With the Giant Stairs Closed, Alpine's Stretch of the Palisades Lives on the Cliff Top

The river-level route below State Line Lookout has been closed since the morning of January 9, 2026. That morning, according to the NY-NJ Trail Conference, a rockfall and landslide hit the Giant Stairs, the boulder field along the Shore Trail that the park's trails page calls a "very difficult mile-long rock scramble."

Ten months later the Stairs are still closed, and no reopening date has been announced. The Dyckman Hill section to the south has been closed since 2021 and is now funded for repairs. Taken together, the riverfront is the part of the park on hold. This late fall, Alpine's open stretch of the Palisades runs along the top of the cliff, so the useful question is which clifftop routes to use and what each one offers.

What Fell, and What Has Been Said Since

Early on, the closure looked like it might be short. Here is how the official word has changed:

The January estimate made sense when it was given. "It is highly likely that we will consider keeping the Giant Stairs closed until springtime and allow the winter thaw to take place before opening the trail," Shallop told Patch. Spring came and went. By June, the Commission described a broader effort. It is working with geologists, rockfall mitigation specialists and other experts on field investigations, a review of the site's history, and both short- and long-term management plans. The statement also says the work covers the chance of future rockfalls and whether the fallen debris is stable.

A study of how to manage the trail going forward points to a longer process than a winter thaw. The Commission's statement says that "public safety remains the primary consideration guiding all plans for reopening the trail."

Where the Closure Starts and Stops

The park's advisories page gives exact limits. The Giant Stairs are "closed to all use from Peanut Leap Cascade to Forest View." Both ends matter if you're planning a route.

The park's trails page describes the Shore Trail running north from Alpine into the more remote part of the park. The Forest View Trail comes down from the cliff top and meets the Shore Trail just south of the Giant Stairs. So Forest View doesn't get you around the closure. It ends where the closure starts. The full Giant Stairs loop, about four miles and three hours round trip from State Line Lookout, is marked closed on the park's trails page.

The Commission also notes that signs posted on site and instructions from park staff override anything on its website. Out on the trail, the posted sign is the rule to follow.

The Clifftop Routes, by Milepost

The Long Path stays open, and the park describes it as an 11-mile clifftop route you can reach from both Alpine Lookout and State Line Lookout. The Trail Conference's mileposts let you plan the Alpine section in pieces:

• Alpine Lookout to State Line Lookout: Alpine Lookout is at mile 8.00 and State Line Lookout at mile 12.60, so the walk is 4.6 miles one way along the cliff.
• Women's Federation Monument: at mile 11.90. The park lists the Women's Federation Monument Hike as about a 2-mile round trip from State Line Lookout.
• Forest View Trail junction: at mile 12.10, where the Forest View Trail heads down toward the Shore Trail and the closed section.
• Old Route 9W: closed to cars and open to walkers and cyclists heading to State Line Lookout. The car-free section runs 1.5 miles.
• State Line cross-country ski trails: five miles of trails marked A through F, open to hikers all year. The park maintains them but doesn't groom them.

These routes combine well. A walk out to the monument and back on the Long Path, with a lap on one of the lettered ski trails, keeps you entirely on top of the cliff. A full 4.6-mile run from Alpine Lookout covers the longest continuous open stretch on the Alpine side. Park areas are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

State Line Lookout Now Anchors the Park

With the river route closed, almost every option above starts or ends at State Line Lookout. That makes the building's hours worth knowing, and the park's own pages don't agree on them. The current advisory says the kitchen is open every day and closes at 4:30 p.m., with restrooms closing at 4:55 p.m. The State Line page says the Lookout Inn café is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. most days of the year. The advisory also warns that staff shortages can delay openings or close the kitchen, restrooms or building without notice. It lists 201-750-0465 for confirming before you go.

There are still a few days left in the fall season. The State Line Hawk Watch runs from September through early November, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., depending on volunteers and weather, and the park says visitors are welcome. If you're reading this the week it publishes, the count is close to wrapping up for 2026.

After that, the Lookout switches to its winter routine, and the park has set the rules in advance:

1. Wait for at least four inches of snow before skiing the A through F trails.
2. Bring your own equipment, since the park doesn't rent skis.
3. Expect State Line Lookout and its café to close during significant winter storms.
4. Expect a reopening within about 24 hours after a typical storm ends. The area is plowed for skiing once the Parkway and key park roads are cleared and declared safe.

The Riverfront Has More Closures Ahead

The Giant Stairs aren't the only river-level access waiting on work. Dyckman Hill Road, the Englewood Cliffs entrance to the park, remains closed to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. The yellow-blazed Dyckman Hill Trail is closed too. The park's March 5, 2026 update says that section has been closed since Hurricane Ida damaged it in 2021. After years of engineering work and coordination with FEMA and the State of New Jersey, the Commission has secured funding for repairs.

The same update said work was planned to begin "next winter," in two phases. The first phase stabilizes Dyckman Hill Road and reopens the park entrance at PIP Exit 1. The second phase is a broader restoration of Henry Hudson Drive from Edgewater to Alpine, including drainage improvements, roadway rehabilitation and repairs to the eastern parapet walls. The Commission said it will post updates as construction dates are confirmed. For Alpine, that means the road along the river is scheduled for its own long repair.

Part of the river level is still open in the meantime. The Alpine Picnic Area grounds stay open all year. Restrooms there may close in winter, and metered parking applies April through October, so the meters are off for the season. The advisory lists restrooms at the Alpine Pavilion as open for the season for now.

The Kearney House on Henry Hudson Drive is also open at the river. The advisory lists it open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., though the house's own page describes a May-through-October tour season, so check before a November visit. Its evening program, Punch & Pie at Mrs. Kearney's Tavern, is on Saturday, November 7, from 8 to 10:30 p.m., with music, pie, punch and storytelling. The Eventbrite listing shows the event as sold out. The park's tavern page lists $30 tickets at the door if space remains.

For the rest of this season, the Long Path between mile 8.00 and mile 12.60 is the main open route on Alpine's side of the Palisades. Call 201-750-0465 before you plan a stop at the Lookout Inn.

Knowing which paths are open, which roads are funded for repair, and when the café actually closes is the kind of local detail we follow for the borough. The Kolsky Team has spent decades working in Alpine and its neighboring towns. For more on the borough, see our Alpine neighborhood guide. If you'd like to talk about your own place near the Palisades, we're glad to hear from you.