Hudson Highlands/U.S. Military Academy at West Point

The Hudson River cuts through the backbone of the Appalachian Mountain chain for 11 miles.  This area is known as the "Hudson Highlands" and is often compared to Germany's Rhineland.  As the river flows between the mountains it narrows and makes sharp turns.  It reaches it's greatest depth in this area - 216 feet at "World's End".
The Georgia to Maine Appalachian trail crosses the Hudson River on the Bear Mountain suspension bridge.
Also located in the Highlands is West Point.  First fortified in 1779 it is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the U.S. and is the home of the nation's oldest service academy.