How to Hike the Mysterious Cornish Estate Trail

In the mood for a scenic wooden trail with a special treat at the end? Then, the Cornish Estate Trail is your perfect bet. You will find this trail nestled in the Hudson Highlands State Park, one of the most popular hiking areas in New York State and Hudson Valley. It is the easiest hike in the park and its accessibility makes it perfect for all ages and skill levels.

Oh yeah, not to forget about its most interesting special feature, the beautifully overgrown collection of ruins of the Cornish Estate (also known as Northgate). Simply follow the estate’s former driveway to reach the ruins. Once an imposing building, nature took it back and made it to one of the most fascinating ruins in the state. It is a real paradise for lovers of spooky places or history geeks who love to admire old structures.

How to Get to Cornish Estate Trail and Ruins?

Gateway to the Hudson Highlands State Park

The Cornish Estate Trail is located in the Hudson Highlands State Park in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley Region. When you hike in this area more often, you might be familiar with the very popular but strenuous Breakneck Ridge Trail, which is right around the corner.

You can find the Cornish Estate trailhead off of Route 9D, just north of the town of Cold Spring. It is easily accessible and can be seen from the road.

Your best bet is to park in the Little Stony Point parking lot. If you can’t snatch a spot over there, don’t worry. There are other parking options we will talk more about in our tips for hiking this trail. The actual trailhead for the Cornish Estates Trail (blue trail) is next to the Washburn Trailhead (white trail) just across the street from Little Stony Point.

Distances from Nearby Popular Destinations

New York City – 1 hour 15 minutes, 60 miles
Beacon, New York – 9 minutes, 5.8 miles
Poughkeepsie, New York – 38 minutes, 22 miles

What to Expect on the Trail

General Information about the Cornish Estate Trail

Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.8 miles
Type of Hike: Out and Back
Elevation Gain: approximately 200 fee
Location / Parking: Little Stony Point (Parking Area)
Trail Markers: Blue
Facilities: Porta-Potties at the trailhead

Fingers crossed that you found a parking spot quickly and can now start your hike.

While you are standing at the trailhead, you notice that you can continue straight ahead or turn off to the right. You want to continue straight on the Cornish Estate Trail (blue markers) instead of taking the Washburn Trail (white markers) to your right, even though you would be able to see the Cornish Estate ruins from that trail too. It would just take a little longer. Remember the saying ‘All roads lead to Rome’?

So, for the quickest route to the ruins, head straight, and walk parallel to Route 9D.

Rachel hiking on the Cornish Estate Trail

In the first section of the trail, you wind through a slightly wooden area that occasionally opens up. Not too far into the trail, you reach a flat, wide, semi-paved section that leads you up a steady incline.

Beautiful fall foliage on the Cornish Estate Trail

Once you reach the top, you are not far from the Cornish Estate Ruins. Just a few more steps on a wide, flat pathway, and they are right in front of you. You will easily be able to spot the overgrown ruins.

The first ruin you stumble across, facing the Hudson River, is the majestic mansion of the estate. As you continue past that building, you can see the greenhouse covered with vines and a few smaller structures, like the estate’s old pump house.

Ruins of the Cornish Estate mansion — First Sight of the Ruins of the Cornish Estate Mansion

Dana standing next to the Cornish Estate ruin, overlooking the sight

Allow plenty of time admiring the size, structure, and beauty of the ruins while wandering around. You will see many visitors going in and out of the different rooms or sitting on the large front porch area taking in the views of the Hudson River.

Ruin of the Greenhouse — Outside of the Greenhouse on the Cornish Estate Trail

The Greenhouse of the Cornish Estate — The Inside of the Greenhouse

Isn’t it fascinating to think about what the area looked like when people were living there? When you just concentrate enough, you can almost hear the sound of the carriage coming through the woods and the laughter of people being excited to spend some relaxing days in their mansion.

When you are ready, you can head back the way you came or you can decide to continue your adventure. You already hiked a part of the Bull Hill trail, so why not follow up the hill to finish the whole loop.

How Long Does it Take to Hike the Cornish Estate Trail?

Sun is setting down over the Cornish Estate ruins

This is a relatively easy trail with minimal elevation gain. The majority of the trail consists of an almost flat surface on a wide path. We would recommend planning anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours depending on how much time you spend checking out the Cornish Estate Ruins.

The History of the Cornish Estate

In 1917 businessman Edward Cornish and his wife Selina bought the 650-acre estate to move out of the hectic city and begin a new life in the woods of the Hudson Valley. They happily lived on their grounds for 20 years before both of them died just two weeks apart from each other. Their nephew Joel Cornish inherited the estate but the mansion slowly fell into disrepair. In 1956 a tragic fire destroyed the majority of the grounds and left the impressive brick stone ruins you can admire today.

The Central Hudson Gas and Electric bought the property in 1963 to build a power plant on Breakneck Ridge but luckily the estate became part of the Hudson Highlands State Park and was protected from then on. Nowadays, it is a great destination for an afternoon stroll!

Tips for Hiking in Hudson Highlands State Park

Us walking the Cornish Estate Trail hand in hand

Arrive Early

Hudson Highlands State Park is a popular Hudson Valley destination. Hikers flock in from all over to experience the famous Breakneck Ridge Trail or Anthony’s Nose Trail. Expect crowds anytime the weather is good. The earlier you arrive, the better your chances of finding a parking spot.

