Outdoors
From retro to rococo, everything old is new again
Poets' Walk Park
A designed landscape — a series of “outdoor rooms” separated by stands of trees and stone walls — created for the owners of two neighboring estates around 1850. It got its name because writers like Washington Irving loved rambling here; legend has it he came up with the idea for “Rip Van Winkle” while gazing toward the Catskill Mountains, site of his protagonist’s long sleep. Don’t be surprised if your own creativity gets a boost from spotting colorful (and mellifluous) songbirds in the meadow, strolling through the shadows in the wooded ravine or enjoying majestic vistas that haven’t changed a whit in 170 years.
Red Hook, NY
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Thompson Pond Preserve
At the foot of Stissing Mountain lies the ancient Thompson Pond Basin, which formed nearly 15,000 years ago when a melting ice chunk created a depression or kettle. Over time, the kettle divided into three interconnected water bodies, including Thompson Pond, which forms the headwaters of a major tributary of the Hudson River. The basin's pond, cattail marsh, swamp and upland forest support a wondrously diverse array of wildlife.
Pine Plains, NY
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Wilcox Memorial Park
This 614-acre park showcases rolling hills, vast woodlands and open pasture landscapes. Amenities include: basketball court & ball fields, birdwatching, cross country skiing & snowshoeing, 27 camp sites, 11 miles of hiking trails, fishing, flush toilets, pavilion rentals, paddle and rowboat rentals, and professionally rated 27-hole Disc Golf Course.
Stanfordville, NY
845-758-6100
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Buttercup Farm Audubon Sanctuary
Buttercup is an area of diverse habitats with rolling, open grasslands, second growth and more mature woodlands, a former orchard and a marshy, flooded woodland. There are six miles of trails throughout the sanctuary. Over 80 species of birds are possible on a good May day. The sanctuary is relatively undeveloped and is open from dawn until dusk, seven days per week.
Stanfordville, NY
518-325-5203
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Vlei Marsh Preserve
The second largest wetland area in Rhinebeck, Vlei Marsh consists of 165 acres. Its trails consist of 1.5 miles of two, looped trails, offering visitors picturesque views along the wetland and through forested areas. There is also a partial connection to the Landsman Kill Equestrian Trails.
Rhinebeck, NY
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Drayton Grant Park at Burger Hill
A popular picnicking, hiking and sledding spot, Burger Hill rises to a 550-foot hilltop that boasts panoramic vistas of the surrounding countryside and spectacular views of the Shawangunk Ridge, Catskill and Taconic mountains, Stissing Mountain and the Berkshires. It is ideal for a family hike or sunset viewing over the Catskills. On a snowy day, Burger Hill is one of our region’s most treasured sledding spots!
Rhinebeck, NY
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James Baird State Park
James Baird State Park has much to offer. There are spacious open and wooded picnic areas and two picnic pavilions which can accommodate up to 300 people each by reservation. There is a playground as well as a sports complex where visitors enjoy playing basketball, softball, tennis and volleyball. Outdoor enthusiasts will find the seven miles of scenic wooded trails ideal for hiking in the warm months and cross country skiing and snowshoeing in the wintertime.
Pleasant Valley, NY
845-452-1489
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Taconic State Park/Rudd Pond
Taconic State Park consists of more then 6,000 acres of forested land with an extensive trail system that provides spectacular views of the Taconic, Berkshire and Catskill Mountain Ranges and the Hudson Valley. Rudd Pond is a 64 acre lake that offers swimming, fishing, rowboat, canoe, kayak and paddle boat rentals.
Millerton, NY
518-789-3059
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Roger Perry Memorial Preserve
At the base of the Berkshire Mountains, white sands shift between the trunks of red cedars, and rivulets of water run into rich wetland fens covered in grasses and moss. Once known locally as the White Sands of Dover, this site features a series of eroded limestone ridges and bedrock outcrops crested by cottonwood trees.
Dover Plains, NY
212-997-1880
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Wethersfield Estate & Garden
Nestled in 1000 acres of rolling hills in rural New York State, Wethersfield Estate and Garden provides visitors, visionaries, and artists, and an opportunity to reflect on the importance of natural and classical artistic beauty as a crucial means of human expression for our times. Visit the garden, hike the trails, enjoy a house tour, or attend an event at this beautiful estate and garden!
Amenia, NY
845-373-8037
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