Soak in the Season
Staff | May 4, 2018 | Comment
What’s a spring or summer trip to the Hudson Valley without exploring nature? Here are some hiking trails and outdoor recreational centers that will keep you connected with the natural world.
The Ashokan Center is the oldest outdoor environmental education center in New York. With stunning scenery in its prime location between the Catskill Mountains and Ashokan Reservoir, it’s worth the visit. The organization hosts local groups and offers the space for events. It also holds conferences, nature retreats, and family-friendly gatherings. This season, jam out at Summer Hoot, a three-day music festival being held the last weekend of August.
You can’t miss Scenic Hudson’s 42 parks—they’re spread throughout the region, from New Baltimore in Greene County all the way down to Yonkers. Each of Scenic Hudson’s parks offer something different recreationally. Go hiking, mountain biking, skiing, fishing, kayaking, or hunting in select locations. Or, if none of that appeals to you, simply stroll through, bring a picnic basket, and enjoy the scenery.
Even if you’re not staying in the luxurious Mohonk Mountain House, Mohonk Preserve is open to all for a $15 hiking fee or $20 biking, climbing, and horseback riding fee. Membership passes are also available. There are several hiking trails, from an easy, quarter-mile stretch to a strenuous, seven-and-a-half-mile trip. The Preserve will hold Rock the Ridge, a 50-mile endurance challenge, on May 19.
For even more hiking, visit Dover Stone Church in Dover Plains. The site’s main attraction is an ancient tavern that sits on the Stone Church Brooks—basically, a really cool cave with a waterfall. It’s an easy trek that takes only about an hour to complete.
Here’s another peaceful journey. Travel from one side of the Hudson River to the other by foot on Walkway Over the Hudson. The 1.28-mile footbridge connects the Town of Lloyd in Ulster County to the City of Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County. On any given spring or summer day, you’ll find people strolling, biking riding, and walking their dogs across the path. Plus, the river never looked so good than when you’re standing over 200 feet above it.
Fahnestock State Park in Carmel offers campsites and trailer sites so you can stay and enjoy all the park has to offer. From hiking and nature trails to boat rentals and a swimming beach, your outdoorsy side will have a blast here.