New York
Usal Hike Club - Hudson Highlands
Winter Hike in The Hudson Highlands
Join Usal for a late-winter ascent of Bull Hill in Cold Spring, a Hudson Highlands classic that rises quickly from the river and rewards with wide views over the Hudson Valley. Just steps from Cold Spring, the trail climbs steadily through forest and rock, gaining 1,100 feet over 4.5 miles. It’s a compact route that delivers real effort and real payoff.
Expect mud, lingering snow, and stretches of ice under tree cover. Spikes are required, and a readiness to move with care is part of the experience. This is for hikers who welcome a little grit — who understand that shoulder season brings texture, unpredictability, and a deeper kind of presence on the trail.
We’ll move at a steady pace, pause at the overlooks, and take in the river cutting through the valley below.
Ticket Type
When
03/29
Time
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Intensity
About Your Guide
Amber Balleste was raised in the Hudson Valley. She is a lover of the outdoors and a lifelong advocate of movement. A former competitive tennis player and swimmer, her early years instilled a deep love for discipline, endurance, and the rhythm of sustained effort. That foundation has carried her through half marathons, waterfront certification, camp counseling and more.
Amber is drawn to the clarity that comes after exertion and the calm that follows challenge. CPR/ first aid certified and attuned to the balance between push and pause, she guides with steadiness, warmth, and a belief that movement is one of the most direct paths back to ourselves.
Itinerary
9:30 AM: Group meet-up at Grand Central Station
9:56 - 11:56 AM: Train Grand Central -> Cold Spring
11:56 - 12:30 PM: Walk to Trailhead
12:30 - 4:30: Trail Time
4:30 - 5:00 PM: Return to Train Station
5:19 - 6:50 PM: Cold Spring -> Grand Central
*Note times may vary slightly defendant on group speed. MTA North Hudson Trains run approx. every hour. Tickets must be purchased separately via MTA North website or at the station