These are some of the best hikes for people that live in New York City or NYC that I know of. These are good hikes for people that live in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and even New Jersey as well. You may have to drive somewhat far to get to the parking lot or trail head. These are the best hikes that you can find that are accessible via car or vehicle. Some are 2+ hour drive though but I listed them because they are worth the trip. They are very beautiful and have very beautiful views with lots of photograph and selfie opportunities.
1. Mohonk Mountain House
This is a very beautiful hike but a long drive though. I often save this hike for the Fall foliage in October. Even though I love to hike, I only come here once a year because the drive is very far. There are lots of views, picture opportunities and there are rock scrambles as well. You can skip some trails or add some depending on the type of hike that you want. If you are a beginner, you may just want to skip a lot of the rock scrambles and choose the road instead to get to the view points. There is an entrance fee but totally worth it.
| Miles: 9 | Elevation Gain: 1400 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 7 | Rock Scramble: Lots | Notes: Amazing Views |
| State: New Paltz, NY | Park: Mohonk Preserve | Parking: Spacious |
2. Sam’s Point
Sam’s point is another beautiful hike and this hike is also very popular. The parking lot is huge and there is a parking fee as well. This is a long drive also. However, in the fall and even in May, this parking lot can get filled up easily. If there are no more parking spaces, they will tell you to leave. You cannot park at the road, you will get a ticket. So I suggest getting here before 10AM. This hike has excellent views and in Spring, the waterfall is beautiful. The waterfall flows very hard in Spring but it is pretty dried up in the Fall.
| Miles: 9 | Elevation Gain: 1100 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 7 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Great Hike |
| State: Ellenville, NY | Park: Shawangunk Ridge | Parking: Spacious |
3. Breakneck Ridge Loop
This hike offers the best rock scramble that I know of. You will have to use all four of your limbs for this hike. The first mile is the toughest since you will have to hike up the mountain. The trail is pretty steep. I recommend getting good footwear since the steep trail can be slippery. There are plenty of views after the first mile. However, once you get to the top, there are practically no more views for a while.
| Miles: 3.3 or 8 | Elevation Gain: 2,000 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 8 | Rock Scramble: Lots | Notes: Good Workout |
| State: Cold Spring, NY | Park: Hudson Highlands | Parking: Spacious |
4. Lake Minnewaska, Millbrook Mountain, And Gertrude’s Nose
Another amazing hike that I love but also a long drive. This hike is not that hard but it is kind of long. You will hike upwards but most of the time, the path is pretty flat. If you love to take pictures, you may end up pausing for a lot of times. This hike offers a good workout and lots of viewpoints. You can get some good pictures of the lake with this hike, good pictures of vistas, rock formations, and so on.
| Miles: 8 | Elevation Gain: 1300 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 7 | Rock Scramble: None | Notes: Very Scenic |
| State: Gardiner, NY | Park: Minnewaska State Park Preserve | Parking: Spacious |
5. Anthony’s Nose
You have a choice between 2 miles or 7 miles. The 7 miles is kind of hard because there are a lot of ups and downs on the trail. Your lower legs are going to get a good workout. For the 2 miles, you just ascend up but that is pretty hard as well for beginners. Anthony’s nose is pretty high. If you think about it, you are at the bottom, somewhat lower than the elevation of the bridge. But once you get to the top, you see the bridge down below. So the peak is pretty high.
| Miles: 2.1 or 7.4 | Elevation Gain: | Loop: No |
| Difficulty: 8 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Good Trails |
| State: Cortlandt Manor, NY | Park: Bear Mountain | Parking: Limited |
6. Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road Circuit Trail
This hike is pretty long but it is a pretty easy hike. I can most likely do this hike in less than 2 hours. The hike is mostly carriage road and you will see a lot of bikers riding on the road. The road is pretty big but you still have to watch out sometimes. The hike is pretty easy but it is pretty long as well. This is very beautiful in the fall. I like it. This is a great place to have a picnic as well.
| Miles: 9.4 | Elevation Gain: 1000 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 5 | Rock Scramble: None | Notes: Great For Fall |
| State: Gardiner, NY | Park: Minnewaska State Park Preserve | Parking: Spacious |
7. Schunemunk Mountain And Megaliths
I love to do this hike around the end of August. The wildflowers are very beautiful. They are pretty good for photography. This hike is pretty tough so I would not recommend it for beginners. You will also have to follow cairns instead of trail markers on some parts of the trail. The megaliths is kind of hidden. You have to follow the cairns to get there. All in all, I love this hike. There are amazing views and this offers a good workout.
