Park Overview:

Hook Mountain State Park's southernmost summit rises to 728 feet, the second highest (after High Tor) along the Palisades ridge.

Park Description:

Hook Mountain State Park

Hook Mountain State Park, Nyack Beach State Park and Rockland Lake State Park are contiguous and part of the Palisades Interstate Park system. Just north of the Nyacks, the Palisades ridge, which had moved inland to form a shallow bowl, returns to the river's edge. The familiar columnar formations reappear as Hook Mountain, jutting its massive curved and quarried face into the river and demarcating the Tappan Zee from Haverstraw Bay. The name is derived from the Dutch Verdrietige Hoogte (tedious or troublesome point), named for the contrary winds that sailors encountered while trying to round it.

In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, quarrying, which started on the Jersey Palisades, spread upriver, threatening to deface Hook Mountain on the Tappan Zee and the entire riverfront. There was a bustle of new activity at some landings, such as Snedens, Tappan Slote (Piermont), Rockland Landing, and Waldberg (Snedekers), where ferries plied across the river or steamers docked en route to New York. In 1872, the erection of a stone crusher at Hook Mountain signaled the beginning of large-scale operations. By 1900, this and 31 smaller quarries between Piermont and Nyack were operating. Sentiment was growing to stop this defacement, as had been done on the Jersey Palisades.

George W. Perkins, president of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, played an instrumental role in influencing the philanthropists of his time as to the importance of preserving the Palisades. He believed the forested Highlands of the Hudson, famous for their scenery and as Revolutionary strongholds, would become a recreational resource for the people of the metropolitan district. The acquisition of Hook Mountain by the Commission was made possible by generous contributions by members of the Harriman, Perkins, and Rockefeller families, who have been adding to park holdings even up to the present time.

Trails Overview:

The Long Path runs along the escarpment above, while a bike path follows the river's edge from Haverstraw Beach State Park in "Dutchtown," a quaint section of Haverstraw, to Nyack Beach State Park in Upper Nyack. Three connecting paths to the Long Path-one each at the north, south, and middle points of the magnificent facade of the Hook-allow for circular hikes of varying lengths. The full loop of the Long Path and bike path is 12 miles. To find detailed descriptions of specific hikes, click here and scroll down the "Parks" column to Nyack Beach State Park or to Rockland Lake State Park.

Park Acreage:

Municipality: