Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

March 14, 2025

Lori Moss, Communications Manager lmoss@hhft.org / 845-625-3301

Breakneck Ridge Trailhead to Close for Two-Year Period as Construction Begins on Breakneck Connector and Bridge

Project renderings can be viewed HERE.

FISHKILL, NY — New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), Metro-North Railroad (MNR), New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail, Inc. (HHFT), and New York-New Jersey Trail Conference (NYNJTC) today announced that Breakneck Ridge, other area trails, and the adjacent Breakneck Ridge Metro-North Station will close on April 21, 2025, as part of the construction of the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail's Breakneck Connector and Bridge project in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve.

The public will be able to hike the Breakneck Ridge rock scramble and the Upper Overlook at Breakneck Ridge through April 20, 2025, before the two-year closure takes effect.

The closure will allow for the complete renovation of the Metro-North Breakneck Ridge station and construction of the Fjord Trail's Breakneck Connector and Bridge. The new Breakneck Connector trail and pedestrian bridge will provide hikers with an alternative to walking on the dangerous and narrow State Route 9D to access popular area trailheads and will create cohesive access to and from the Breakneck Ridge train station.

Construction will also address longstanding issues of safety, accessibility, and environmental health in the project area. The addition of sidewalks, organized and formalized parking, including small lots on the west side of Route 9D, enhanced crosswalks, and wayfinding signage will facilitate a safer experience for both motorists and trail users. Improved access points for first responders at Breakneck Ridge will also increase safety in the area. The Connector and Bridge will meet Accessibility Guidelines for Federal Outdoor Developed Areas (AGODA) standards; associated facilities, including restrooms, will be ADA-compliant, providing increased access to the river and views of Storm King Mountain via a new Lower Overlook at the foot of Breakneck Ridge. Environmental resilience investments will help combat erosion by removing invasive vegetation and replanting native trees, shrubs, and pollinator-friendly flowering plants.

Trail closure map courtesy of New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Site improvements will also include the addition of HHFT-managed restrooms, an information kiosk, a bike tune-up station, and new overlooks for visitors to enjoy the views of the Hudson Highlands and Hudson River.

"As a unique hiking area with its own dedicated rail station stop, the Breakneck Ridge and Hudson Highlands trails are popular destinations. The interior trail system will remain open during construction, and we encourage hikers to use this as an opportunity to learn about the many other fabulous hiking areas in the vicinity. Once the project is complete, the addition of structured parking along Route 9D with available restroom facilities as well as a safe and accessible path to the trailheads will be a welcome addition to the Hudson Highlands," said Linda Cooper, Regional Director for New York State Parks.

"This is the start of a transformational project that will ensure access to Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve for people of all abilities and recreational interests. At the same time, it will help better manage the increased tourism the region has been experiencing while helping to restore the natural ecosystem of the Hudson Highlands. It's truly a resilience project in every sense of the term," said HHFT Executive Director Amy Kacala.

Peter Mullan, President and CEO of HHFT added: "We express our greatest thanks to our committed partners at New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Metro-North Railroad, and New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, whose collaboration has been invaluable in bringing this project to life."

During construction, there will be no public access to the Breakneck Ridge and Wilkinson Memorial, or Lower Brook trailheads, which will remain closed until construction is completed. The Washburn/Cornish trailheads, Notch Trail, and Little Stony Point will remain open and accessible to the public while construction is underway. New York-New Jersey Trail Conference trail stewards and Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve staff will be stationed in the park to assist and orient hikers through the duration of the construction period.

Work on the Breakneck Connector and Bridge will take place from just north of the tunnel on Route 9D to the Breakneck Ridge Metro-North Railroad train station in the Town of Fishkill, NY.

Additional information on construction logistics will be provided as it becomes available. HHFT will maintain a construction tracker page on its website to share regular updates with the public.

About HHFT

Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail, Inc. (HHFT) is a subsidiary nonprofit of Scenic Hudson, Inc., an organization devoted to sustaining and enhancing the Hudson Valley's inspirational beauty and health for generations to come. HHFT's mission is to plan, build and steward a 7.5-mile linear park along the Hudson River that solves existing safety concerns around visitation, provides welcoming access to people of all ages and abilities, restores and protects natural resources, and enhances quality of life for local communities. The Fjord Trail will add organized parking, public restrooms, trash/recycling collection, and distribute users of the park along a 7.5-mile route with six main access points. For more information, news, and timely announcements on the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail, visit hhft.org.