| Miles: 6.5 or 11 | Elevation Gain: 1600 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 8 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Lots Of Cairns |
| State: New Windsor, NY | Park: Schunnemunk Mountain State Park | Parking: Limited |
8. Four Mountains Loop
This sounds hard but I would rate this as moderate. There are lots of picture opportunities and good angles. There are unique rock formations, lakes, and plant life. This is a pretty good hike. The first half of the hike will take you through mountains but the ascent and descent are not that hard. This is just long. The second half is mostly flat. Whenever I take a group here, we would end up getting split up after the lake because some people walk fast and while others do not.
| Miles: 8 | Elevation Gain: 1000 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 7 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Great For Photos |
| State: Sloatsburg, NY | Park: Harriman State Park | Parking: Limited |
9. Popolopen Torne Loop
I love this hike as well but it is kind of short though. There is only one viewpoint but it is pretty good. The trail will take you to a lake also which is somewhat beautiful. It is not the best lake I have ever seen but it looks good and seems to cool off people. There are rock scrambles in this hike before or after the peak. It can get a little hard if you are a beginner. You can also go to the Bear Mountain Bridge for additional photo opportunities.
| Miles: 6 | Elevation Gain: 1,200 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 6 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Good Views |
| State: Highlands, NY | Park: Bear Mountain | Parking: Limited |
10. Pochuck Boardwalk, Stairway To Heaven, Pinwheel Vista
Another hike I love to do around the last week of August. The wild flowers are very beautiful. The pochuck boardwalk looks awesome as well. I like that this trail allows you to enter a farm. The farm has cows that are very playful and curious. Whenever I go to this hike, I would always meet the cows at the trails. I tried feeding them grass but they do not like it. The next time I hike this again, I will definitely bring one or two apples with me so I can give them to the calves or young baby cows.
| Miles: 8 | Elevation Gain: 1,200 | Loop: No |
| Difficulty: 7 | Rock Scramble: A Few | Notes: Lots Of Plant Life |
| State: West Milford, NJ | Park: Wawayanda State Park | Parking: Spacious |
11. Mount Tammany
This hike is almost at the boundary between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It is a long drive from NYC. However, this is one of the most popular hikes in New Jersey. Once you have seen most of the hikes near NYC, then it is a good idea to travel to this location as well. You can choose the 4 mile hike in which a lot of beginners and tourists do or choose the 11 mile hike. The peak can be very crowded though during the weekends because this hike is very popular.
| Miles: 3.5 or 11 | Elevation Gain: 1200 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 5 or 8 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Very Popular |
| State: Knowlton Township, NJ | Park: Worthington State Forest | Parking: Spacious |
12. Awosting Falls
Awosting Falls is located at Minnewaska State Park Preserve. This is a great hike if you want an easy hike to take pictures and just enjoy nature. People will often have a picnic near Lake Minnewaska and then they will hike this waterfall after eating or for leisure activities.
| Miles: 2 | Elevation Gain: 200 | Loop: No |
| Difficulty: 2 | Rock Scramble: None | Notes: Beautiful Waterfall |
| State: Gardiner, NY | Park: Minnewaska State Park Preserve | Parking: Spacious |
13. Palisades Giant Stairs
This is a pretty good hike that is very close to Manhattan. It is so short though and you have to pay a toll to get back to Manhattan. So when I do this hike, I tend to check out some of the restaurants in New Jersey also. The hike is pretty good. Not a lot of elevation gain and you practically get the same view over and over but this is still pretty good. This is good for beginners as well. There are a few rock scrambles though so wear proper foot gear.
| Miles: 4.5 | Elevation Gain: 900 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 4 | Rock Scramble: A few | Notes: Easy To Moderate |
| State: Closter, NJ | Park: Palisades Interstate Park | Parking: Spacious |
14. Hoggencamp Mountain, Mines To Stahahe High Peak
This is a pretty long hike but mostly flat. There are nice rock formations, views, mines and plant life to see. The trees are very nice and very beautiful. This is not a hard hike but not a lot of views as well. This is more like a walk in the park or forest. The trail to Stahahe high peak is not marked very well. You may not have problems getting to the peak but you may have problems getting back to the road.
