Breakneck Ridge Loop

Welcome to another Travel Tuesday…and I’m bringing you back to the east coast today (specifically New York) — come check out the Breakneck Ridge Loop Trail!

Breakneck Ridge Loop Trail in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve

Breakneck Ridge Loop in Beacon, New York | fairyburger.com

Distance: 3.2 miles (loop)
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
Elevation: 1250 ft
Address: 430-442 Breakneck Rd, Beacon, NY 12508
Fee: $8 for 1 vehicle entry (this will let you into all the NY state parks for the day)

There are a variety of different ways to approach this trail! (We opted for the 2nd!)

(My friend and I actually went on this hike back in 4/2019, so in the grand scheme of things, I’m not procrastinating thatttt much on this one as compared to others! Since this was a few years back, always make sure you check the site for current trail conditions!)

Breakneck Ridge Loop in Beacon, New York | fairyburger.com

The trail markers are pretty self-explanatory but at times, we’d miss a marker every here and there and would have to look a little harder. Breakneck Ridge Loop in Beacon, New York | fairyburger.com

This is a pretty popular trail over in the Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve. It’s considered to be one of the most strenuous hikes in the east Hudson Highlands.

It involves a rock scramble and can get pretty rocky/muddy/slippery, so definitely be careful and avoid doing this while/shortly after there’s been rain!Ā  (I put away my phone for that section.)Breakneck Ridge Loop in Beacon, New York | fairyburger.com Breakneck Ridge Loop in Beacon, New York | fairyburger.com

Based on all the reviews/descriptions I read about it, I was definitely expecting it to be a lot more difficult, but it wasn’t bad. That being said, I would recommend wearing shoes with good traction. Bug spray might also be a good idea depending on the time of year that you go.

We madeeee it!!

Please do NOT attempt this if it’s wet or the trail is covered in snow or ice. I’d actually planned to hike this the previous year but the day we’d planned to go, it was absolutely pouring and we didn’t want to die, so the trip got postponed. Definitely worth it!

Breakneck Ridge Loop in Beacon, New York | fairyburger.com

Breakneck Ridge Loop in Beacon, New York | fairyburger.com


  • Have you ever done any rock scrambling during a hike?
  • Check out other hikes here!
  • I’m also excited to be working with Elite Sports to try out one of their products! I’ll be coming out with a review post once I’m done testing things out, so stay tuned! They sell all kinds of MMA fightwear + workout clothes + gear! :]

Permanent link to this article: https://www.fairyburger.com/breakneck-ridge-loop/

14 comments

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  1. You crack me up…but 2019 isn’t *tooo* long ago! I am glad you keep writing about the hikes :)

    I love it when hike have multiple possibilities like that, so you can choose a longer/shorter option depending on your mood. It looks like a fab trail for the springtime too.
    Josy A recently posted…Seton Creek Spawning ChannelsMy Profile

    1. Thank you! I was writing about stuff from back in 2017 for a while — working on catching up to the present! Even 2019 feels so long ago now though!

      Me too! It was really pretty in the spring! I definitely wouldn’t mind going back in the fall too. :]

    • Lasma on April 23, 2022 at 4:16 pm
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    It looks like a great hiking path, not sure I would handle it as a beginner but it seems like it’s worth it! thanks for sharing this

    1. It’s definitely one of the more strenuous hikes in the area but the view was incredible! If I’m ever back in the area, I’ll have to check out their other hikes — I think they vary in difficulty/intensity! :]
      Farrah recently posted…Sustainable Companies To Check Out For Earth DayMy Profile

  2. That’s good to know about looking hard for trail markers, especially along the paths that go over rocks. Breakneck Ridge looks beautiful!

    1. I love a good hike that gets you up high enough for some views. I like the lots of options on the breakneck ridge trail. Choose your own adventure.

      1. Me too — always nice to have options! :]!

    2. Yeah, we definitely accidentally veered off a couple times, but thankfully stopped to look and didn’t have to do too much retracing!
      Farrah recently posted…Sustainable Companies To Check Out For Earth DayMy Profile

  3. Wow, this is an impressive hike. I haven’t done one like this in a long time. Your article makes me miss this steep terrain. Great photos btw!

    1. Aww, thank you! I hope you get to go on one again sometime! :]

    • Susan on April 26, 2022 at 10:52 pm
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    Great advice to avoid in inclement weather – I can see how that scramble could be difficult and unsafe. The view from the top is pretty awesome though!

    1. For sure! :D Hoping to go on lots more hikes this year! I feel like I didn’t get out as much last year!

  4. This one isn’t that far from me, and I’ve wanted to hike in the Hudson Highlands for a while. Thanks for posting – now I know what to expect!

    1. Ooo, I hope you get to go sometime soon! :]
      Farrah recently posted…Sustainable Companies To Check Out For Earth DayMy Profile

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