Brace Mountain, a 2,311-foot summit in the southern Taconic Mountains near the meeting point of New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, is the highest point in Dutchess County and part of a ridge running close to the state lines. Its New York and Massachusetts slopes are protected, while the Connecticut side is conserved private land. Known for strenuous but popular hiking on the South Taconic Trail, it offers steep climbs, links to the tri-state marker and nearby high points, and an open, bald summit with sweeping views over the Harlem Valley, Hudson Valley, Catskills, and Riga Plateau. It is also a prominent Northeast site for hang gliding and paragliding.