Hudson River Views at Manitou Point Preserve

From the kiosk at the end of the parking area, head south on the white trail. Almost immediately, a blue trail begins on the right. This will be your return route, but for now, continue ahead on the white trail, which parallels Route 9D for about a quarter mile, then bears right, away from the road. After passing a connection to the blue trail, the white trail descends rather steeply to cross a stream in a ravine. It turns right and briefly parallels the stream, then bears left and climbs out of the ravine.

The white trail now begins a gradual descent towards the Hudson River, running close to the southern boundary of the preserve. About a mile from the start, the white trail ends at a dirt road. Turn right and proceed north on the road, passing the Manitou Marsh to the left and yellow and red trails to the right.

After passing a brick house to the right and abandoned wooden and brick buildings to the left, you'll come to a T-intersection with another dirt road. Turn left and cross the railroad tracks on a wide stone-arch bridge. This is an active railroad, and you may see Metro-North or Amtrak passenger trains on their way to Poughkeepsie, Albany or New York.

Across the bridge, continue ahead on the dirt road, passing to the right of a brick mansion built in 1897. Follow the road as it curves left, then continue across the lawn between the mansion and the river and descend on a path towards the river. Bear left (south), and you will notice a cairn and three blue blazes on a tree that mark the start of the River Trail.

Proceed south on this trail, which follows a narrow footpath along a bluff overlooking the river. Use caution, as there are steep drop-offs to the right. Almost immediately, you'll reach a spectacular viewpoint. The cone-shaped hill on the right (north) is Sugarloaf Hill, and the West Point Military Academy is visible across the river.

After following closely along the river for about a third of a mile, the trail bears left and heads inland. At a junction with a red-blazed carriage road, turn right and continue to head south on the blue trail, which now runs slightly inland, with views of the river through the trees.

In another quarter mile, follow the blue blazes as they turn sharply left and head north. Soon, the trail bears further right and begins to run close to the Metro-North rail line. It then bears left and ends at a red-blazed carriage road.

Turn right and follow the carriage road back to the mansion. Bear right and follow the dirt road across the bridge over the railroad tracks, then immediately turn right and proceed south on the dirt road that parallels the tracks. When you reach the trailhead for the yellow trail, turn left and follow this trail steeply uphill on a rocky footpath. The yellow trail soon levels off and proceeds through an evergreen grove, then reaches an intersection with a blue trail.

Turn right onto the blue trail, which soon descends into a ravine (the same ravine you crossed earlier on the white trail), climbs out of the ravine, then bears left and follows the top of the bank above the ravine. After a while, the blue trail begins to parallel the entrance road, and it ends at a junction with the white trail. Turn left and follow the white trail a short distance back to the parking area where the hike began.