New York · Hiking · Near New Windsor

Highlands Trail

Highlands TrailPhoto: New York Public Library, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.0 mi
one way
286 ft
climb
648 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Apr–Oct
best months

Highlands Trail is a short, easy hike in New York's Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve, managed by State Park and Recreation. The route is about a mile long, with a one-way elevation gain of 286 feet from a low point of 369 feet to a high of 648 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about half a mile in, with a 12% grade. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at West Point put May highs around 72°F and September highs around 76°F, while July averages about 85°F and January highs sit near 36°F. The trail is a point-to-point route, and the trip takes about half an hour. Bikes and horses are not allowed. Lonestar Trail starts just 0.2 miles away, and Nelsonville Trail is about half a mile off. Blue Trail and Washburn Trail are each within about a mile. Storm King Mountain, a climbing area, lies roughly 3 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Fahnestock Group Campsite 1 and 2

    Campground

    Campground · 3.9 mi from the trail
  • If it rainsThe original uploader was Daniel Case at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Sands Ring Homestead Museum

    Museum

    On your way back · 5 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: The original uploader was Daniel Case at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)

More in New Windsor

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Highlands Trail

    Best months: April–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

      36° / 21°

      10 wet · 3 snow

    2. Feb

      39° / 22°

      8 wet · 3 snow

    3. Mar

      47° / 30°

      10 wet · 2 snow

    4. Apr

      60° / 41°

      10 wet

    5. May

      72° / 51°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      80° / 60°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      85° / 65°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 64°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      76° / 57°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 46°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      51° / 36°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      41° / 27°

      10 wet · 2 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at West Point, NY, 3.8 mi away at 320 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Lonestar TrailPhoto: New York Public Library, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lonestar Trail

Next door

0.97-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 45 ft gain and 537 ft loss.

Nelsonville TrailPhoto: Jeffrey Pang from Berkeley, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Nelsonville Trail

Next door

Nelsonville Trail is a 1.99-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 357 ft gain.

Breakneck Ridge Trail (White)Photo: Jeffrey Pang from Berkeley, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Breakneck Ridge Trail (White)

~3 min drive

Steep point-to-point ridge hike with rocky scrambles and Hudson River views.

Cornish TrailPhoto: New York Public Library, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cornish Trail

~3 min drive

2.52-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 649 ft gain

Hubbard LoopPhoto: New York Public Library, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hubbard Loop

~3 min drive

0.85-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 291 ft gain.

Appalachian TrailPhoto: Russ Nelson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Appalachian Trail

~7 min drive

5.5-mile out-and-back on the Appalachian Trail in New York with 1,413 ft gain/loss

Brook TrailPhoto: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Brook Trail

~3 min drive

0.63-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 324 ft gain

Bypass TrailPhoto: Rym, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Bypass Trail

~5 min drive

A brief point-to-point trail under a mile in New York.

Undercliff TrailPhoto: Jeffrey Pang from Berkeley, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Undercliff Trail

~3 min drive

Point-to-point cliff-base hike featuring dramatic rock formations.

School Mountain TrailPhoto: New York Public Library, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

School Mountain Trail

~5 min drive

4.15-mile point-to-point hike in New York with 977 ft elevation gain

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors