| Hook Mountain State Park | |
|---|---|
 View of theHudson River from Hook Mountain State Park in November 2015. | |
  Location of Hook Mountain State Park within New York State | |
| Type | State park (undeveloped) |
| Location | Rockland County, New York |
| Nearest city | Upper Nyack, New York |
| Coordinates | 41°07′22″N73°55′09″W / 41.1229°N 73.9193°W /41.1229; -73.9193 |
| Area | 676 acres (2.74 km2) |
| Created | 1911 (1911) |
| Operated by | |
| Visitors | 36,806 (in 2014)[1] |
| Open | All year |
| Designated | 1980 |
Hook Mountain State Park is a 676-acre (2.74 km2) undevelopedstate park located inRockland County,New York.[2] The park includes a portion of theHudson River Palisades on the western shore of theHudson River,[3] and is part of thePalisades Interstate Park system.[4] Hook Mountain State Park is functionally part of a continuous complex of parks that also includesRockland Lake State Park,Nyack Beach State Park, andHaverstraw Beach State Park. The golf course, the summit and the entirety of trail system leading to the summit are completely inside Rockland Lake State Park. Hook Mountain State Park, despite its name, does not contain the summit of Hook Mountain.[3]
A central feature of the park isHook Mountain, a 689-foot (210 m) summit[5] overlookingRockland Lake and the Hudson River.[4]
Hook Mountain was known toDutch settlers of the region asVerdrietige Hook,[6] meaning "Tedious Point", which may have been a reference to how long the mountain remained in view while sailing past it along the Hudson River,[7] or for the troublesome winds that sailors encountered near the point.[3][8] Hook Mountain has also been known in the past asDiedrick Hook.[7]
Like other areas of theHudson River Palisades, the landscape now included in Hook Mountain State Park was threatened byquarrying in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To ensure the land's protection, the property was acquired to be a part of thePalisades Interstate Park in 1911.[3]
Portions of Hook Mountain State Park and nearbyNyack Beach State Park were designated as aNational Natural Landmark in 1980 for their portion of thePalisades Sill.[9]
Hook Mountain was designated by the New YorkAudubon Society as anImportant Bird Area in 1997,[10] due to its importance as a feeding area for migratory songbirds and hawks. It has been utilized annually as a hawk monitoring station since 1971.[11] The park is currently designated as a "Bird Conservation Area" by theNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.[12]
In May 2015, theSisters of Our Lady of Christian Doctrine announced that they were considering allowing their 38-acre (0.15 km2) property to become a part of Hook Mountain State Park. The order's property, which is adjacent to the southern portion of the park, could be sold toThe Trust for Public Land, who would then transfer the property to New York State.[13]
Hook Mountain State Park is undeveloped, and primarily offers space for passive recreation such as hiking and bird-watching. TheLong Path makes its way through the park and passes over Hook Mountain's summit.[8]
Although the park is undeveloped, it is functionally part of a larger complex of parks that share continuous borders, includingRockland Lake State Park,Nyack Beach State Park, andHaverstraw Beach State Park, which contain dedicated recreational facilities.[12]
Year designated: 1980