| Miles: 9 | Elevation Gain: 900 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 6 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Rock Formations |
| State: Southfields, NY | Park: Harriman State Park | Parking: Limited |
15. Apshawa Preserve
This is another easy hike. There are not a lot of views or vistas but the lake or dam is very nice to look at. There are actually two dams, one is at the center of the park and another at the green trail. There are ruins as well. Not sure what kind of ruins they are though. It does not look like a castle, or a mansion. This park is gated though or the different sections of the park have fences. So you need to follow the trail markers to reach the doors or move from one section to another.
| Miles: 5 | Elevation Gain: 700 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 4 | Rock Scramble: None | Notes: Bodies Of Water |
| State: West Milford, NJ | Park: Apshawa Preserve | Parking: Spacious |
16. Bull Hill Full Loop
This hike is pretty good as well but it is definitely overshadowed by the hike next to it which is Breakneck Ridge. This hike offers a few views, plant life, and ruins. The ascent to the top is not that steep and the trail is mostly flat. This is a good hike and if you love hiking, you should at least go see this hike once just to experience it.
| Miles: 7 miles | Elevation Gain: 1,400 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 6 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Ruins |
| State: Cornwall Landing, NY | Park: Hudson Highlands | Parking: Small |
17. Mount Beacon Fire Tower Loop
There are lots of view points with the first couple of miles. You can just go to the tower and go back to the parking lot. However, on this hike, I did more of the trails on Mount Beacon. I did the white trail so that I can experience some rock scramble to get to the fire tower. You can definitely skip the rock scramble and a lot of trails if you want. The hike going back down can be hard on your knees. You should take your time, take frequent breaks and use hiking sticks. You can injure yourself going down the trail to the parking lot.
| Miles: 6 | Elevation Gain: 2000 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 7 | Rock Scramble: Lots or None | Notes: Bring Hiking Sticks |
| State: Beacon, NY | Park: Hudson Highlands | Parking: Spacious |
18. Carris Hill, Wyanokie High Point, Buck Mountain Loop
This is another pretty easy hike. This is good for beginners. There are a couple of viewpoints, a waterfall, streams, and lots of trees. The parking lot is pretty small so I don’t recommend this for a large group. If you find that you want to hike some more then you can go to the trail next to this which is the Oslo Rock hike. It is a very easy hike and I could finish that hike very fast. So if you need more exercise, you can go to that hike as well.
| Miles: 7 | Elevation Gain: 1000 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 5 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Good Hike |
| State: Bloomingdale, NJ | Park: Norvin Green State Forest | Parking: Small |
19. Tourne Trail to Oslo Rock
This is a very short hike, I recommend this hike if you are hiking the trails in Norvin Green State Forest and you want some more exercise. You can also do this hike and do more trails in Norvin Green State forest. I recommend this for beginners and the elevation gain is not that high.
| Miles: 2.6 | Elevation Gain: 600 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 2 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Easy Hike |
| State: Bloomingdale, NJ | Park: Norvin Green State Forest | Parking: Small |
20. Bearfort Ridge Hike – Greenwood Lake And Surprise Lake
This is a good hike for beginners if you just want to see the lake and go back down. The loop is a little bit harder. There will be ups and downs or ascents and descents with the loop. The lakes are very beautiful. It is a very relaxing hike and very relaxing view point. I like it.
| Miles: 4 or 7 | Elevation Gain: 900 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 5 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Great Lake Views |
| State: Hewitt, NJ | Park: Abram S. Hewitt State Forest | Parking: Limited |
21. Diamond Mountain Loop Hike
There are a lot of trails I wanted to do in Bear Mountain but the main parking lot is always full. So I started this hike on an alternate parking lot while trying to do the same trails and get the same views. This hike is not that hard but not that easy as well. I would rate it as moderate. It is a good hike with a few viewpoints, a lake, and lots of plant life.
| Miles: 6.5 | Elevation Gain: 1250 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 7 | Rock Scramble: A few | Notes: Good Hike |
| State: Ramapo, NY | Park: Bear Mountain | Parking: Spacious |
22. Storm King Hike
This is a great hike for beginners. There are a lot of viewpoints or lookouts and there isn’t much elevation gain. This is not that far from Manhattan as well. If you are new to hiking then this is a good hike to start with. There are lots of views and the trails are well marked.
