Adventure in the Ruins on Mount Beacon

The view from the top In my search for places to take my family on excursions in and around Putnam County, usually about the time I get to the point that I think I've discovered them all, an exciting new adventure presents itself, and my amazement with the sights in our area is renewed.

You have to go a little outside Putnam County to visit Mount Beacon, but its uniqueness warrants a visit.

Mount Beacon is the highest peak in the Hudson Highlands, and its gets its name from the fact that it was used during the Revolutionary War as a point for signal fires to warn of approaching British troops. This site has the ruins of an old 1908 mountain top hotel called the Beaconcrest and an incline railroad that has been out of service since the 1970s. It's a nice hike and the view from the top is stunning.

To get there, take 84 West to Exit 11 (the last exit before the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge). Make a left at the end of the ramp and head south on 9D for about 2-1/2 miles. On a 90 degree right-turn bend in the road, you make a left into the parking lot. It is pretty well-marked, and there is a good amount of parking. The nearest cross street is Howland Avenue, and there is a little deli on the corner.

There is a map and information stand at the base of the trail. The "Red" trail to the outlook is only one mile, but it is all uphill, and there are some parts that are pretty rocky.

A dirt walking path leads towards the mountain away from the parking lot. A few hundred feet up that trail sits the base of the old incline railroad. It must have been an exciting—and somewhat scary—train ride up to the top of the mountain, because the railway went straight up.

Take the long stairs on the left of the incline railroad. There are maybe 10 to 15 flights of stairs if my memory serves me correctly, and they are well-placed because they climb a steep section of the mountain. There is a good view from the top portion of the stairs. Take a moment to catch your breath and look back over the city and the Hudson River below. Then look back uphill and see how far you still have to go.

After the stairs, the trail turns to the left and then snakes its way up to the old hotel site. I read there is another observation deck built along the way, but somehow we missed it.

I had a six year old, a four year old, and a dog with me. They made it, but we had to stop a few times for them to rest, and the second half of the walk up consisted of a lot of encouragement and promises of "Almost there. I think I see the top."

But it was worth it. The view is amazing. A long stretch of the Hudson River sits before you, with Beacon in the foreground and Newburgh across the water. The foundation of the old hotel/casino and the brick-building-and-machinery remains of the top of the inclined railway (which in my opinion is just waiting to collapse) just beg to be explored. The park attaches to a whole network of trails at Fishkill Ridge, also owned by Scenic Hudson. Looking away from the Hudson, you can see the fire tower that sits atop South Mount Beacon.

We headed back down on the same trail we walked up.

I recommend bringing lunch to have at the top, and make sure you bring plenty of water for the trip. All we had was one 12oz bottle per person and that proved to be woefully inadequate, even for a day only in the high 70s. Pets are allowed if you keep them on a leash and clean up after them. Remember to bring a lot of water for them, too.

We went in the summer, but I think the view would be amazing in the fall. Starting from Brewster, the whole trip—the drive, the hike, and the drive back—took us a full five hours but we went slow and spent a lot of time at the lookout point.

The property is owned by Scenic Hudson Land Trust, which owns quite a few properties in Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, Greene, Columbia, Ulster, and Orange Counties. Their website is scenichudson.org. An organization aptly called the Mt. Beacon Incline Railway Restoration Society (inclinerailway.org) has been formed in an effort to restore the incline railway.

Steven Mattson has been a resident of Brewster for 10 years. He is currently writing a family-oriented book about the sights and adventures in and around Putnam County. He can be reached at dutchess92@comcast.net.