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The dramatic cliffs along the Hudson River at Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey. (Palisades Interstate Park Commission Photo)

Rockfall Closes Popular Giant Stairs At Palisades Interstate Park

A large rockfall and landslide has forced the closure of the popular Giant Stairs section at Palisades Interstate Park along the New Jersey-New York border.

According to officials with the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, the rockfall and landslide occurred on the morning of January 9.

The entire Giant Stairs section of the Shore Trail near State Line Lookout in Palisades Interstate Park is closed due to a major rockfall and landslide, which occurred on the morning of January 9th, 2026.

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Rockfall recently forced the closure of the Giant Stairs section in Palisades Interstate Park. (PIPC/Jesse King Photo)

Officials said the area is now closed to the public due to the possible risk of other rocks being unstable and falling.

Park staff are currently assessing the situation.

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Palisades Interstate Park stretches along the New Jersey side of the Hudson River just north of New York City. The park features more than 30 miles of hiking trails among 2,500 forested acres with dramatic cliffs and scenic views of the river.

The Giant Stairs hike is a roughly 4-mile roundtrip hike that includes a roughly 1-mile section of difficult rock scrambles.