[3] A central feature of the park is Hook Mountain, a 689-foot (210 m) summit[5] overlooking Rockland Lake and the Hudson River.

[4] Hook Mountain was known to Dutch settlers of the region as Verdrietige Hook,[6] meaning "Tedious Point", which may have been a reference to how long the mountain remained in view while sailing past it along the Hudson River,[7] or for the troublesome winds that sailors encountered near the point.

[7] Like other areas of the Hudson River Palisades, the landscape now included in Hook Mountain State Park was threatened by quarrying in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

[12] In May 2015, the Sisters of Our Lady of Christian Doctrine announced that they were considering allowing their 38-acre (0.15 km2) property to become a part of Hook Mountain State Park.

[13] Hook Mountain State Park is undeveloped, and primarily offers space for passive recreation such as hiking and bird-watching.