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Eagle Cliff is one of the most prominent bedrock (granite gneiss) outcrops in Black Rock Forest, emerging from the trees to give outstanding views to the south of much of the Hudson Highlands. Beyond the land of the US Military Reservation at West Point one can see the observatory on Bear Mountain and, on a clear day, the skyscrapers of Manhattan some 50 miles away. Raptors such as hawks, eagles and vultures can often be seen soaring near this cliff, giving it its name. It can be reached by the Scenic Trail or the Rut Trail, but be extremely careful and stay away from the cliff edge (rock climbing is not permitted). Further to the northeast along this ridge is Spy Rock, the highest elevation in the Highlands west of the Hudson River (1461 feet). This was one of the locations that Washington’s Continental Army used during the Revolutionary War to oversee movements of the British Army, but forest regrowth since that time has obscured much of the view from this spot.