Work at Breakneck Ridge Trailhead and Upper Overlook is complete! The trail reopened to the public on July 1, following months of work that included the relocation of the trailhead farther up Breakneck Ridge, repair of eroding trail surfaces, improved stormwater management along the trail, installation of stone steps leading up to the Breakneck ascent, and construction of a new Trail Steward Station. This initial work at Upper Overlook marks the launch of Phase 1: Breakneck Connector & Bridge of the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail (read more about Phase 1 below).
View Before and After photos of the trail and read about the 'how' and 'why' of these improvements.
Starting in fall of 2020, the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail partnered with New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) on creating the Nimham Trail, a half-mile connector between the first scenic overlook on Breakneck Ridge and the Wilkinson Memorial Trail.
The Nimham Trail is now open! It makes the steep trip down easier and safer for thousands of hikers who annually make the views from Breakneck their objective—and will help protect the habitat along these ridgeline scrambles and reduce erosion.
Planning and construction work on Phase 1 of the Fjord Trail, the Breakneck Connector and Bridge, began in 2022.
Planned enhancements will significantly improve the current parking situation, implementing new restrictions that will create a safer environment for trail users and motorists on Route 9D. In order to break ground on these important elements, the Breakneck train station and trailhead will need to temporarily close during construction.
Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for information on the upcoming closure. We’ll also keep you updated on this through our e-newsletter and updates to the News & Information page.
Based on the urgent need to resolve existing parking, safety, and erosion concerns, the .7-mile Breakneck Connector and Bridge trail segment has been prioritized as one of the most critical sections within the Fjord Trail project. It will be the first major segment to be completed.
The Breakneck Connector segment will include:
- improved and expanded parking areas to better accommodate visitation and access for first responders in case of emergency
- an off-road, partially elevated pathway that connects hikers to the Metro-North station platform and keeps hikers arriving by car off the highway
- the Breakneck Bridge, connecting the trail over the Metro-North Railroad tracks at Breakneck Ridge to HHFT’s future Shoreline Trail, which will run south to Little Stony Point and enhance DEP access to their facility
- an information kiosk, restrooms, and a bike tune-up station
- a child-friendly boulder scramble area
- removal of invasive vegetation
- roomy trail banks and overlooks where visitors can pause and take in the dramatic Hudson Highlands views
Above all, the Breakneck Connector and Bridge will create a cohesive space that balances visitor needs with habitat conservation.
FOREST/NOTCH AREA
The trail segment connecting the Breakneck Connector to the north that will include a forest net destination offering a family-friendly immersive forest experience, ample off-road parking areas, and access to the HHFT Visitor Center at the Dutchess Manor campus.
MARSH AREA
Where the trail winds its way back to the riverside through marshland habitat experiences, with connections to Dennings Point, the Klara Sauer Trail, and the Fjord Trail’s northern gateway, Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park at the Beacon waterfront.
SHORELINE TRAIL
An ADA-accessible trail along the Hudson River encompassing the Dockside Park gateway in Cold Spring, enhancements like a natural playscape for children at Little Stony Point Park, and beyond to connect to the Breakneck Connector segment.
