Bouchoux Trailhead (Jensen's Ledges)

Benson's Ledges is a cool spot. You can look out over the Delaware river while standing in New York and have a beautiful view of Pennsylvania. There is also the top of a waterfall that goes into the abyss. There is also an old shale pit and people take the scraps and make cool things like chairs and random objects.nnOnly gets a 4 instead of 5 cause it's a spot. The hike in and out is the same and it's an old road with lots of loose rocks that try to break your ankles. So the hike is nothing to write home about. Drive in is pretty cool though

There are a few stunning views along this trail. Be sure to stick to the areas you’re allowed to explore, because there is a real risk of injury or worse if you stray too far off the trail. Come in the fall to catch some incredible peak foliage.

The drive down the Dead End to get to the Trailhead is very enjoyable. Awesome homes and views on the way. Plus it feels so hidden because you drive for almost 10 minutes down this tiny gravel road. I would say the hike is moderate for non-hikers. We took 3 small kids (3, 5 and 6) and the two older ones made it up with minor complaint. The littlest had to be carried. The incline continues for a little over a mile before it levels off and you get rewarded with the first of a few incredible views. When you reach the top and there are Warning and No Tresspassing and Fall Hazard signs, youre almost there. Walk past those toward where you hear water. If the waterfall isn’t raging you can cross the water and there are some amazing rock sculptures(?) that are really cool to check out. The view from there is the second best. Continue past there and a little further you will get the best view of the bend in the river and the ranges of mountains in the background. There is a large flat rock for sitting and rehydrating. I recommend going when the fall foliage is at its peak. We didn’t go any further but we were at the top so I imagine we didn’t miss anything. The hike down was much easier, though you have to be careful. You should have boots or at least high top sneakers. The rocks are loose and the leaves made everything slippery so lots of fancy footwork was necessary. When you leave Bouchoux, you can follow signs for the Equinunk General Store which was awesome. We purchased some great local coffee, handmade soaps and locally made ice cream (Butter Pecan. HEAVEN) The store owners were very friendly and kind. The whole area around Bouchoux is quaint and beautiful. We stayed at Bass’ Golf Course Cabins while we were in the area. I rated them too if you’re curious!

Fun hike with rewarding views at the top. It is pretty aggressively uphill going and downhill coming. Stone sculptures at top are museum worthy

Apparel alert: Wear hiking boots that cover your ankles & tough full-length pants. A good walking stick wouldn't go amiss either. At the parking area, there are 2 trailheads, one up to the ledges, and a shorter one that brings you down to the river. As the trailhead signboard mentions, this is habitat for the timber rattlesnake. We had come to climb up to Jensen's Ledge, but first took the trail down to the river's edge. This trail passes through grassy open woods and essentially terminates at the railroad tracks that parallel the river. Unfortunately on the opposite side of the tracks, the invasive Japanese knotweed has taken over and by August had formed a nearly impenetrable thicket well above head height that you have to bash through to get down to the water. It may not be worth the risk: on the return trip, just after crossing back over the tracks, a large rattlesnake slithered across the somewhat overgrown trail between members of our party and took up a position against a discarded tie on the side, and let us know it wasn't happy about our presence.nBy contrast, the trail up to the ledges is wide and well-worn (well-maintained even?), bare enough that it's much less likely hikers would fail to notice a snake. Nonetheless, the ledges themselves look like prime sunning and shelter for snakes, so dress, and proceed, accordingly.n*This is private land so major gratitude to the landowners who graciously tolerate the public use, and to the individual (his contact is on the signage) who liaisons with them on behalf of all of us so we can enjoy the stunning views. *