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This week
Schunemunk Mountain (Jessup Trail Loop)
Mountainville, NY · ~90 minutes from Hoboken
Weekend forecast — Hoboken
Saturday
82°F
Partly sunny · wind 3–7 mph
Sunday
83°F
Sunny · wind 3–8 mph
Source: NWS
The Aha
You leave the trees behind and suddenly you're walking on miles of open, wind-scoured "puddingstone" bedrock — a conglomerate studded with ancient river cobbles, cemented together some 450 million years ago and shoved skyward. It's called the Megaliths: house-sized blocks of that same rock, sheared off and scattered along the ridge like something toppled by a giant. From up there it's 360 degrees of the Hudson Highlands, the Shawangunks, and the Catskills, with barely a tree in the way.
This isn't a walk in the woods with a view at the end — it's a mile of open ledge-walking that feels transplanted from New England. That's the aha.
Quick stats
- Distance from Hoboken
- ~58 miles / 90 min via Palisades Pkwy → NY-32
- Trail length
- 8.0 miles loop (Jessup Trail + ridge spur)
- Elevation gain
- ~1,750 ft
- Difficulty
- Moderate-to-strenuous. Long, and long stretches of open rock.
- Time on trail
- 5 to 6 hours with kids
- Best for ages
- ~10 and up — this is a real full-day hike, not a stroller-friendly loop.
- Cost
- Free parking, free trail
- Dogs?
- Yes, on leash
Why your kids will actually like this one
- A rock jungle gym the size of a mountain. The Megaliths are giant, scrambleable slabs of puddingstone you can climb up, around, and between — the closest thing to a natural playground this newsletter has featured.
- Pudding made of stone. The rock itself is embedded with thousands of smooth, rounded pebbles from an ancient riverbed — kids can spot and touch them and it actually explains the weird name.
- A view with no trees in the way. Once you're on the ridge you can point out the Catskills, the Shawangunks, and West Point-area peaks across the Hudson without craning around a single branch.
- It feels like a different state. Open, wind-scoured ledges instead of the usual green tunnel — kids who've done a dozen NJ/NY forest hikes will notice this one is different immediately.
The trail, in plain English
Park at the Otterkill Road parking area off Route 32 (this is the current access point — more on that below). Pick up the Jessup Trail, marked with blue-on-white blazes, which climbs steadily through hardwood forest for the first mile or so. This is the unglamorous part: no view yet, just steady up.
Around the two-mile mark the trees fall away and you break out onto open puddingstone bedrock — this is where the hike changes character entirely. Follow the blazes (they're painted directly on the rock in places) along the ridge to the Megaliths, the jumble of huge conglomerate blocks that's the visual centerpiece of the hike. From here you can continue along the open ridgeline on a Long Path spur to extend the loop before looping back through the woods toward Otterkill Road — the full loop runs about 8 miles. (Skip any route that tries to cross the railroad tracks toward Taylor Road — see the pro tips below.) Families with younger or less experienced hikers can treat the Megaliths themselves as the turnaround: about 4 miles round-trip, and you still get the full "wow" of the open rock and the views.
The descent retraces mostly wooded trail back to the parking area. Footing on the open rock sections is generally good in dry conditions but takes concentration — this isn't a hike to do while distracted.
Pro tips
- Park at Otterkill Road, not the old Taylor Road access. The MTA has closed the railroad crossings inside the park (fines/arrest for trespassing at the Moodna Viaduct), so there's currently no trail connection between the east and west sides of the tracks. The full loop now starts and ends from the Otterkill Road lot, which was recently expanded.
- Start early. This weekend's forecast is sunny and low 80s both days — pleasant for the drive, but the open rock has zero shade and gets hot fast by midday. Aim to be on the ridge before 11 AM.
- Bring more water than you think. There's no water source and no shade for most of the ridge portion — pack at least 1.5 liters per kid on a warm day like this weekend.
- Watch foot and hand placement on the Megaliths scramble. This ridge is known timber rattlesnake and copperhead habitat. Stay on trail, don't let kids reach into rock crevices, and keep an eye on where feet land on the ledges.
- Skip flip-flops or worn sneakers. The open puddingstone has good grip when dry, but sturdy shoes make the scrambling sections far less nerve-wracking for parents.
The "cute town" payoff: Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY
A short drive from the trailhead, Cornwall-on-Hudson is a small Hudson River village that's happy to feed a carful of sweaty hikers. Some easy hits:
- 🍺 Painter's Tavern — casual gastropub on Hudson Street with a kids menu; good spot for a real sit-down meal after the hike.
- 🥪 Fiddlestix Cafe — laid-back cafe for sandwiches and something lighter if a full tavern meal feels like too much.
- 🍕 Village Pizzeria & Restaurant — straightforward pizza, the safe bet if anyone's picky.
- 🍦 Paddles & Scoops — the ice cream stop that erases the memory of the last uphill mile.
- 🎨 Storm King Art Center — a few minutes further; 500 acres of outdoor sculpture you can wander if legs still have gas left. Worth planning as a full add-on, not a quick stop.
What to pack
Water (1.5L+ per person — no sources on trail), sturdy grippy shoes, sun hat and sunscreen (long exposed stretches), layers for the wind on the ridge, snacks, a small first-aid kit, and a phone with the trail map downloaded offline.
Quick rating
👨👩👧 Kid-friendly factor
3 / 5
🚗 Drive worth it?
Yes, for hike-ready kids
🍽️ Or skip the trail
Where We're Eating
Not feeling the drive this week? Here's where to take the kids instead — in the city and across the river. (No connection to this week's hike.)
🍕 In the City
- Westville (Hell's Kitchen) — build-your-own vegetable plate means the picky one can just order sides, and it's steps from the Theater District if you're stacking a matinee onto dinner. No reservations, so go before 6 or the wait breaks everyone.
- Uncle Lou (Chinatown) — old-school Cantonese served family-style with a lazy Susan, so the table shares garlic chicken, wontons, and fried rice instead of everyone ordering their own thing. Cash-heavy, unfussy room, good for a loud table.
🌉 In Jersey
- Leo's (Hoboken) — family-run Italian spot open since the 1930s; mini bar pies and mozzarella sticks cover the kids, real red-sauce cooking covers the adults. High chairs on hand, and it gets loud enough that nobody notices yours.
- The BBQ & beer garden at Lackawanna Station (Montclair) — lawn games and a sandbox out back let younger kids burn off energy while the table works through smoked meats. Outdoor-heavy, so check weather before you go.
👀 New & Worth Knowing
- Yakitame (Hoboken/Jersey City) — new Japanese-Korean spot with bento boxes, rice bowls, and fried chicken alongside ramen, so the adventurous and the plain-noodle kid can both order off the same menu. source