Want Breakneck Ridge views without the infamous rock scramble and crowded trails? Bull Hill, (named after a wild bull with a penchant for charging people who came too close to his hill-home) is the hike for you. This four hour moderately strenuous hike offers beautiful views of the Hudson, lush trees, meandering brooks, and abandoned carriage roads. The trailhead's convenient location less than a mile from the train depot in Cold Spring is an added plus.

Directions:

Take Metro-North from Grand Central to Cold Spring (expect a scenic hour and twenty minute ride). From the train platform head north along the trackside walkway to Main Street. Then turn right, follow Main street up four blocks through the center of town and turn left onto Fair Street. Stroll north on Fair for about half a mile past the small town’s playfield and pond until you reach Route 9D. Follow Route 9D for .1 miles to the well-marked trailhead. Start on the Washburn Trail (look for the white circles). The trail carries you up, past an abandoned stone quarry and river vistas to the 1,420-foot summit. After taking a well earned rest stick to the Washburn Trail, which slowly descends down the rolling backside of Bull Hill to the Notch Trail. Continue left on the Notch Trail, and take another left onto Brook Trail past an old world crumbling stone wall. Notch trail finally meets up with Undercliff Trail, which skirts an old wooden footbridge and swings back to the now familiar Washburn Trail to complete the loop.

-Audrey Larkin