Breakneck Brook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Breakneck Brook |
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Cascade on brook at Undercliff Trail bridge
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| Other name(s) | Breakneck Valley Brook |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| Region | Hudson Valley |
| County | Putnam |
| Town | Philipstown |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Surprise Lake Philipstown 711 ft (217 m) 41°27′23″N 73°57′17″W / 41.45639°N 73.95472°W |
| River mouth | Hudson River S of Storm King 10 ft (3.0 m) 41°26′18″N 73°58′25″W / 41.43833°N 73.97361°W |
| Length | 1.7 mi (2.7 km), SW |
Breakneck Brook, also known as Breakneck Valley Brook, is a small stream in Putnam County, New York. It is about 1.7 miles (2.8 km) long. This brook flows into the mighty Hudson River. Its journey begins at Surprise Lake and winds its way southwest. Most of the brook runs through the beautiful Hudson Highlands State Park. The name "Breakneck" comes from Breakneck Ridge, a mountain nearby.
Along the brook, you can find parts of old hiking trails. These trails follow the stream for much of its path. The land around the brook was once a large estate owned by Edward G. Cornish. He was a leader of the National Lead Company in the early 1900s. Mr. Cornish had a big dairy farm here. You can still see the remains of buildings from his farm, like a large water tank, along the stream.
Contents
Exploring Breakneck Brook's Path
Breakneck Brook flows in a fairly straight line from its start to where it meets the Hudson River. It drains a narrow valley between two tall mountains in the Hudson Highlands. The brook drops a lot in height, especially in its last half-mile (800 meters).
Where Breakneck Brook Begins
The brook starts at the end of a dam at Surprise Lake. This lake was made in the early 1900s for a summer camp. At first, the brook flows gently. It only drops about 40 feet (12 m) in the first quarter-mile (400 m). This part is mostly wooded, with the camp on one side.
As the brook enters Hudson Highlands State Park, the woods become even thicker. An unpaved road runs next to the brook. A hiking trail, called the Notch Trail, also joins this road. The road and stream get closer as they reach a large open area. This used to be a water storage area for the old dairy farm.
Journey Downstream
A short distance downstream, Breakneck Brook gets water from another small stream. This stream flows from a wet area higher up. Near an old farm building, the Notch Trail and the road cross the brook on a bridge. This bridge is also from the dairy farm days. After this, the Notch Trail goes towards Bull Hill, a mountain across the valley. The Brook Trail then takes over on the road, continuing downhill beside the stream.
The trail and stream keep going for about 0.1 miles (160 m). Here, the brook starts to drop much more steeply. You can still see an old pump house that once took water from the stream for Mr. Cornish's big house. A wooden bridge marks where the Undercliff Trail crosses the brook. This trail connects the hiking paths on the two mountains.
In just a quarter-mile (400 m) from here, the brook drops 200 feet (61 m). It flows over many small waterfalls. It then crosses under the Catskill Aqueduct, which carries water to New York City. Near this spot, there's a small rock water tank. The Brook Trail, now just a footpath, continues to follow the stream closely.
The End of the Brook
Another quarter-mile (400 m) covers most of the remaining 300 feet (91 m) of vertical drop. At about 100 feet (30 m) in height, another small stream joins Breakneck Brook from Bull Hill. The Brook Trail ends at a small entrance on New York State Route 9D. This is the only paved road that crosses the brook.
Finally, Breakneck Brook flows under railroad tracks. These tracks are used by passenger trains like Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak, and sometimes by freight trains. Right after passing under the tracks, Breakneck Brook empties into the Hudson River.
Breakneck Brook's Watery Home
The area that drains into Breakneck Brook is called its watershed. It is quite small. The watershed reaches up to the tops of the two mountains around it: Breakneck Ridge to the north, which is about 1,280 feet (390 m) tall, and Bull Hill to the south, which is about 1,420 feet (430 m) tall. Bull Hill is the highest point in the watershed.
Even though it gets close to the border of Dutchess County, New York, the entire watershed stays within Philipstown, New York and Putnam County, New York. To the north, the watershed borders another small stream that flows into the Hudson. To the east and southeast, it borders the watershed of Foundry Brook. This brook starts near Cold Spring, New York and also flows into the Hudson River.
