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Storm King Highway, Hudson Highlands, New York
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0

Drives New York The Hudson Valley and the Catskills

Storm King Highway

NY 218 · Cornwall-on-Hudson → Highland Falls

Twisty7.8 mi15 min1,200 ft climbHigh point ≈ 600 ftOne way
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The drive

NY 218 is the Storm King Highway, a ledge cut into the cliff face of Storm King Mountain high above the Hudson. This drive starts in Cornwall-on-Hudson and runs south through Storm King State Park, with the river and the Highlands falling away on one side and rock on the other.

Past the cliff section the road passes the Thayer Gate of West Point and ends at Highland Falls. The road dates to 1941, when it took over the old Storm King Highway after US 9W moved to the Storm King Cut-off. It is short, 7.8 miles and about 15 minutes, with two twistier stretches, one near the start and one near the end.

Storms have washed out the road before; the state rebuilt the slope and added drainage under it.

Along the way

  1. Cornwall-on-Hudson
  2. Storm King
  3. Highland Falls
Elevation
1,200 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 600 ft
Cornwall-on-HudsonHighland Falls
Curves
Mostly moderate, with two twisty stretches
Cornwall-on-HudsonHighland Falls
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The state gates the road shut when rockfall, ice or heavy rain or snow make it unsafe, sometimes at short notice.
  • The road is gated off in times of high rockslide danger, so check before a winter or stormy-weather trip.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check 511NY.

Questions about this drive

How long is the Storm King Highway drive?

Storm King Highway (NY 218) from Cornwall-on-Hudson to Highland Falls is 7.8 miles and takes about 15 minutes.

Is the Storm King Highway ever closed?

Yes. NYSDOT can gate NY 218 shut when rockslide, ice or storm danger is high, and a washout once closed it for over a year. Check 511NY before going.

Is Storm King Highway twisty?

It is rated Twisty: mostly moderate curves with two twistier stretches, along a cliffside shelf above the Hudson.

Where does Storm King Highway go?

NY 218 runs between Cornwall-on-Hudson and Highland Falls, passing through Storm King State Park and by West Point's Thayer Gate.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Storm King Highway, from Cornwall-on-Hudson to Highland Falls