The Goat Hill Overlook hike is short, easy, and takes you to a lookout where George Washington once stood to survey the land around New Hope and Lambertville. Actually, Goat Hill Overlook was used by both George Washington and British General Charles Cornwallis to view opposing forces up and down the Delaware River. Goat Hill is also known as Washington’s Rock.
Goat Hill Overlook is a 213-acre scenic preserve, administered as part of nearby Washington Crossing State Park. It opened in 2009. Before becoming a park it was going to be a quarry, and before that it was owned by the Boy Scouts.
This guide gives you directions from the trailhead, which is a short drive from Lambertville, NJ. You can also walk to the trailhead from the center of Lambertville (or New Hope). It’s about a 1.5 mile hike (45 minutes) to the trailhead from central Lambertville on lightly trafficked streets. It’s a nice walk if you have more time.
Follow the trailhead address until you get to this turn off to the left. Head left up the dirt road. There’s no Google Maps address for the actual trailhead parking lot.
Gear For the Hike
You don’t need any special gear for the hike, but it can get muddy, so wear appropriate footwear. It’s nice to bring a pair of binoculars to the summit too.
Here’s the gear that I personally use, have tested, and recommend for this hike*.
This is a super-light and comfortable backpack that can hold everything you need on a hike, including a hydration bladder. It also works great as a general backpack or carry-on.
Make your photos stand out by using this lightweight, do-anything tripod. The Joby attaches your smartphone to trees, rocks, whatever you can find on the trail. Folds down compactly too.
* No company pays me to promote or push a product, all the gear you see here is gear I use and recommend. If you click an REI link and buy gear, I get a small commission that helps offset website expenses. There is no cost to you.
Gaia GPS is a planning and navigation tool that you can use on your phone, tablet, and the web. I use it on my phone when I need to interact with the map and know where my position is on it. I use it at home on the computer to plan routes. You can overlay maps such as public lands to find out free places to camp. It’s a powerful tool.
This thing does everything: maps, GPX tracks, compass, barometer, altitude, heart rate, blood oxygen, fitness tracking, sleep tracking, and the list goes on. I keep a GPX route on the watch so I can quickly glance down and make sure I’m in the right place.
There’s a small parking lot at the trailhead. Parking is free. The trailhead is at the end of the lot on the right.Check the hiking board for any information. On this day, not much is going on.At the end of the parking lot is a gate where the trail starts.The trail is wide and easy to follow.Shortly after the start, there’s a trail off to the left. Keep straight, heading uphill.Stay on the wider path, avoiding any small paths off to the side as you reach the ridge.As you hike closer to Goat Hill Overlook, there’s some small trails to the left. Again, stay on the larger trail.Eventually you come to a clearing. This is Goat Hill Overlook.Enjoy the views, take your selfies, and then walk back the way you came. You can explore the smaller trails off the picnic area too. Most of them lead back to the main trail. Enjoy the hike!
Did something change on this hike? If so, please contact me and let me know. I'll update the guide.