Length: 3.6 mile loop
Difficulty: 7 (steep incline)
Living in the Hudson Valley for 8 months out of the year means that I have access to some of best hiking spots in the country. Now that Fall is upon us and the leaves are changing it is a prime time to hike the Hudson Valley. This past weekend I took a drive down from Poughkeepsie to Cold Spring to climb Bull Hill with my boyfriend. Don’t be fooled by the name though, this is a mountain. 
The Fall is my favorite time of the year to hike because of the cool weather which definitely made a tough hike such as this one much more bearable. You can climb Bull Hill by following a variety of trails, however a park ranger at the main entrance recommended that I start with the white trail. The trail begins at a gradual incline, but after passing through a beautiful quarry and following the white trail to the right the incline becomes very steep and does not ease up for a while. I would recommend taking this hike at a slow and stead pace because you don’t want to burn out midway up.
There were a bunch of really great lookout spots all along the hike, but the view from the top was absolutely stunning. Bull Hill is right across the river from Storm King and provides you with a great view of the mountain as well as sweeping views of the Hudson River Valley. Once you have rested up a bit and soaked in the views it is time to make your descent. The descent was much more leisurly than the ascent and a good way to cool down. The decline is steep at points by not to the same extent that the incline was.
If you are looking for a private hike with little interaction with other hikers, this is not the hike for you, or at least not on the weekends. Bull Hill is right next to Breakneck Ridge and Stony Point, two other popular hiking spots so there are always a lot of hikers on these trails. If you want a more solitary hike try coming during the week. Also, if you have a dog feel free to bring them on the hike with you. There were a bunch of furry friends hiking with their owners when I was there. When you are done with the hike I would recommend spending some time in the town of Cold Spring and visiting some of the unique shops and restaurants.
Happy Hiking!
Young Hiker's Guide 