| Miles: 3.3 | Elevation Gain: 650 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 4 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Short Hike |
| State: Cornwall, NY | Park: Storm King State Park | Parking: Limited |
23. Palisades Long Path And Shore Trail Loop
This is a pretty long hike but mostly flat. The views are pretty much the same. This is a good hike that I like to do in March if I did not get enough exercise during the winter because of work. I try to warm up my body for hiking season so I tend to do this hike to get my body used to hiking lots of miles. There is a nice restaurant at the end with a pretty good hamburger.
| Miles: 12 | Elevation Gain: 1200 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 8 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Long Hike |
| State: Closter, NJ | Park: Palisades Interstate Park | Parking: Spacious |
24. Timp Torne Loop
This is a long and pretty tough hike. There are a lot of ups and downs and you will get a good exercise. Some of the views are blocked but there are also views that are not blocked. This is a nice hike and plenty of views. It is a little tough though so think of a good restaurant to go to afterwards to replenish your calories.
| Miles: 9 | Elevation Gain: 1600 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 7 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Felt Very Long |
| State: Tomkins Cove, NY | Park: Bear Mountain | Parking: Spacious |
25. Ramapo Lake And Cannon Ball Trail Loop
This is a very easy hike. It almost feels like a walk in the park. You will see a lot of dogs, and houses along the trail. You will see ruins, towers, and various plant life as well. The lake is very beautiful and you will be hiking around it with this trail along with other features.
| Miles: 7 | Elevation Gain: 1000 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 5 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Easy, Lake, Ruins |
| State: Oakland, NJ | Park: Ramapo State Forest | Parking: Spacious |
26. Sterling Forest – Bare Rock and Fire Tower
This is also a very nice and easy hike. You can take your time just watching the forest and plant life. There is one very good view and you can also get more good views on the fire tower. The fire tower was closed when I hiked this place though. I could still see some of the lands in a 360 degree way but I would have preferred if the top of the fire tower was open for everyone. Hopefully, they will fix the tower when I visit this hike again.
| Miles: 8 | Elevation Gain: 950 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 6 | Rock Scramble: No | Notes: Good Easy Hike |
| State: Tuxedo Park, NY | Park: Sterling Forest State Park | Parking: Spacious |
27. Dunderberg Spiral Railway / Bald Mountain
This is a pretty tough hike and there are not a lot of views. You will get a good workout though. There are lots of plant life and a nice walk through the forest. There are a lot of ascents and descents. A couple of steep trails as well. If you want a pretty good workout then this is a good hike to do.
| Miles: 7 | Elevation Gain: 1700 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 8 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Green |
| State: Tomkins Cove, NY | Park: Bear Mountain | Parking: Spacious |
28. Bonticou Crag And Table Rocks
This was a little too easy for me. The rock scramble ended way too quickly and most of the trail was flat. There were some nice views at the top but I was just not satisfied. This hike was pretty far from NYC and I wanted to get my money and time’s worth. So I ended up hiking Mohonk Mountain House as well. This hike is just way too easy that it wasn’t very satisfying since I had to drive for a long time to get to this place.
| Miles: 6 | Elevation Gain: 1100 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 5 | Rock Scramble: Some | Notes: Short Hike |
| State: High Falls, NY | Park: Mohonk Preserve | Parking: Spacious |
29. Black Rock Forest
This is a pretty good hike and not that far from NYC. The views are just not that impressive. There is one view that is pretty cool but you can get lost getting there. Hopefully, you have a map or GPS with you. The trail was not marked well. I still found it but people may get lost trying to get there.
| Miles: 7 | Elevation Gain: 1100 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 5 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Good Hike |
| State: Cornwall, NY | Park: Black Rock Forest | Parking: Spacious |
30. Pyramid Mountain Tripod Rock Loop
This is more like a walk in the park. This is still a good hike and you will see various rock formations. There is a few nice views and the trails are very friendly. There was a jogger her dog and they basically circled this whole park twice and I know this because I met them twice in the trail. The impressive things about this hike is the massive rock formations that you will find here. This hike is pretty far from NYC but if you live in New Jersey, this hike is pretty good.
| Miles: 5 | Elevation Gain: 700 | Loop: Yes |
| Difficulty: 4 | Rock Scramble: Low | Notes: Easy Hike |
| State: Boonton, NJ | Park: Pyramid Mountain | Parking: Spacious |