6. Denning Hill

Distance:	Dayhike
Difficulty :	Moderate for children
Distance :	4.8 miles, round trip
Hiking time :	3.5 hours
High point/elevation gain :	900 feet, 475 feet
Hikable :	March-November
Map :	NY-NJ Trail Conference Map 1

If your family likes to combine hiking with history lessons, you'll enjoy this visit to Little Fort and Denning Hills in Hudson Highlands State Park. During the Revolutionary War, British troops marching northward from Peekskill sent 2000 Continentals racing for the safety of nearby fortified hills, including Little Fort, and Fort Defiance. The trail leaves from Old West Point Road, which once led to Benedict Arnold's headquarters at Garrison. British spy Major John Andre was taken from North Salem to Garrison along this road, following his capture and Arnold's flight.

Most of this hike follows the popular Appalachian Trail (AT), although this section of the 2140-mile trail isn't particularly well known. The trailhead is a little inconspicuous, but it's worth searching for, especially if you enjoy solitude, because many of the other trails in this area are heavily traveled.

From New York City, take the Thruway (I-87) north to Exit 9 in Tarrytown. Follow US 9 north to Peekskill. Just north of Peekskill, stay on US 9, heading north, as the combined US 6 and US 202 fork left. Drive approximately 4 more miles to the junction of US 9 and NY-403. Remaining on US 9, drive another 0.6 mile and turn right (west) onto Old West Point Road, following a sign to Mother Lurana House. Drive less than 0.5 mile and park on the right shoulder of the road near a four-way intersection.

Study our map before you begin searching for the trailhead. Look for the gravel road that leads left into the woods, just past the four-way intersection. Sidestep the chained gate and begin an easterly descent, guided by the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail (AT). At 0.1 mile, turn left (northeast) onto a wide footpath at double white blazes splashed on a huge tree. The trail rises into an overgrown field choked with berry bushes, then winds through mixed woods, still climbing gently. Head through a break in an enduring stone wall. Can each child find something blue, something yellow, and something red?

One-quarter mile into the hike, the blazes lead through a shallow ravine. Can you spot any New York asters? These wildflowers thrive in wet conditions. Soon, the trail embarks on a steady climb up the southern side of Little Fort Hill. At 1 mile, look for an orange marker shaped like a cross at the junction with a side trail. Follow the right-hand side trail (marked with frequent orange crosses) uphill for 0.1 mile to a tiny prayer shrine with local views, a lovely spot for an initial rest stop.

Back on the AT, continue heading northeastward. Blooming mountain laurel adorns the trail in late spring and early summer. Drop off Little Fort Hill and squeeze through another stone wall at 1.3 miles. White-tailed deer are quite common in this area; you're likely to spot one if you instruct the kids to whisper and walk quietly. The old orchards that you are passing through are a favorable habitat for the deer, which tend to gather on the edges of clearings. In fact, the deer population is larger today than it was when the settlers first moved into this area, due in part to the current lack of predators.

Who can find faint signs of an old burn at the 1.4-mile mark? (Biologists learn a great deal about patterns of plant growth by studying an area that has been burned. In fact, carefully managed fires are sometimes used to enhance the environment, for example, by perpetuating open meadows and encouraging the propagation of species that flourish in fire-scarred soil.) The trail climbs once more to reach an airy knoll, 1.6 miles from the start. Drop back into the cool woods heading north; let the kids run ahead, with instructions to wait for you at the junction with an old woods road. When you are reunited, turn right (east) onto the road and cut between two ridges.

Climbing gradually and angling toward the ridge on the right, the trail reaches another junction. A blue-blazed trail heads left (north), while the AT continues straight (east). Head left and you'll very quickly arrive at great views, or you can first take in additional views by continuing straight on the AT. (If the kids are wearing out, skip the next paragraph and follow the description of the blue-blazed trail.)

The AT, now a narrow foot trail, continues to thread through a gully between the two ridges. As the path approaches the left side of a shady ravine, hop over a fast-moving stream. Beyond the gorge, climb the steep western slope of a ridge on Denning Hill, giving little hikers lots of encouragement. At 2.4 miles, crest the ridge top (at 900 feet, the highest in this cluster of hills); here, the trail divides. Follow the white-blazed AT right (southwest) through a grassy meadow. Look for signs of deer: droppings or tracks, twigs and buds that have been chewed off, matted grass where they might have slept or rested. Track through clusters of blueberry bushes to reach a rocky outcropping with a fine view toward the Hudson River and New York City. Pause here to admire the vistas, but save your picnic lunch for the next overlook.

Retrace your steps to the intersection with the blue-blazed trail. Turn right onto the blue trail and soon begin a moderate ascent northward, cutting up this ridge, to a grassy, exposed ridge top that affords spectacular views north to the Hudson River, framed by the lofty hills of the Hudson Highlands (notably Storm King, Hike 8) on the left bank and Beacon Hills on the right. Now you can unpack your picnic lunch. Not only are these the best views of the trip, but this spot is perfectly safe for little explorers.

Return to your car the way you came.