5 Haunted Hikes for Outdoor Thrills in the Hudson Valley
Article by Francesca Furey and Sabrina Sucato via HV Mag
Abandoned hotels, storied castles, and eerie trails add to the spooky vibes of these haunted hikes in the Hudson Valley that scream October.
What’s more haunting than being alone in the wilderness in a place as spooky as the Hudson Valley? If you’re a fan of scares and history, then these haunted hikes are for you. From the skeletal remains of hotels and castles from the Valley’s past to ghost sightings at abandoned cemeteries, there is plenty of lore to explore behind the ruins you’ll find on these trails in the region. Grab your furry friend or brave the haunted hikes all by yourself as you get into the spooky spirit this fall.
Bannerman’s Castle Trail
Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve, Beacon
Length: 0.3 miles
If you’re on the hunt for exploration more than a long hike, Bannerman’s Castle Trail is your best bet. The .3-mile out-and-back hike takes visitors to the ruins of Bannerman Castle, an abandoned military warehouse from the early 1900s. While you’ll need a ride across the river to reach the island — either by kayak, paddleboard, canoe, or a guided voyage — the ruins are definitely worth checking out.
Everything from Native American spirits to Dutch sailors haunts the remains. While the name of the island, Pollepel, might originate from Dutch, some believe it comes from a local legend about a girl named Polly Pell who landed on the island after escaping the river’s ice.
Dover Stone Church
Dover Plains
Length: 3.5 miles
Dover Stone Church is among the many places in the region that is renowned for its eerie vibes. Embark on the 3.5-mile loop trail in southern Dutchess County to explore the trail’s cave, which is a local haunt filled with lots of history.
Local legend has it that the Stone Church (named for the chapel-like shape of the cave) was a hideout for the Pequot tribe in the 1600s as they fled from the English army. Brave the running waters that constitute the Stone Church floors to enter the cave and view “The Pulpit,” a rock ledge that resembles this religious feature located within the stone.
Harriman State Park
Sloatsburg
Length: varies per trail
While Harriman State Park is one of the largest parks in the New York State system, that leaves plenty of room for living history to remain. Whether you want to explore Hessian Lake’s storied past or walk through a real cemetery this October, head to Rockland County to enter this park.
The focal point of Harriman, Hessian Lake, was once known as Bloody Lake because it was the dumping site for mercenaries during the Revolutionary War. Some say that the lake is still haunted by the ghosts of Hessian soldiers today. Similarly, you can swing by St. John’s Church in the Wilderness, an active church located within Harriman State Park, to walk through a cemetery and search for ghosts.
Old Forge Trail Loop
West Point Foundry Preserve, Cold Spring
Length: 1.9 miles
One of the most frightening-looking buildings in the Hudson Valley, West Point Foundry was once a major American ironworking and machine shop site in the 1800s. Today, the remains of the site are preserved and on display on the Old Forge Trail Loop, a simple hike that’s under two miles in Cold Spring.
The abandoned site of the Civil War artillery foundry is like a real-life haunted house. With black boarded-up windows and doors, it’s hard to avoid an eerie feeling upon a visit to the preserve.
Overlook Mountain
Woodstock
Length: 4.6 miles
While Overlook Mountain is a scenic hike that yields stunning views of the surrounding forests from the summit in Woodstock, the 4.6-mile trail that takes you to the top is riddled with creepy ruins from the Overlook Mountain House.
A former hotel in the Catskills, the site is still open for public viewing along the trail, even though there isn’t much of the building left. What remains is merely a roofless skeleton with a lot of folklore which makes it one of the Valley’s most haunted hikes, from a story of the original hotel’s owner killing himself on the property to a tale of Rip van Winkle himself. To add, the Overlook Mountain House was located at a higher elevation than most hotels in the region, which builds on its isolated allure.