Arden Point and Glenclyffe
Directions to trailhead
From the east end of the Bear Mountain Bridge, proceed north on N.Y. 9D for 4.5 miles to an intersection with N.Y. 403. Turn left at this intersection onto Lower Station Road and follow it downhill to the Metro-North railroad station. Park in the station parking lot (parking is free on weekends; there is a fee on weekdays).
Train Directions
Take the Metro-North Hudson Line to the Garrison station.
Hike Description
Just south of the southern entrance to the station, you’ll notice two stone pillars and a sign for “Arden Point – Hudson Highlands State Park.” This is the trailhead of a blue-blazed woods road which heads south. Follow this woods road, soon passing ruins of brick buildings on the right and crossing a wooden footbridge over a stream.
In about half a mile, you’ll notice on the right a one-lane steel truss bridge that goes over the railroad tracks. Turn right and cross the bridge, which leads to Arden Point. Immediately after crossing the bridge, follow the blue-blazed trail as it turns right onto a woods road that narrows to a footpath, passing through a mixed forest of deciduous trees and white pines. Continue on the blue-blazed trail past an old stone wall, bear right at a trail junction, and proceed down to the water’s edge at the northern tip of Arden Point. Here, there is a broad view north up the Hudson River, with West Point visible on the left, on the west shore, and Bull Hill of the East Hudson Highlands in the background.
After enjoying the view, retrace your steps on the blue-blazed trail to the trail junction and turn right, following the blue-blazed trail as it heads south parallel to the river. Soon, a short side trail on the right leads to a west-facing viewpoint over the Hudson River. The large red-brick building directly across the river is the Hotel Thayer at West Point. Running along the west bank of the river is the West Shore Railroad, built in 1883 between Weehawken, N.J. and Buffalo, N.Y. to compete with the New York Central, whose line followed the east bank (now operated by Metro-North).. Passenger service on the West Shore line was discontinued in 1959, but the line is now operated by CSX for freight service, and you may see a mile-long freight train snake its way along the river.
When you’re ready to continue, return to the blue-blazed trail and turn right, heading south. Near the southern tip of the point, the blue-blazed trail makes a sharp left turn. Bear right and continue ahead on a wide path to a rock outcrop at the very end of the point, which affords a panoramic south-facing view, with the Bear Mountain Bridge in the distance. The yellow brick buildings on the west side of the river are occupied by the West Point Museum and Visitor Center, established in 1989 on the site of the former Ladycliff College.
After taking some time to enjoy this view, retrace your steps up the hill to the blue-blazed trail and bear right, now heading north on the trail, which ends at the bridge over the tracks. Bear right, recross the bridge, and turn right (south) onto the white-blazed Marcia’s Mile, which follows a woods road, bordered for part of the way by low stone walls. When the white-blazed Marcia's Loop turns left, continue ahead on the woods road, now following the red-blazed Glenclyffe Loop.
In about a quarter of a mile, you’ll reach a junction, marked by a wooden sign on the left. Follow the red-blazed Glenclyffe Loop as it turns right and heads uphill on stone steps. Just ahead, you’ll reach a large gazebo, with a view over the river.
The trail passes to the left of the gazebo and heads south, parallel to the river. The large brick building on the left was built in the 1920s as a friary by the Capuchin Franciscan order and was acquired in 2001 by the Open Space Institute, which has preserved the property as publicly-accessible open space. This building has been conveyed to the Garrison Institute, which operates it as a spiritual retreat center (the buildings on the Glenclyffe property are not open to hikers). The trail passes to the left of a stone patio with tree stumps overlooking the river, descends concrete steps, and bears right to reenter the woods.
After crossing a rock outcrop, the trail turns left and makes a short, rocky descent to a road, where it turns right. After passing a water treatment facility on the left, it bears right at a bamboo thicket. (The red brick building on the left, built in the 1860s, was once the home of Hamilton Fish, governor of New York.)
Soon, the red-blazed trail comes out at the top of a ravine. It bears right and descends into the ravine, then bears left and continues to parallel the river. In a short distance, the trail turns sharply left and descends into a ravine, where it begins to follow an old woods road. Known as the Beverly Dock Road, this road was used by Benedict Arnold to flee. The trail crosses a stream on a large metal culvert and climbs gently, with the stream on the left. After bearing right at a small dam and bamboo thicket, the trail passes to the right of a small pond (largely obscured by the bamboo thicket). Near the end of the pond, a kiosk relates the story of the escape of Benedict Arnold along this road during the Revolutionary War.
Just beyond, the trail turns left, recrossing the stream on another culvert and passing a cinder-block building. It immediately turns right, passing to the left of a second pond. As the trail approaches Route 9D, it bears left, climbs a rise and emerges onto a broad grassy expanse. The trail follows a line of trees parallel to the road, with Castle Rock visible on the hilltop to the east.
At a sign for the Garrison Institute, turn left onto the paved entrance road. Just beyond a large trail map, bear right onto the white-blazed Marcia’s Mile. Follow the white blazes down a grassy knoll and along a woods road, passing a small pond on the right. The trail bears right and crosses a meadow, then reenters the woods and passes a concrete foundation on the left. After turning left at a T-intersection, it bears right at a fork and descends on a footpath.
At the base of the descent, turn right onto the woods road on which you began the hike earlier, still following the white blazes of Marcia’s Mile. When you reach the bridge over the railroad (do not cross it), continue ahead on the blue-blazed woods road which leads back to the Garrison railroad station, where the hike began.