Abstract: A hydraulic cylinder snubbing arrangement includes a pilot operated control valve having a predetermined snubbing position at which flow exhausted from a hydraulic cylinder actuating chamber must pass through a plurality of flow restricting orifices in a valve spool when the hydraulic cylinder is retracted to a predetermined position. The valve spool is shifted to the snubbing position automatically by reducing the fluid pressure in a pilot chamber at the end of the valve spool to a predetermined level so that a snubber spring device resiliently moves the spool from a lower or float position. By forcing the fluid to pass through the restricted flow path created by the orifices, the gravity induced velocity of the hydraulic cylinder is greatly reduced as the hydraulic cylinder approaches its end of stroke position.