Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail begins work on Breakneck Upper Overlook on March 1, 2023
On February 17, 2023, Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail, Inc., New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), Metro-North Railroad (MNR), and New York-New Jersey Trail Conference (NYNJTC) announced that initial work to relocate the Breakneck trailhead farther up the ridge and repair eroding trail surfaces is beginning on March 1, 2023.
The work is scheduled to be completed by July 2023. During this construction phase, OPRHP will close the Breakneck Ridge trailhead to the public. Read the full press release here:
Download a PDF of the press release about the Breakneck Upper Overlook work here.
Breakneck Station Reopened for Hiking Season in 2022
In May of 2022, the Hudson Line Breakneck station was reopened for weekend service. NY-NJ Trail Conference Trail Stewards staff the Breakneck trailhead in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve, orienting hikers arriving by train, foot, or car and ensuring they are prepared for the hike.
The innovative Trail Steward program has been in place since 2014, greatly reducing the incidence of lost or injured hikers associated with the ever-popular Breakneck Trail.
Service at the Breakneck train station resumed for Memorial Day weekend, when the NY-NJ Trail Conference annually reboots its successful trailhead steward program.
The Breakneck station had been closed since late 2019 and has since undergone a number of safety enhancements. You can read more about in the announcement below.
Read the full press release about the Breakneck station reopening.
Safety Improvements at Breakneck Ridge Station
In October of 2021, the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail, Metro-North Railroad, the New York State Department of Transportation, and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation commenced work on safety improvements to the Metro-North railroad station at Breakneck Ridge.
Once complete, the Metro-North station is reopening as a weekend stop on the Hudson Line.
The fencing that HHFT is installing is an interim step towards the comprehensive redesign of the Route 9D corridor north, the Breakneck Connector. That segment marks the first mile of the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail as it goes into construction.
Safety has always been one of HHFT’s core aims, and securing the tracks at this busy hiking destination is a major step forward in the project. You can read more about it in this downloadable PDF announcement:
Read the full press release about HHFT's safety improvements at Breakneck Ridge Station.
Banner architectural sketch: SCAPE Landscape Architecture
Architectural rendering: Gray Organschi Architecture
Photography: NY-NJ Trail Conference
Photography: Ty Cole