View source for Breakneck Ridge

{{Short description|Mountain in the United States}}
{{About|the mountain|the train station|Breakneck Ridge (Metro-North station)}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Breakneck Ridge
| photo = Breakneck_Ridge.jpg
| photo_caption = Breakneck Ridge from across the Hudson River
| elevation_ft = 1,260
| elevation_ref =
| prominence_ft = 527
| prominence_ref =
| listing =
| location = [[North Highlands, New York|North Highlands]] / [[Fishkill, New York|Fishkill]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| range = [[Hudson Highlands]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|41|27|35|N|73|57|32|W|display=inline,title}}
| topo = [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] West Point
| type =
| age =
| last_eruption =
| first_ascent =
| easiest_route = Trail
}}

'''Breakneck Ridge''' is a mountain along the [[Hudson River]] between [[Beacon, New York|Beacon]] and [[Cold Spring, New York|Cold Spring]], [[New York (state)|New York]], straddling the boundary between [[Dutchess County, New York|Dutchess]] and [[Putnam County, New York|Putnam]] counties. Its distinctive rocky cliffs are visible for a long distance when approached from the south, and together with [[Storm King Mountain (New York)|Storm King Mountain]] on the opposite bank of the river forms Wey-Gat, or Wind Gate, the picturesque northern gateway to the [[Hudson Highlands]].
[[Image:Breakneck Ridge quarries from 9D.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Former quarries on south side of ridge.]]

It has several summits, the highest, some distance inland, reaching approximately 1,260 feet (384 m) above sea level. The southern face of the peak is known for its striking [[cliff]]s, the result of [[quarry]]ing in past years.
Lying within [[Hudson Highlands State Park]], it offers views of the river and region and is quite popular with [[hiker]]s,{{fact|date=September 2022}} to the point that a [[Breakneck Ridge (Metro-North station)|rail flag stop]] has been established on the [[Metro-North Railroad|Metro North]] [[Hudson Line (Metro-North)|line]] which runs right by the base of the ridge along [[New York State Route 9D|NY 9D]]. In 1932 a road tunnel was dug below the western slopes of the peak; it is now designated as part of Route 9D. 

[[Image:Trail up Breakneck Ridge.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Hikers working their way up the mountain.]]

==Approach==

While several routes exist, most hikers take the white-[[trail blazing|blazed]] route up the mountain's west face that begins on the West (Southbound) side of Route 9D near the tunnel. After circling around to cross above the tunnels, it begins a steep, rocky and challenging climb up to the first bump of the mountain, about 720 feet (219 m) above the river, where there are views of the river and Highlands. It continues in a similar fashion over the remaining bumps until it reaches the summit, but keeps on going and becomes a trail that travels over several other summits, and eventually peters out at Beacon Fire Tower from which hikers have the option to turn around and return the same way.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gershfeld |first=Vitaliy |date=Jan 26, 2020 |title=Is The Breakneck Ridge Hike Dangerous? What You Need to Know |url=https://thenatureseeker.com/is-breakneck-ridge-dangerous-to-hike-i-completed-it/ |access-date=June 24, 2023 |website=The Nature Seeker}}</ref> However, there are other small trails that lead down from the white trail, as there are blue, red, and green trails that ascend from the various other summits that the white blazed trail crosses over. They serve as a shortcut to the base of the mountain as well as trails which lead to other parts of the greater Hudson Highlands State Park area.

The Ninham Trail, named after former [[Wappinger]] chief [[Daniel Ninham]], opened in July 2021 as an alternate route to ascend Breakneck Ridge and to provide a safer option for less experienced hikers to descend the mountain. The new trail has more than 500 stairs made from stones hand cut from Breakneck Ridge. After the opening of the Ninham Trail, the Breakneck Ridge ascent (white trail) was converted to a one-way, up only trail.<ref>{{cite press release |last=Keefe |first=Dan |date=July 1, 2021 |title=New Connector Trail in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve |url=https://parks.ny.gov/newsroom/press-releases/release.aspx?r=1685 |publisher=New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation  |access-date=November 27, 2021}}</ref>

[[Image:BreakneckM.jpg|Panorama of Storm King Mt and the Hudson River from the first viewpoint of Breakneck Ridge|center|1660x1660px]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category|Breakneck Ridge}}
* [http://offmanhattan.com/2009/04/28/hiking-breakneck-ridge-hudson-highlands/ Hiking Breakneck Ridge]
* [http://www.nynjtc.org/hike/breakneck-ridge-trail Description of Breakneck Ridge Loop]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101229192239/http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/attachments/HudsonHighlandsNorthTrailMap.pdf Hudson Highlands North Trail Map (PDF)]
* {{YouTube|F6PbhNvCoWw|View from the top of Breakneck Mountain}}
* [http://www.danbalogh.com/breakneck.html Photo Gallery]
* [http://www.nycdayhiking.com/hikes/breaksugar.htm Guide to hiking Breakneck Ridge & Sugarloaf Mountain]

{{Mountains of New York}}

[[Category:Hudson Highlands]]
[[Category:Fishkill, New York]]
[[Category:Landforms of Dutchess County, New York]]
[[Category:Landforms of Putnam County, New York]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Dutchess County, New York]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Putnam County, New York]]