I have admired Storm King Mountain from across the Hudson River in Cold Spring. It appears to rise right out of the river, maxing out at an elevation of 1,300 feet, and for a long time I’ve wanted to climb it.

I finally purchased the West Hudson Trails map set from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, which includes Storm King State Park and Black Rock Forrest on one map, as they are adjacent, and Schunemunk trails on another. The Highland Trail and Long Path intersect these maps, as well.

I invited my friend Matt along for the hike, and he brought Amelia, his trail-ready spotted pup. We decided to meet at the northernmost parking area, which appeared to be the original entrance to Storm King Park, as there were two old stone pillars that had the park name carved on a large stone on top. Towards the end of the hike we checked out some ruins that looked as though they must have been original park buildings or maybe the residence for some park personnel.

It had been in the 80’s the day before, and we were expecting it to be hotter today. We weren’t disappointed. It reached the upper 80’s, and we were sweating profusely. I dressed lightly and brought 2 liters of water in my CamelBak hydration pack. We were going to do both the northern and southern loops, totaling about 8 miles, but with the heat and the strenuousness of the hike, we cut out the southern loop.

It was an awesome hike, with sweeping views over the Hudson River and Black Rock Forrest. There were quite a few people out, it being a nice day and a Sunday, and everyone we came across were friendly and wanting to chat. Especially at the more scenic stopping points.

This hike is rugged, steep, and has a lot of elevation gain. I definitely recommend wearing hiking boots, or very sturdy and grippy sneakers. Bring plenty of water, as well, if it’ll be hot out. A hat with good coverage is essential as well, as there are quite a few areas with no trees.

I don’t have much else to say about this hike, so I’ll leave it to the photos to tell the story:

One false step and your hike is over.

Bannerman Castle is located on the island in this photo.

Cold Spring seen across the Hudson

Matt and Amelia make their way up the rock face.

The view from the top of Storm King Mountain.

The aforementioned ruins.