Hi friends, welcome back! As you may know, I have been quarantining in a one-bedroom NYC apartment for over four months now. In NYC, we are able to move about freely, but I personally have not been more than a few miles from my apartment. I have ventured out mainly for walks and food, but I am itching to get out of the city and get lost in nature hiking (figuratively of course ;)). There is so much of New York that I have yet to explore in this diverse state, and I can’t wait to do so once I have a car. I created this New York Hiking Bucket List as inspiration for myself, and I can’t wait to share beautiful pictures once I complete these hikes! Disclaimer, none of the pictures in this post besides Breakneck Ridge are my own.
New York Hiking Bucket List
- Storm King Mountain: this hike is listed as a moderate 2.6-mile trail with a rocky terrain and beautiful views of the Hudson River. This hike can be accessed from public transportation on the Metro North via the Hudson Line from Grand Central Station, or about an hour and a half drive from Lower Manhattan. Storm King Mountain is right across the Hudson River from Breakneck Ridge, and I’d highly recommend stopping at Moo Moo’s Creamery for some well-deserved ice cream afterwards 🙂
- Watkins Glen State Park: I have seen so many pictures of this trail on Instagram and have been dying to experience it for myself on day! It is about a four-hour drive from NYC, so definitely not a day trip. The waterfalls are beautiful, but the reviews all so to go early or during a week day to avoid crowds. There are a few trails, all rated moderate, and none are longer than 2.5 miles. Waterfall hikes are my favorite!
- The Buttermilk Falls Gorge Trail: this 1.6-mile trail is located in Ithaca, NY about a four-hour drive from NYC and near Watkins Glen State Park. This trail is listed as beautiful and moderate. The main attraction is a large waterfall, beautiful rock formations, and places to swim.
- High falls Gorge: this 30 minute, 1-mile hike in Lake Placid is another that I have admired on Instagram for quite some time. The hike is listed as easy, but an overpriced tourist trap. I still think these views are worth visiting!
- Rainbow Falls: another Lake Placid Hike, Rainbow Falls is listed as 5.9 miles and moderate difficulty. This hike may be one of the most famous in NY State for the stunning views at the top. This is rated one of the best hikes in the Adirondacks and one of the hikes I’m most excited about on this list. UPDATE: I completed this hike in August 2020, you can read about it here.
- White Face Mountain: this is another hike in Lake Placid that measures 9.6-miles and can take up to 7 hours. The hike is difficult and long, so I will save this for when I have some endurance 🙂
- Cascade Mountain: this Lake Placid Hike is 4.5-miles and can take up to 4 hours complete, but per the All Trails reviews, hikers are rewarded with incredible views at the top. The hike is rated hard with a steep incline and some rocky scrambles that can be a bit crowded.
- Verkeerder kill Falls Hike: this hike is located in the Catskills about two hours away from NYC, easily doable for a day trip. The hike is a moderate 8.3 miles, one of the longer on the list, but there are beautiful views at the top and a large waterfall.
- Kaaterskill Falls: an easy 1.7 mile hike in the Catskills with some beautiful waterfalls. There was even a comment that there are a lot of dogs on the trail…count me in!!
- Overlook Mountain View and Hotel Ruins: this hike is also located in the Catskills and measures 8.5 miles long. This hike is unique because there is an old hotel ruins you can walk through. This hike is rated hard and includes a steep incline, but beautiful views!
An honorable mention is Breakneck Ridge, I would add it to my bucket list, but I’ve already completed it – or should I say survived it?? It is definitely not for the faint of heart! The hike is full of beautiful views, steep rock scrambles, and fresh air! This hike is rated 10/10 difficulty for a reason, and I would highly discourage it without the proper shoes, especially with all of the rock climbing. I would recommend attempting the because you will feel so empowered once you’re done. I picked this hike out because it’s easily accessible by public transportation from NYC, not for its difficulty. You can read all about it here.
