South Beacon Mountain via Casino Trail (Red) is a 3.7 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Beacon, New York that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
kid friendly
hiking
mountain biking
nature trips
trail running
walking
forest
lake
views
wildlife
muddy
rocky
snow
This is the most popular route starting at Mount Beacon Park. It begins at the base of the mountain at the lower stop of the old incline railroad which went up the mountain, ascending on the Casino Trail (red), initially to the ruins of the casino (as well as the machinery which hauled the railroad up), then continuing the ascent until reaching the old route of the Breakneck Ridge Trail, onto which you turn right to reach the Beacon fire tower, with its incredible panoramic view.
Pretty crowded but times we had the trail to ourselves. Extremely dog friendly. Steep in the beginning but after 20 minutes you get used to it. Fun to stop off at overlook and ruins.
Steep beginning but all worth it in the end. Amazing views. Took about 2.5 hours with a few stops along the way.
I love this steady, steep in-out trail...with a fire tower if you have the courage (winds can be challenging)!! With a steady pace, you can do it in 2 hours, great workout, awesome 360 views from the fire tower.
Very nice setup, good parking, fairly easy climb to top of incline railroad overlook with good view of the Hudson
We did this hike on Saturday Nov 18th, 2017 around 9 am. It was partly cloudy and 32 degrees. This trail started with a steep incline alongside the remnants of what used to be a railroad. The climb was great cardio workout. Even with a windchill factor the temperature dropped into the teens and we were easily overheating until we stopped. Stopping for 2 more than a couple of minutes was long enough for us to sense the freezing temperature and wind at that was enough to keep us moving. Although the journey uphill was exciting and challenging, reaching the tower and climbing it was the ultimate! The sensation of being so high and on the edge was different from being on the ground. Not for the feint at heart. The wind at the top of the fire tower was fierce! I look forward to doing this hike and other fire towers soon!
Brian S.
Excellent hike perfect day hike that is challenging from beginners to experienced hikers trails were in good shape and the fire tower is great
Fun hike. Fairly steep incline. Great cardio workout. Windy up at fire tower but great views. Want to try and take the yellow trail next time and do the loop since I’ve done the fire tower twice. As previously mentioned in another review, watch the red markers coming down. Easy to go off trail.
A short (about an hour one way) but steep hike! It gets pretty intense at times but the views up top are great. There are a lot of nice places to sit and look out. We got a bit lost on the way down so make sure you are always looking for the trail markers. Overall enjoyed the views and a nice burst of activity.
Arc 3.
Would rather have hiked over from Breakneck,
In love
Pros: 5 star view, connections to several other trails, new parking area, some historical relics of the old casino and tramway, accessible to the town of beacon. Cons: obvious signs of overuse: graffiti, litter, worn out side trails and short cuts, crowds on the weekends; Mud and running water throughout the trail regardless of season, 85% of the trail is loose rock. Verdict: a nice doable half day hike, if it weren’t for the views, I would pass and choose more favorable terrain elsewhere in the area.
Steep climb initially, followed by sensational views of the Hudson River and Beacon. The rocky terrain made for an engaging hike. Be sure to look out for wild blueberry bushes around the South Mountain fire tower!
HVH hike surperb morning clear - low humidity-a winner all the way
The terrain is my favorite kind: relatively neat, varied throughout, and steep for long stretches. That combined with several beautiful lookout points, ruins and structures to climb and explore, the gorgeous lake views, and the feeling of being both far away from the city sounds yet connected to those who climbed before me (the signatures in the fire tower were a nice touch) make this my favorite NY trail I’ve hiked so far. To elaborate on the terrain: dry weather made for a tolerable amount of mud, and the trail has a scarcity of disruptive tree roots, manageable rock-stepping, and a good mix of thick woods, open spaces, rocky ground, grassy ground, and dirt ground. Weather conditions were amazing, high 70s and slightly breezy. Thursday morning-afternoon in May = low traffic :) Completed 5/24/18: Downtown Beacon to Casino Trail to Breakneck Ridge Trail to Fire Tower, and back. Took a sun-soaked break at the casino ruins and a photo break at the fire tower.
Nice incline to start the hike up north Beacon Mountain..the ruins are very cool and the view form the first overlook is wonderful. After that it's a nice walk through the woods until you reach the junction for the white blazed trail which will take you to the fire tower. View from the tower is glorious as well as the open peak. Was serenaded by several yellow warblers at the peak..also saw yellow rumped warblers, a vireo, a group of 5 cowbirds. Recommend going early in the morning to avoid the crowds that assault the trails on the mountain. The trailhead parking lot is currently closed, will reopen in summer '18
It was a tough hike. Steep climb up. Took an hour to the casino ruins stopping a few times to rest (we are 61 years young). It was worth the view. It was amazing. Coming down was a little tricky because it was slippery and showering. Would definitely recommend it
The first bit of the trail is fairly steep. Being new to hiking, I needed to stop a few times to catch my breath. Once you get to the first overlook by the ruins, the trail levels out for a while. If you continue on to the fire tower, the last 10 minutes up are rocky and have a bit of a grade to them again. It was in the mid 40s today and I ran into about 15 other hiking groups. The views from the overlook by the ruins are nice and the views from the fire tower are incredible. Make sure you bring water because you'll need it.
Great climb and the tower is great
took the red trail, only to the overlook spot. did not go all the way to the fire tower and was about 2-2.5 miles total. it’s a steady incline, and very well trafficked trail.
Absolutely gorgeous views! Did this a few weeks ago, end of October & the foliage was breathtaking. Super crowded though, but well worth it.
beautiful views, some sun and shade, nice inclines and declines. little bit of everything.
Consistently steep, but pretty short, so it's manageable. Fair amount of traffic.
Nice, short hike with a nice view at the top.
I went a few times when I lived in the area. The route I always took was pretty short (I don't think it was 3.8 miles) but pretty rugged (hands-and-feet climbing at some points). The summit is great, it's a large, flat area as big as a park with a few abandoned structures from when there used to be an incline railway and a casino that look really cool, big rusty gears and all. Really great view of the Hudson river and surrounding mountains.
It's a hard Hike!!! But getting to the top is awesome. The view is amazing!
nice and a bit challenging, but worth it for the view
The red trail was cool if you don't want to enjoy nature. The yellow and white trail was amazing but challenging.
The switchbacks were there as soon as you needed them! Mainly all incline with rocks & extremely little bouldering (if any at all!), worth it!
Challenging climb with a 40lbs backpack (toddler included) I sure felt the burn by the time I reached the casino ruins. Would do this hike again
