The Jewish Outdoors Club

Due to popular demand we’re doing a re-run of the Giant Stairs Hike at the Palisades, with a twist, we’ll do it at dusk! We’ll do the scrambling while it’s still light out and will make our way back as the sun sets.

Headlamps are not necessary, unless you’re craving to feel like a real caveman. Who knows, maybe you’ll qualify to act on the Geico commercials.

The trails at the NY-NJ State Line Lookout offers a wide range of hiking adventures just minutes from New York City, where the New Jersey Palisades reach their full height of more than 500 feet above the Hudson River. The Giant Stairs is the "hike of hikes" on the Palisades. This hike offers breathtaking views and amazing hiking challenges. There’s lots of rock scrambling and, as the name implies, there are ‘giant stairs’ going up and down the 500-foot cliff. When hiking the cliff-top Long Path section you will experience views stretching from the George Washington Bridge to the Tappan Zee Bridge; and when descending to the riverfront Hudson River Shore Trail you will be hiking alongside the beautiful Hudson. As a bonus, we will pass the Peanut Leap Cascade, a beautiful waterfall at the shoreline. We will then ascend the giant stairs back toward the Lookout Inn.

While this hike is not extremely strenuous, it is not for the weak of heart. In order to register for this hike you must be ready to walk down giant stairs, the size of boulders, down a cliff. You must have good hiking boots in order to survive.

The hike length is 4-5 miles and duration is 3+ hours.

This hike is scheduled for Sunday, April 29.

We will meet at 5:15 pm at the State Line Lookout off the Palisades Interstate Parkway North, less than 10 miles from the GW Bridge.

Bring along 2 liters of water, $2 JOC fee, good hiking boots, and some snacks.

The hike will be canceled in the event of even the slightest rain, due to the danger of slipping.

To register please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the following:

1)      Name

2)      Cell #

3)      Where will you be coming from?

4)      Do you need a ride or can you offer a ride?

5)      List the last few tough hikes you’ve accomplished

If you fail to register with the above information, your email will mysteriously end up in my junk folder which I check once in 2 months. I’ll even have the chutzpah to reply to you in a few months saying how sorry I am for not getting it sooner.