As leaves begin to shed from trees, it’s the best time to check out the crumbling walls of the abandoned mansion in the Hudson Highlands. Hiking to the Cornish Estate Ruins is not difficult and it is a really cool destination.
Hop on the mile long blue-blazed Cornish Trail clearly marked. It parallels the road for some time, then dirt turns to pavement as the trail heads deeper into the woods on the old driveway to the mansion.
The path leads you right up to the estate and its accompanying scattered elements around the woods, including a swimming pool and pumphouse.
The main ruins are incredibly elegant in the quiet woods.
As always with urban exploration, be careful of where you step, but do go inside and check out this geometric wonder.
You may hop on and off the trail as a different area catches your eye, but the blazes do a great job at showing you the main spots.
The Cornish were an extravagant couple who moved upstate from NYC. Mr. Cornish was president of the National Lead Company. When the pair passed away, the estate fell into disrepair. 
Take the blue trail until you reach the red blazed Brook Trail and make a left there.
You’ll find more ruins in this neck of the woods and follow the lovely Breakneck Brook.
Come across a dam
and further down a series of cascading waterfalls.
Eventually find different perspectives of the ruins you saw while earlier, and loop back to end your hike on the blue trail.
Good to know:
*Free parking lot across the street from obviously marked Little Stony Point, on the far side of the street from the river
*Roundtrip this hike is approximately three miles.
*Combine this hike with nearby Stony Point, Breakneck Ridge, or Bull Hill