Would you call your favorite hike a “classic”? When we posed this question to AMC chapter chairs, trip leaders, bulletin-board users, and staff, the answer was a resounding “yes!” We received dozens of votes for the all-time best trails in the Northeast, and, as varied as they were, they all shared several traits: fabulous views, moderate-to-(very) rugged terrain, a rich history or at least a good story, and a wild aspect unique to their region. They also were the places you’d most want to take your out-of-town visitors. We chose eight of the most popular picks. Have you ticked all these off your list?

Breakneck Ridge, Hudson Valley, N.Y.
Distance/Time: Four- or 12-mile loop/2.5 hours
Intensity: Moderate/strenuous

What Makes It A Classic: It’s thrilling: “The sheer rock face and steep scrambles are directly above the Hudson River,” says Cynthia Tollo, Trails Chair for the New York-North Jersey Chapter. Legend has it a wild bull broke its neck as angry 18th-century farmers chased it off these perilous cliffs. Then there’s the view. From the first of several false summits, take in the remains of a castle on Bannerman Island, the campus of West Point built from local rock, and the peak of Storm King Mountain. For history, head out on the knobby ridge to South Beacon, the highest point in the area and site of “British Are Coming” warning beacons during the American Revolution. This hike is also perfect for car-less Manhattanites. When you’re done, just jump on the train at Breakneck Depot and rest your sore muscles on the hour-and-a-half ride to Grand Central Terminal.

The Hike: From the trailhead on Route 9D, head straight up the Breakneck Ridge Trail. You’ll climb 800 feet in the first half-mile, so come back down the Wilkinson Trail if you want to save your knees. Make the four-mile loop by taking the Bypass Trail and returning via the Wilkinson. For a big-time (12-mile) workout with Big Apple views, follow white blazes to the fire tower at South Beacon, gaining 3,300 feet as you go. Intermediate option: Park a shuttle car in Cold Spring for a vista-rich, seven-mile one-way hike on the Notch and Washburn trails, which offers a side trip to the summit of Mount Taurus (the peak formerly known as “Bull Hill”) and a pass through an old dairy farm. Come off the trail right into Cold Spring’s charming downtown.

Word to the Wise: Hiking in autumn means seeing the Hudson River Valley adorned in full foliage-and avoiding the blazing hot rockface and huge summertime crowds.

Conservation Watch: Most of the area has been protected since the late 1800s, when quarrying nearly reduced the ridge to rubble. But on the remaining private land around South Beacon, ATV users and hikers have had some clashes. AMC and other conservation organizations are working toward a resolution with the New York-New Jersey Trails Conference.

Watering Hole: Make tracks for Cold Spring Depot Restaurant, with its raw bar, ice cream parlor, and outdoor Dixieland band in summer. Main Street, 845-265-5000.

Mount Tom Traverse via the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail Easthampton/Holyoke, Mass.
Distance/Time: 6.6 miles one way/four hours
Intensity: Moderate

What Makes It A Classic: What doesn’t make it a classic might be a better question for Pat Fletcher. “It’s the prettiest section of the 114-mile Metacomet-Monadnock [M-M] Trail,” the Berkshire Chapter Trails Committe Chair says. Ruins of two century-old hotels still perch along this stretch-certified a National Recreation Trail in 2001 by the National Park Service-originally built here to take advantage of the eye-popping Connecticut River Valley vistas, says Fletcher. He also crows about the thousands of hawks that pass overhead during spring and fall migration, gliding on the same gusts hang gliders love.

The Hike: Start at the entrance to the Mount Tom Reservation on Route 141 after spotting a car at the Mount Tom Junction on I-5. Ascend talus slides to the cliffs of 1,202-foot Mount Tom, then enjoy a long ridge walk in and out of hemlock glens and river views as you continue north. At about three miles, you’ll begin seeing more of the reservation’s other trails, so keep following the white blazes. Read up on hawk behavior and climb a short fire tower at the Stone House Visitors Center. The trail then takes you up modest but rewarding Goat Peak (830 feet) and Mount Nonotuck (827 feet). Descend to the parking lot in style on an old carriage road, a reminder of the elegant hotel-goers of yore.

Conservation Watch: The Berkshire Chapter’s conservation committee is keeping their eyes on a traprock quarrying operation in the reservation, prohibited from expansion until it has restored areas already blasted away. Follow Quarry Trail from just south of the visitors center to take a closer look.

Word to the Wise: South to north is the way to traverse Mount Tom, says Fletcher. After an intense half-mile and 200-foot elevation gain, you’ll be happily ridgewalking the rest of the way.

Watering Hole: Make one final ascent to the rooftop beer garden at Northampton Brewery, 10 minutes from the trailhead, and find a dozen varieties on tap. 11 Brewster Court, 413-584-9903.

Resources: Massachusetts Trail Guide, 8th edition - this is the definitive guide to trails in the Bay State.

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