Where is West Point located in the U.S.?

West Point is located approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City on the western bank of the Hudson River. The Academy's geographic location and geologic formations have directly shaped its history. There wouldn't even be a military garrison at West Point were it not for the narrow "s-curve" in the river, literally creating a "west point" in the river that was so prominent and important for controlling shipping traffic on the Hudson during colonial times.