Hudson Valley’s Prettiest Hiking Destination Closed Indefinitely

Don't bother visiting one of the Hudson Valley's most scenic wonders. It's now completely inaccessible to visitors thanks to a dispute with a private landowner.

We’ve written before about Dover Stone Church and the hike that leads to it. This hidden Hudson Valley gem is not actually a church but a natural rock formation that looks like a giant stone sanctuary carved right into the hillside. The short hike has some breathtaking views and is doable for pretty much any skill level, making it a popular spot for weekend visitors.

While the hike may be easy, getting there has been a bit more complicated. The formation itself is owned by the Town of Dover, but the path most people have used for years runs along Stone Church Lane, which cuts through private property. That became an issue when visitors began littering and causing damage on their way in and out of the trail.

The Legal Fight That Shut It Down

According to locals, the owner of the land has had issues with the way his property had been treated, and concerns about liability with so many people coming through every day during the summer.

Eventually, disagreements with the town caused the issue to be settled in court, and in a 2024 ruling, a New York appellate court sided with the property owner, making it clear that the public does not have the right to cross that land to reach the site.

So, even though the Stone Church itself is on town-owned land, there’s no legal way to get to it without trespassing on private property.

This has essentially landlocked the trail. The site sits well off the main road, surrounded by privately owned land, with no established public easement or alternate access point. So while the destination technically still exists, the path to get there is no longer open.

Dover Stone Church Trail Closed to Visitors in 2026

The property owner has since posted a sign on the former entranceway announcing that access is closed. A QR Code leads to an explanation as to why the path is no longer open, pointing to years of people crossing the land without permission, along with concerns about safety, liability, and damage.

With the courts on their side, the landowner has made it clear that access is now strictly forbidden.

A video recently posted by The Hudson Valley Explorer on Facebook shows what the trail looks like now.

What This Means for Visitors to Dover Stone Church

As of now, there’s no official workaround. No new trail has been announced, and there’s no agreement in place to reopen access from a different direction. That means one of the Hudson Valley’s more unique natural spots is, at least for the time being, completely off-limits.

Sadly, one of the coolest natural wonders in the Hudson Valley is completely off limits, unless you are the owner of the land next to it, who now has their own private stone church to visit whenever they like.