Parking is Limited

The parking situation at trailheads in the Hudson Valley is insane. Parking is extremely limited, and people try to squeeze in their vehicles wherever they can find a tiny spot. Always make sure to park in a designated parking area, when you go on a hike.

The parking area for the Cornish Estate Trail is very small which makes finding a spot difficult. It is even hard to find parking across the street along the road.

TOP TIP: If you don’t mind a little extra walking, continue driving towards Cold Spring. Passing the trailhead, just down the road, you will find a park with plenty of parking lots.

All and all, if you want to find parking and not waste your time driving around hoping a spot appears, get to the Cornish Estate Trail early.

Extend Your Hike with Connecting Trails

Explore more of the scenic Hudson Highlands State Park by connecting the short Cornish Estate trail with the Bull Hill Full Loop or Short-Loop to see more of the breathtaking landscape in the Hudson Valley. Both trails are easily marked, so you shouldn’t have difficulties finding your way. Just to be safe, you can also take a picture of the very detailed trail map at the trailhead.

Bull Hill Full Loop – This is a 5.4 miles moderate hike that will lead you up Mt. Taurus to various striking views of New York City’s skyline, Breakneck Ridge, and the Hudson Valley Region. You can either start this hike counterclockwise and end on the Cornish Estate Trail or go clockwise and visit the ruins first.

TOP TIP: If you like to hike the steepest sections of trails, in the beginning, we would suggest going counterclockwise and ending with the Cornish Estate Ruins.

Bull Hill Short-Loop – This trail is a little shorter with its 4.3 miles and won’t bring you all the way up to the highest point of Mt. Taurus. Don’t worry, you will still be able to enjoy stunning vistas on your way. Coming from the ruins, you continue on the Brook Trail (red) as soon as the Cornish Estate Trail (blue) ends. Shortly after, turn to the right on the Undercliff Trail (yellow).

Leave No Trace

Please recreate responsibly. Anytime you are exploring and enjoying the outdoors, it is important to remember to follow the Leave No Trace principles. Respect and appreciate nature, so that future generations can enjoy the same beauty. If you want to know more about the Leave No Trace Principles, here they are:

Popular Nearby Attractions

Bannerman Castel on Popell Island from the birds-eye view — Bannerman Castle on Pollepel Island

Breakneck Ridge Trail – The Breakneck Ridge Trail is a very popular Hudson Valley hiking destination. The roughly 3.2-mile loop up with tough steep inclines is a challenge, but you get rewarded with outstanding views of the Hudson Valley when you arrive at the top. Find the trailhead for this hike a little over a mile north of the Cornish Estate Trail.

Little Stony Point – Just across from the trailhead to the Cornish Estate Trail on Route 9D is Little Stony Point. This short hike (0.9 miles) is perfect for anyone looking for scenic views of the Hudson River that don’t require a lot of effort.

Cold Spring, NY – Cold Spring, rated as one of the most picturesque towns in the Hudson Valley, is located 1 mile south of the Cornish Estate Trail. Wander along with the historic landmarks and dine in one of the charming restaurants after an exciting day of hiking.

Beacon, NY – 7 miles north of the Cornish Estate Trail is the trendy town of Beacon. Take a walk down Main Street for lively restaurants, bars, and unique shops. You can’t miss Beacon Falls, the town’s beautiful waterfall in the center.

Newburgh, NY – Take the drive across the river to Newburgh and enjoy a special dinner on the waterfront. There are a variety of restaurants you can choose from that sit along the Hudson River.

NOTE: Do keep in mind there is a fee to travel over the Newburgh Beacon Bridge.

West Point (United States Military Academy) – Visit the respected West Point (Military Academy) located just 30 minutes from the Cornish Estate Trail. Check out all the West Point Tours offered to find the best one for you to dive deeper into the military role of this interesting city.

West Point Foundry Preserve – Just on the other side of Cold Springs is the West Point Foundry Preserve. Here you can walk along a few hiking trails exploring the old grounds of the area’s most important industrial site.

Bannerman Castle – There are several options to take a tour of Bannerman Castle on Pollepel Island. No matter if you book a boat tour, or take an adventurous kayaking trip to the island, you will be fascinated by the gorgeous scenery and rich history of the grounds.

Final Thoughts

Us standing in front of the Cornish Estate greenhouse

The Cornish Estate Trail is a nice stroll through a dense forest with great views of the Hudson Valley, and of course the dramatic brick stone ruins of the mansion and surrounding buildings.

We absolutely loved our late afternoon hike in the fall. The sun was slowly setting down, which made the place even more mysterious. But really any season is good for this unique experience.

If you are more on the adventurous side, you can easily combine the visit of the ruins with a more challenging hike up Bull Hill. This way or the other, you will have an awesome time enjoying this spooky place!

How was your experience on the Cornish Estate Trail? Which ruin did you like the most?

Let us know in the comments below!

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Rachel standing in the Cornish Estate Ruins

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2 Comments

Claire says:

June 18, 2023 at 7:07 PM

Thank you for a really comprehensive post. It was seriously useful!

1. Rachel Reed says:
  
  July 2, 2023 at 5:50 PM
  
  We are happy it helped! Thank you for letting us know. We hope you enjoyed your hike!