Beacon Mountain

Follow the red trail markers appearing on trees or painted directly on the rocks. At the top of the staircase, on the concrete platform, turn around for your first vista. See the Newburgh/Beacon Bridge to the north crossing the Hudson, and the city of Beacon spread before you. Now begins the natural trail into the woods. At the crossroads with the yellow trail markers, bear right. There is loose rock and rubble here; be sure to watch your footing. As you gain altitude and climb the rock path with the boulder slabs, look back to catch spectacular views of the Hudson, the City of Beacon, and off in the distance, Poughkeepsie and the Mid-Hudson Bridge. At all crossroads, continue climbing. It is common to lose the red trail markers temporarily, but then pick them up soon enough ahead. If you do not see another one within a few hundred feet, you are probably off trail. Go back, find the last one, and try again. At the top of the mountain lies the foundation of the old casino. It is easy to see why generations have enjoyed this view and why this has been a favorite spot for many—the views are incredible. You can see the Catskills, New York City, and far to the north into Columbia County on a clear day. This is where the trail markers end, but the path eventually hooks up with the white, red, yellow and blue blazes, leading north and south. The climb down, facing west, provides a constant vista of the Hudson River and the city, making it a nice way to end a hike, especially at sunset.