Directions to Hook Mountain Hawk Watch
From Westchester and East            From Rockland and West
 

From East of the Hudson River:

1.  Take Tappan Zee Bridge

2.  Take Exit 11(9W Nyack): Second exit after crossing bridge.  

3.  Continue past the stop sign, left at traffic light onto 9W North.  (Note mileage)

4.  Go through town, through traffic light at Christian Herald Rd to top of hill.

5.  Go past 40 mi/hr sign, to unpaved parking pulloff on right, 1.8 miles from turn onto 9W at light.   Very limited parking and rough surface and road edge.

6.  Walk north on the east side of the road past where the telephone lines cross the road.  Continue north and look to your right, up the slope a little, for a triple yellow mark, the start of the yellow blazed trail, Paddy's Path.  (At this point, there is also a yellow arrow, bent at the tip, on the road, which indicates an alternate trail off to the right.) 

7.  Pass the triple yellow mark and follow the trail for about 200 yards or so, then bear left at the rock, where the trail joins another branch of the yellow trail.  In another 200 yards or so, you will see "the river of rocks."  Turn left to circle around this very rocky mountainside and continue on the yellow blazed trail.  (Note that a right turn will bring you up to the mountain as well, but the trail is a little steeper.)

8.  Continue on the trail, bearing right for the last steep climb to the top of Hook Mountain, arriving at Stiles Summit.  The total hike up the mountain is about 1/2 mile.

Above map prepared by Drew Panko
Road maps:

From west of the Hudson River:

1.  Take the NYS Thruway South (I-287/I-87).

2.  Take Exit 11 (Nyack).  At the traffic light, turn left onto Route 59 East. Proceed ahead under the overpass to the next traffic light (corner of Route 9W).

3.  Turn left onto Route 9W North. Proceed to the next traffic light.  (Note the mileage.)

4.  Proceed with step 4 in the instructions above.