New York · Hiking · Near Mount Kisco

Estherwood Trail (Blue)

Estherwood Trail (Blue)Photo: Bryan Pocius, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.7 mi
round trip
327 ft
climb
455 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct
best months

Estherwood Trail (Blue) is an easy out-and-back hike in New York, about 0.6 miles from the village of Chauncey. The route is short and gentle, covering roughly 1.3 miles with a total elevation gain of 327 feet. The highest point on the trail is 455 feet, and the climb is spread out so that it never feels steep, making it a simple addition to a day spent exploring the surrounding trails. Late spring and early fall tend to be the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Dobbs Ferry-Ardsley show May highs around 73°F and September highs around 77°F. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail, so temperatures up here run slightly cooler. The trail makes an easy pairing with other paths in the area. Broad Trail is just 0.2 miles away and Algonquin Trail about 0.4 miles off. The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, a mountain biking route, lies about 0.6 miles away. V.E. Macy Park, a climbing area, is roughly 2.6 miles from the trail.

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  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct

    Best time to visit Estherwood Trail (Blue)

    Best months: April–June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      40° / 23°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      43° / 25°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      51° / 31°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      63° / 40°

      12 wet

    5. May

      73° / 50°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      81° / 59°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 64°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      84° / 63°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      77° / 56°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      65° / 45°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      54° / 36°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      44° / 29°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Dobbs Ferry-Ardsley, NY, 1.8 mi away at 200 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Broad TrailPhoto: Bryan Pocius, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Broad Trail

Next door

0.71-mile loop with 94 ft gain and 181 ft loss in New York.

White TrailPhoto: clembore, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

White Trail

~3 min drive

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Shore TrailPhoto: PunkToad, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Shore Trail

~4 min drive

Scenic 10-mile waterfront point-to-point hike with easy walking and water views.

Algonquin TrailPhoto: Ira Gersh, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Algonquin Trail

Next door

0.85-mile loop in New York with 278 ft elevation gain

Yellow TrailPhoto: clembore, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Yellow Trail

~3 min drive

0.33-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 76 ft elevation gain.

Red CirclePhoto: Tainanian, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Red Circle

~5 min drive

3.57-mile out-and-back trail in New Jersey with 663 ft gain

North Brothers LoopPhoto: Ira Gersh, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

North Brothers Loop

~2 min drive

1.35-mile loop in New York with 354 ft gain and 356 ft loss

Yellow TrailPhoto: Michael Cory, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Yellow Trail

~4 min drive

0.47-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 246 ft elevation gain.

Sprain Slick Rock TrailPhoto: Ira Gersh, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Sprain Slick Rock Trail

~3 min drive

1.06-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 191 ft elevation gain.

Ravine TrailPhoto: Michael Cory, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Ravine Trail

~3 min drive

0.30-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 129 ft gain

Route details

Distance
0.7 mi round trip
Climbing
About 327 ft
Summit
459 ft
Difficulty
Easy
Time
About 0.5 hours

Questions about this route

How long is the Estherwood Trail (Blue) on Villard Hill?

About 0.7 mi round trip.

How much elevation gain is on the Estherwood Trail (Blue)?

About 327 ft of climbing round trip.

How hard is the Estherwood Trail (Blue)?

It is rated easy.

How long does the Estherwood Trail (Blue) take?

About 0.5 hours round trip.

Conditions and forecast on Villard Hill

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors