Nov. 1, 2025 – North Nyack, NY to Haverstraw, NY
(Actual trip Oct. 19, 2025)
If you are looking for some semi-challenging mountain biking terrain, this might be right for you.
Accessible via Metro-North from New York City, with a stop at Tarrytown, and a short jaunt across the Andrew M. Cuomo Bridge on their bike and walk path, leads you to north and south exploration. Just travel north through Nyack and Upper Nyack to the park entrance.
You can also drive directly to Nyack State Park. There is an $8 entry fee for motor vehicles and parking is facing the Hudson River.
I lucked out with a parking space right next to the trail start.
Before I started my ride, I realized I had no food, and some lovely people offered me their Korean cakes and of all things–an avocado!
So grateful for the kindness of strangers. They were going for a hike and had driven all the way from Jersey City.
There is a lot of history here, starting with Hook Mountain at the entrance to the park. The area is home to the original rock quarrying that supplied building materials to New York City, carried from the mountain to sloops that sailed down to the city.
According to local historical sources, more than 30 quarries operated at Hook Mountain. In the early 1900’s the Palisades Interstate Park Commission purchased the quarries, and built the parks and trails as we see them today. But remnants of the old operation can still be seen at the start of the trail.
Nyack Beach was established in 1911 and once had a big beach for families! (No longer!) There was also an amusement park, a carousel, bumper cars and a merry go round. There was even a pier for docking boats . But in 1950 a storm came along and destroyed most of the park.
If you follow the entire trail to Haverstraw, you will be able to ride almost 5 miles in each direction. Going north is more challenging than the return, but in the fall with a narrow path and a leaf covered trail, with gravely terrain, and rapid climbs, you could experience a little bit more than the usual challenge, depending on your fitness level.
The way back is significantly easier.
I just want to say that I have written previously about Hook Mountain. Besides its magnificent vistas, accessible terrain, and access to riverside wilderness, there is a spooky magnetic edge to the mountain.
I wrote about it on Benepe’s Bike Blog years ago, and it involves the death of a young woman in contemporary times, but also long in the past along the same vertiginous paths through the mountain.
Needless to say, there is more to this park than meets the eye. Its like eating a great meal with tremendous spices.
