fishkill ridge

There are many hours of trails in this area and we trekked through at least 6 of them. Beautiful, almost untouched trails through dense woods and mountain ridges...just be athletic and ready to sweat. Head up to the reservoir for a picnic lunch--it's very pretty.

Fishkill Ridge (http://www.scenichudson.org/parks/fishkillridge) can be recommended as a must for any hiking enthusiast in the NYC metro area, especially so during Fall and/or a couple of days after a rainy spell (note: one should exercise appropriate caution when hiking in wet conditions) has replenished the brooks there (I visited at a time when both conditions held and it was one of my most enjoyable day hikes in the Hudson Valley).It can be accessed via public transportation if one is willing to walk the approx. 2.5 miles from the Beacon Metro North station to the Pocket Road trailhead, or take a cab from the station to either trailhead. From the Pocket Road trailhead, the white-blazed Fishkill Ridge trail follows a pretty route along a brook which forms several small cascades, and later a larger waterfall near the base of which the trail crosses it, and ascends up further. Eventually, the trail climbs up to a series of rocky ledges with sweeping views of the Hudson, and Dennings point. North Beacon is also clearly visible. Around here, there is an intersection with the red-blazed Overlook Trail. The trail climbs some more to get to the summit of Lamb's Hill, and continues forth to get to a point called Dozer Junction because of the presence of an abandoned rusted bulldozer. Here a blue connector trail splits off and heads towards the yellow-blazed Wilkinson Memorial Trail that can be followed all the way to nearby Sugarloaf Mountain and further. The white-blazed trail itself continues further and forms a loop of Bald Hill.As would be evident from some of the above description, there are several options for creating day-hikes here out of the various connecting blazed trails as well as several woods road. NYNJTC Trail Map #102 is indispensible for planning a more complex hike involving woods roads or switching to adjoining East Hudson Highlands trails. Blazed trails within Fishkill ridge are also indicated on the Scenic Hudson Trail Map ((http://www.scenichudson.org/sites/default/files/u2/fishkillridge-webmap.jpg)