3 Best Dog Hikes Within 1 hour of NYC (Driving)
Bull Hill Full Loop
Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve, New York
Trail Basics
- Distance
- 5.4 miles
- Estimated hiking time
- 2 to 3 hours
- Elevation gain
- About 1,391 feet
- Difficulty
- Moderate to hard
- Dogs
- Allowed on leash up to 6 feet
Overview
Bull Hill is not something you arrive at. It is something you enter. The mountain does not wait. From the first steps, it asks for attention. The trail rises quickly and without apology. Dogs feel it before people do. Their pace shortens. Their focus sharpens. The air shifts as elevation is gained, and the sound of the road fades until movement becomes the dominant rhythm.
The ground is firm and uneven. Rock presses through soil. Roots hold their line. The climb takes place early, while legs are still cool and minds are still negotiating effort. Near the quarry, the mountain opens briefly, allowing a pause that feels earned rather than indulgent. Higher up, the ridge carries you forward. Views of the Hudson appear not as spectacle but as presence. They are there when you look. They do not ask you to stop.
Movement through Bull Hill is continuous. Narrow rock steps require patience. Passing happens slowly and deliberately. Dogs stay close, not from command, but because the terrain asks it. There is no reason to rush. The mountain sets the pace. When the loop turns homeward, descent feels quieter, as if the trail has already said what it needed to say.
Is This Right for Your Dog
Good fit if your dog hikes confidently on rock, handles close passing, and can settle into a long climb.
Skip if your dog struggles with steep steps or becomes reactive in tight sections.
Park information:
Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve
https://parks.ny.gov/visit/state-parks/hudson-highlands-state-park-preserve
Trail Map:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-york/bull-hill-full-loop--2
Getting There
From Penn Station the journey takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Take the Metro North Hudson Line to Cold Spring. From the station, walk approximately 25 minutes to Little Stony Point and the trailhead. The walk itself acts as a gradual transition from town to terrain.
Driving from Prospect Heights, Brooklyn takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes, roughly 55 miles depending on traffic. Parking is at Little Stony Point only. Stay within marked areas. Route 9D shoulder parking is monitored and enforced when the road narrows.
Anthony’s Nose via Camp Smith Trail
Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve, New York
Trail Basics
- Distance
- 2.4 miles
- Estimated hiking time
- 1.5 to 2.5 hours
- Elevation gain
- About 675 feet
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Dogs
- Allowed on leash up to 6 feet
Overview
This trail starts with intent. Packs shift. Dogs choose a lead position without discussion. The climb is direct and steady, finishing on a wide rock overlook above the Hudson. It fits short window days and dogs who stay composed on steep grades.
The tread stays rocky throughout. Near the top, hikers cluster at the best viewing slabs. Keep your dog close and step aside only on durable rock. One short water stop on the climb and one longer pause at the overlook keeps the day structured.
Getting There
From Penn Station travel time is about 1 hour 20 minutes. Take Metro North Hudson Line to Garrison, then walk roughly 35 minutes to the trailhead.
Driving from Prospect Heights takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, around 45 miles.
Parking near the bridge fills early. Roadside spots with posted restrictions are actively ticketed.
Trail Map:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-york/anthonys-nose-via-camp-smith-trail
Is This Right for Your Dog
Good fit for dogs comfortable with sustained uphill and busy viewpoints.
Not ideal for dogs that pull hard or lose footing on rock.
Vista Loop Trail
Ramapo Valley County Reservation, New Jersey
Trail Basics
- Distance
- 3.5 miles
- Estimated hiking time
- 1.5 to 2 hours
- Elevation gain
- About 639 feet
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Dogs
- Allowed on leash
Overview:
The trail begins high, with the river already visible. Then it drops, quickly and without negotiation. Dogs adjust immediately. The forest closes. Sound deepens. The cascade appears not as destination but as interruption.
Water moves regardless of attention. The climb out demands respect. Stone steps tighten the path. Breath becomes measured. Movement becomes deliberate.
This trail asks for balance more than endurance. Dogs that trust their footing move cleanly. The return to the overlook feels quieter than the start.
Getting There:
From Penn Station travel time is about 50 minutes. Take NJ Transit toward Fort Lee, then taxi to State Line Lookout.
Driving from Prospect Heights takes about 40 minutes, roughly 18 miles. Parking is metered and busy on weekends.
Trail Map:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-jersey/peanut-leap-cascade-via-long-path
Is This Right for Your Dog
Well suited for dogs confident on stairs and rock. Less ideal for dogs cautious on slick surfaces.
