Storm King - Butter Hill Trail

The Bluebird Trail (0.6 mile blue and red) provides a shortcut across the Stillman Trail (yellow) enabling shorter loop hikes while traversing a hemlock grove and viewpoint. The Bobcat Trail (0.4 mile white) allows Hikers wishing to enjoy the views from the North Ridge of Crows Nest without a climb. (This trail also provides access to the North Ridge of Crows Nest when NY 218 is closed.) It begins on the north side of a small parking lot off the northbound lanes of US 9 about two miles north of its intersection with NY 218 and NY 293 (there is no access to or from the southbound lanes of US 9W). After leaving the parking lot, the trail descends gently, loops to the left, and terminates at the Howell Trail (blue) in 0.4 mile. The By-Pass Trail (0.4 mile white) connects the Howell Trail (blue) on the southern flank of Storm King to the Stillman Trail (yellow) near the brow of the mountain. The Howell Trail (3.6 miles blue) steeply climbs the eastern face of the North Ridge of Crows Nest Mountain, passing a series of panoramic viewpoints over the Hudson River, the East Hudson Highlands, and Storm King Mountain. Limited parking is available on the east side of the road at the trailhead (additional parking is also available both north and south of the trailhead). Two large stone pillars mark the Stillman Trail's (4.0 miles yellow) entrance to Storm King State Park on Mountain Road, about a mile north of US 9W. Limited parking is available at the trailhead. It ascends Storm King Mountain passing a number of viewpoints, traverses Butter Hill where the white blazed Butter Hill Trail heads for 0.5 mile to a large parking lot off northbound US 9W. The Stillman Trail then descends passing many other viewpoints until just before reaching US 9W, it bears left and crosses under the highway in a narrow tunnel (this tunnel is open to vehicular traffic, so hikers should use caution). The trail continues ahead on the paved road, reaching the main parking area of Black Rock Forest. Since many hikers do not wish to reclimb Crows Nest after hiking the Howell Trail, the Stillman Spring Trail (0.7 mile white) offers a quick return to cars parked on NY 218.