliff: Mohonk, NY

Best for rock scrambling 
Distance: 6.9 miles 
Duration: 3½ hours
Difficulty: Difficult 
Travel time from NYC: 1½ hours by Trailways bus

Rock climbers flock to New Paltz, but the Hudson Valley’s artsiest college town also harbors more horizontally inclined routes — though the area’s best hikes aren’t without some rock action. Among the most popular trails for visitors and New Paltz students, Lemon Squeeze and Eagle Cliff loops through the Shawangunk Mountains. As the trail’s name suggests, parts of this steep hike dare you to squeeze through, then scramble up, jagged rockfaces. One section even requires a ladder, which makes for a fun hybrid of hiking and climbing.

You’ll find the trailhead from Mohonk Mountain House’s hiking parking lot. You’ll have to purchase a US$35 day pass online, which enables access to the resort’s 85 miles of trails. For a cheaper hike, the nearby 2.3-mile Bonticou Crag costs US$15 and similarly includes a scrambling stint.

Insider Tip: To experience one of the area’s most unique forms of hiking, try the Via Ferrata route at Mohonk Mountain House. They launched it last year and it is the area’s first “iron way” trail.

3. Red and Blue Dot Trails: Mount Tammany, NJ

Best for a view of the Poconos and Delaware Water Gap 
Distance: 3.6 miles
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult 
Travel time from NYC: 2 hours drive or 1½-hour Trailways bus to Stroudsburg, PA, plus 10-minute drive 

You may not expect to find sweeping views of the Delaware River – and a peek at the Poconos – alongside a major highway, but just off Rte 80 in New Jersey, the Mount Tammany trail delivers. The steep Red Dot Trail will make you work for your summit photo, but the hike rewards all efforts with a clear shot of Pennsylvania’s Mt Minsi and the Delaware Water Gap. 

To find the route, look for signs advertising Dunnfield Creek Natural Area Trailhead. There, you can access multiple hikes, so double-check that you’re taking the Red Dot Trail. Arrive early, as both the trail and parking spaces fill up on nice days. 

Insider Tip: While you can go up and down the same trail, this hike works best as a loop, with an ascent up the red and a descent down the blue.

The Catskill Mountains. lightphoto/Getty Images © lightphoto/Getty Images

4. Shore Trail: Palisades Interstate Park, NY

Best for quick access from NYC 
Distance: 4.7 miles
Duration: 1½ hours
Difficulty: Easy 
Travel time from NYC: 20-minute drive, or 1 hour via Rockland Coach

For a hike close to NYC that still feels like a breath of fresh air, you can’t beat Palisades Interstate Park. Walk the trail between the Englewood Picnic Area and Fort Lee Historic Park to soak in the Hudson River’s drama. Here, rocky cliffs abruptly pause at the water’s edge – a landscape that glows come golden hour, especially among autumn’s peak foliage. 

From the parking lot, look for white markers near the Alpine Picnic Area; they indicate the start of the Shore Trail.

Insider Tip: Rockland County isn’t limited to just one hiking hot spot. Not far from Palisades Interstate Park, additional trails abound across Tallman Mountain and Nyack Beach state parks.

5. Escarpment Trail: Kaaterskill Falls, NY

Best for waterfall vistas
Distance: 2.3 miles
Duration: 1 hour 
Difficulty: Moderate
Travel time from NYC: 2½ hour drive, or 3½-hour Trailways bus to Hunter, NY, plus 15-minute drive

Niagara Falls isn’t the Northeast’s only notable waterfall. In the New York town of Hunter, the soaring 260-foot Kaaterskill Falls poses amongst the evergreens in the heart of the Kaaterskill Wild Forest. Reach the waterfall from the Escarpment Trail, where you’ll follow the melody of the waterfall’s rush along a well-marked path.

For this particular route, it’s best to park in the Laurel House Road lot, though you’ll find additional parking on Schutt Road and South Lake. To see the waterfall without hiking too far, there’s also an option from Laurel House Road to walk roughly .6 miles round-trip to a viewing area. 

Insider Tip: An hour south, you’ll find even more falls in Lake Minnewaska State Park Preserve, though if you’re up for a longer road trip, the Finger Lakes’ Taughannock Falls is mesmerizing year-round — but especially during winter’s freeze. It anchors the scenery of nearby Ithaca, which promises approximately 150 waterfalls.

A view over Storm King Art Center. 365 Focus Photography/Shutterstock 365 Focus Photography / Shutterstock

6. Breakneck Long Loop: Breakneck Ridge, NY

Best for a Hudson Valley workout
Distance: 3.2 miles
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty: Difficult
Travel time from NYC: 1½ hour Metro-North train via the Hudson Line 

Breakneck Ridge ranks as one of the most popular, but challenging, hikes in the Hudson Valley. During the Breakneck Ridge Long Loop, you’ll get your heart rate going from the get-go, as the route starts with a strenuous but exciting scramble. Upon reaching the top, you’ll spot the Hudson River, Bannerman Castle, and maybe even a soaring hawk.

Reaching the trail is relatively straightforward using the Metro-North, which has a specific Breakneck Ridge stop. To access the ridge, take the hike counterclockwise, starting on the white trail. If you’re spending longer than a day Upstate, branch out to the area’s other beloved summits, such as Bear Mountain.

Insider Tip: You can navigate Breakneck Ridge using a variety of trails, so for a different viewpoint – and a longer hike – consider the nine-mile South Beacon Mountain Trail, which scales the adrenaline-pumping Beacon Fire Tower. 

7. Storm King Trail: Storm King Mountain, NY

Best for a rejuvenating day Upstate 
Distance: 2½ miles 
Duration: 2½ hours  
Difficulty: Moderate 
Travel time from NYC: 1½-hour Shortline Hudson bus 

Just across the river from Breakneck Ridge, Storm King Mountain splinters into a variety of trails that take hikers to the peak of one of the area’s tallest mountains. Of those routes, the Storm King Trail is among the best-balanced, as a moderate path that still packs a challenge in rockier sections.

Because this hike loops around, start the trail in either direction. Neither path is necessarily easier than the other, but a matter of preference. If you’d rather hike up a rocky stretch than navigate your way down one, go clockwise, and you’ll maintain better balance on the descent. This choice, however, will be more strenuous from the hike’s get-go. Depending on when you hike, it’s also smart to keep microspikes handy; given the mountain’s elevation of more than 1300ft, sections may prove icy, even in early spring.

Insider Tip: When you’re done hiking, make a day of your detour Upstate. Tour the town of Cornwall, where Storm King Art Center keeps the theme of outdoor trails – albeit ones that lead through a 500-acre sculpture garden.