The Hudson River: From Alpine Lake to Atlantic Gateway

The Hudson's 507 km (315 mi) journey writes New York's geography—from a trickle on the roof of the state to the harbor that built a global city.

Source: Lake Tear of the Clouds

Perched at 1,317m on Mount Marcy's southwest flank (Adirondack High Peaks, Hamilton County), this tiny tarn—often just a damp hollow in late summer—is the hydrologic source. Named by Verplanck Colvin (1872) for its crystalline clarity. The true "river" begins at Henderson Lake, where outlet flow becomes perennial.

Course: Three Characters

• Upper (Adirondacks): Wild, fast, cold. Brook trout, rapids, logging history. Hudson Gorge Primitive Area.
• Middle (Capital Region): Broadens, slows. Glens Falls → Hudson Falls → Fort Edward (Champlain Canal junction) → Albany/Troy (head of tide, Federal Dam).
• Lower (Estuary): 240 km tidal. "River that flows both ways" (Mahicantuck, Lenape). Palisades, Manhattan, NY Harbor.

Mouth: New York Harbor

Empties between Battery Park (Manhattan) and Liberty State Park (NJ). Mixed with East River (tidal strait), Kill Van Kull, Arthur Kill. The Narrows (Verrazzano Bridge) connects to Lower Bay → Atlantic.

Defining Numbers

• Watershed: 34,600 km² (13,400 sq mi)
• Avg discharge at Albany: 480 m³/s (17,000 cfs)
• Tidal range at Albany: ~1.4m (4.5 ft)
• Depth at NYC: 15–18m (maintained channel)

From cloud-scraping tarn to the harbor that welcomed millions—the Hudson is New York's spinal cord.