Hiking: Mount Beacon via Reservoir and Descent via Red Trail | Beacon, New York | July 2, 2013

Mount Beacon rises above the village of Beacon and was home to a incline railroad and offers some amazing views across the Hudson Valley and down across the Hudson Highlands.  The route we took followed the trail from the end of Pocket Road up to the Beacon Reservoir, then across an unmarked trail to the northern Mount Beacon summit where the incline railroad used to reach the summit.  On the southern summit there is a restored fire tower that offers even more commanding 360 degree views of the region.  On the way down we followed the red marked trail through Scenic Hudson’s Mount Beacon Park.

Finding the Trails

The trailhead for the trail to the Beacon Reservoir is located at the end of Pocket Road just before the water supply tank.  The Red Trail’s trailhead is located on Route 9D right near its intersection with Howland Avenue.

Scenic Hudson publishes a map for their Mount Beacon Park.  All of the trails described here are also include on the Trail Conference’s East Hudson Map Set.

Limited parking is available at the end of Pocket Road, but there is no trail information or facilities.  The trailhead for the Red Trail has a well maintained parking area and restroom facilities.

The Hike

The total length of this hike is approximately four miles in length.  The climb to the summit is about three miles and the descent down the Red Trail is about one mile in length.  This is not a loop trail and will require two cars.

From the small pull off at the end of Pocket Road, the trail climbs somewhat steeply along the reservoir’s outlet stream.  The stream is in a narrow gorge with steep banks and there are numerous small waterfalls and interesting rock features along the way.

The trail then crosses the stream and just upstream is a series of waterfalls.  The trail turns away from the stream and climbs to the road that is used to service the reservoir.  Upon reaching the reservoir road, the trail follows that road to the dam and the reservoir itself.

In the first 0.8 miles of the trail, as you follow the reservoir outlet, you gain about 700 feet of elevation, so the trail does not waste any time in climbing.  Footing is generally good, but there are some eroded areas and the rocks can be somewhat slippery when they are wet.  After reaching the access road, the grade decreases dramatically and while it is climbing the entire way to the reservoir, it is not a difficult climb.

From the reservoir, we took an unmarked trail 3/4 of a mile to the northern summit of Mount Beacon.  This unmarked trail leaves from the access road, right at the top of the dam and heads east towards the summit of the mountain.

This unmarked trail is almost level, easy to follow and in the months without leaves on the trees offers views of Beacon below you and the Hudson River Valley beyond.  As the trail nears the summit, it passes by several cottages that are in various states of decay.  These cottages used to be used by people who would ride the incline railroad to the summit.

After passing the cottages, the trail reaches the cleared summit area.  The first view is to the southeast along the Hudson Highlands.  That’s followed by a view to the east that encompasses the village of Beacon below you, the Hudson River and the entire Hudson River Valley.

After having lunch on the summit, we followed the Red Trail down past the former power house for the incline railroad.

This trail is very steep. It loses about 1000 feet of elevation in about a mile.  The trail is highly eroded at the top of the mountain as it makes it way down very steeply.  The trail then joins an old road and while it still is climbing (or descending) very quickly, it is not as eroded and is an easier walk.  Just before the end of the trail, you reach a series of metal stairs and platforms that have been installed.

After the steps, you pass the former base station of the railroad and then make your way down on a wide and open trail to the trailhead.

For more information

Beyond the free brochure from Scenic Hudson for the Mount Beacon Park, you can purchase detailed hiking maps from the Trail Conference for the East Hudson Region.  This map set includes all of the trails in the Mount Beacon area.

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