Most of the watershed is covered in woods. The lower part is inside Hudson Highlands State Park. The only buildings regularly used are at the camp near Surprise Lake. Because of this, no one lives permanently in the watershed.
A Look Back at Breakneck Brook's Past
Like much of the Hudson Highlands, Breakneck Brook got its shape during the Wisconsin glaciation. This was the last ice age in North America. About 20,000 years ago, huge glaciers covered the entire area. As the ice melted, it created the streams we see today. The glaciers also carved out the Hudson River valley, making it deep like a fjord.
Early Human Use
People started using Breakneck Brook at the beginning of the 20th century. A group called The Educational Alliance bought the land around the brook's start. They built a dam to create Surprise Lake. This lake was for Surprise Lake Camp, a summer camp for boys from New York City. Famous entertainer Eddie Cantor was one of the early campers.
Around the same time, a diamond merchant named Sigmund Stern built a large estate on 650 acres (2.6 km²) of land lower down the brook. The buildings were made of stone from nearby Breakneck Ridge. After his wife passed away, Stern sold the estate to Edward G. Cornish in 1916. Cornish named it Northgate.
The Dairy Farm and Water System
In the same year, the Catskill Aqueduct was finished. It passed through the estate and over the brook. Above the aqueduct, Mr. and Mrs. Cornish decided to start a modern dairy farm. They cleared land and built bridges, a barn, and other buildings along the brook. They even built another dam upstream to get water for their cows. Their farm became famous for its high milk production.
Protecting the Land
The Cornishes became worried about quarrying (digging for stone) in the Highlands. Even though their home was built from local stone, they could feel the ground shake when explosives were used at a quarry on Bull Hill. In 1936, Mr. Cornish offered to give his entire estate to New York State to become a park after he died. He wanted to stop any more quarrying. However, the state parks commissioner at the time, Robert Moses, turned down the offer. He thought the land was too rugged for the parks he usually developed.
Mr. Cornish died in 1938, followed by his wife two weeks later. Their family did not maintain the estate well. In 1956, a fire destroyed the mansion. Six years later, the family sold the land to Central Hudson Gas & Electric. This company planned to build a power plant there.
However, there was a lot of opposition to a larger power plant planned for Storm King Mountain across the Hudson. This led to important court cases and helped start the modern environmentalism movement. Because of this, Central Hudson dropped its plan five years later. They sold the land to the state's parks agency. In 1970, Laurance Rockefeller bought other properties in the area that were threatened by development. He donated them to the state. These lands, including the Cornish estate, became part of Hudson Highlands State Park. The park has grown to include other areas along the east side of the Hudson River.
The ruins of the Cornish estate became a popular spot for hikers. Over time, the old dam on the brook started to break and leak. In 2011, the state parks agency removed it. They found it too expensive to fix. They also believed removing it would help restore the brook to its natural state.
How Breakneck Brook Was Formed
The valley of Breakneck Brook runs alongside some fault lines in Philipstown, New York. The rocks at the bottom of the valley are mostly a type called gneiss. Near the mountain tops, the rock is a different kind of gneiss that is very strong. This strong rock is why the mountains are so tall and have steep cliffs.
The faults were made steeper by the pressure of the glaciers as they moved south. The glaciers eventually covered the mountains completely. When the ice melted, it left behind the types of soil we see today in the Breakneck Brook valley. Higher up, there is glacial till (rock and dirt left by glaciers). Closer to the brook, there are layers of sand and gravel sorted by water, topped with till.
Water Quality and Wildlife
The United States Geological Survey considers Breakneck Brook and other small streams nearby as one large area for collecting data. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) also uses this data. However, for rules about water quality, they classify streams separately. Breakneck Brook and Surprise Lake are considered "Class B" waters. This means they are good for swimming, other water activities, and fishing.
Even though Class B waters are safe for water life, it's unlikely you'll find many fish from the Hudson River in Breakneck Brook. Scientists believe that the steep drops in the brook, just before it reaches the river, make it hard for Hudson River fish to swim upstream into Breakneck Brook. They think this has been true since the large glacial lakes in the Hudson Valley dried up.
