The Hudson Valley is filled with outstanding hikes. A lot of them are so awesome they attract crowds. This past spring I was happy to take a quiet hike on Bull Hill [Parking lot at intersection of 9D and Fair St, Cold Spring NY ], also known as Mount Taurus. It’s a short and sweet, 3 mile out and back, moderate trek up a great little mountain.
Follow the white Washburn Trail, which starts climbing almost immediately. Soon you’ll reach a hazy abandoned quarry.
Take a gander, but don’t actually go into the quarry. Here the trail makes a sharp u-turn only to climb up harder. Embrace the effort because your first view of the day awaits, feast your eyes on the town of Cold Spring.
Enjoy the perch, have a drink of water, because you’ll be heading up again. Keep up the pace and once you pass the yellow junction you’re almost there! Stop for a minute if you think you see a red bellied woodpecker.
There is no blinking sign here telling you you’ve made it. Just under a quarter of a mile from the junction you’ll see some pretty massive boulders.
If you climb atop them, you’re in for a real treat.
After all that jazz, you can continue on a bit further to get to the top of the mountain, but those are the best views you’ll find. Head back the way you came!