#63. Bonticou Crag and the Table Rocks Loop, NY: 26 April 2026

The book America’s Best Day Hikes listed Bonticou Crag and Table Rocks Loop as #45 of their 50 favorites. The destination appealed for several reasons. My friend and colleague Tara Sullivan lived within 45 minutes of it and had been there several times. It was less than two hours from New York City, and I’d been able to twist Katy Bertrand’s arm to join us on this excursion.

Our first attempt at Bonticou Crag in May 2025 was aborted after thunderstorms were forecast for the day of our planned hike. In the week leading up to our second attempt , the forecast also showed 85% chance of rain, but we decided to push ahead rather than preemptively cancel.

I had planned to combine the weekend hike with my now monthly visit to my sister Helen, who lived with her husband Hilly Hoffman in NYC. Helen continued to deal with health issues, and these occasional visits provided opportunities to connect. I’d stay with Katy, who conveniently lived on 83^rd on the East Side, within walking distance across Central Park from Helen and Hilly on 96^th on the West Side. In fact, I routinely made this crossing to get in my steps on days when I’d then spend the rest of the day at the Hoffmans’ apartment.

The stories of “Jane getting lost” are now legendary, and this trip provided another episode for this collection. I’d left a good hour to make my way from the East to the West side, but decided to cross the park 10 blocks further north than usual. I soon found the familiar reservoir and followed the path that would curve around it toward the West side. Just to make sure I was on the right route, I consulted the map on my iPhone and studied the multiple paths leading off the reservoir. Confident that I’d chosen the correct one, I picked up the pace – realizing I was running a few minutes behind schedule. I emerged from the park back onto the grid of city streets, but the scene didn’t look familiar. The street signs confirmed that I was on 99^th  … and Park Avenue ???  Wasn’t Park Avenue on the East side??? Within seconds, I realized that I’d gotten turned around within the perfect rectangle that is Central Park and was back on the side where I’d started. Mercifully, it was a sunny day, and I rationalized my chronically bad sense of direction by the extra steps I’d gotten en route to the Hoffmans. I hoped it did not foreshadow what was in store for us on the weekend hike.

A key member of our group was Peanut, Katy’s dachshund, who jumped into the hiking backpack as we prepared to leave NYC for Poughkeepsie. As planned, Tara picked us up at the train station, and after a visit with friends living in a CCRC in New Paltz, we drove to Tara’s house in Red Hook, NY. I had known of this house from the mid-2000s when Tara negotiated with her supervisor at CCP/Hopkins to work remotely, years before the practice became common. I shouldn’t have worried about this arrangement hurting her career trajectory, since she rose through the ranks to become Director of a multi-million dollar USAID-funded knowledge management project. As we entered her beautiful home nestled into the trees on three acres of land, Sully – her large, boisterous black lab – bounded out to welcome us. The contrast in size and personality between Sully and Peanut was immediate, but they quickly settled into a routine of mutual tolerance.

On the eve of the hike, we dared to hope for reasonable weather. The rain in the early hours on Sunday was scheduled to stop by 3 am, followed by cloudy then sunny weather in the afternoon. What started off “iffy” turned into perfect hiking weather.

The full hike included both Bonticou Crag (with a panoramic view of the  Catskill mountains in the distance) and the Table Rocks. According to AllTrails and America’s Best Day Hikes, the most direct route to the top was straight up a 150-foot rock scramble. Tara had done it a couple of weeks earlier with her boyfriend, “but it was scary.” Wisely, she advised against the rock scramble, not ideal for a dog with 6” legs or a senior hiker with knee problems. She didn’t need to have any mishaps on her watch. Fortunately, there was an alternative, gently ascending trail that also reached the top.

Peanut – a rescue easily re-traumatized by the NYC scene of honking taxis and fast-moving bicycles – was in his element. Out of the dog backpack but still on a leash, he scrambled over the rocks and roots along the trail, eyes shining, tail wagging. Over large boulders or muddy parts of the trail, Katy would scoop him up. But for a good four miles, he joyously made his way along the trail, red-checkered coat flapping in the breeze. Passing hikers couldn’t help but comment on our small but mighty hiking companion.

We reached the top of Bonticou Crag and snapped the requisite photos. We could have ended the hike there, but hadn’t America’s Best Day Hikes specified Bouticou Crag and the Table Rocks? After finishing our lunch of PB&J sandwiches, we opted for the full route. It would add a couple of hours to the excursion, but the weather was superb and our schedules were flexible.

An hour later, we found the Table Rocks, an area the size of a basketball court consisting of large flat boulders on a slant. We were vigilant not to let Peanut disappear down one of the numerous crevices. We stopped for a round of snacks, then checked our watches, mindful of Katy’s Sunday night dinner ritual at a dog-friendly French restaurant a block from her apartment. We headed back to the parking lot, arriving 4 hours after we’d started. AllTrails recorded it as 6.5 miles.

It had been a perfect day for hiking. We understood why Bouticou Crag had made America’s Best Day Hikes book. The trails were well-maintained, the hike wasn’t overly challenging, and the scenery was stunning. (They hadn’t named it the Million Dollar Lookout for nothing.)  The challenging rock scramble was undoubtedly a draw for more adventurous hikers, but I concurred with Tara’s recommendation to leave it for another day.

We made it back to the city in time for the Sunday evening meal at the AOC French bar and restaurant, tuckered out but pleased with the fabulous weekend we’d had. Peanut, a regular at AOC, sat on Katy’s lap at the bar as Lawrence, the French manager, smothered him with affection. Peanut enjoyed this warm welcome for a few moments, then made his message clear. He was done for the day.

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