Popolopen Torne

Nestled among well-known Hudson Valley hikes, Popolopen Torne is a bit of a hidden treasure. The short ascent up rock slabs and boulders is reminiscent of nearby Breakneck Ridge, but it offers a shorter, easier climb than its neighbor. Multiple viewpoints along the trail and at the summit rival those found at Anthonyas Nose and Bear Mountain and are arguably enhanced by the inclusion of these Hudson Valley staples. At the top of the torne sits a large cairn composed of rocks carried up to wish soldiers serving overseas a safe return home. Two granite benches frame the cairn in memory of two West Point graduates killed in Afghanistan. Volunteers from a local Boy Scout troop carried the nearly 400-pound benches by hand up the rocks as a part of an Eagle Scout Project.