Boscobel House and Gardens
Garrison (Putnam County) Why we love it Boscobel allows you to explore nature tamed and in the rough. Landscaped gardens, an allée of maple trees and an orchard featuring heirloom apple varieties surround one of the nation’s finest examples of...
John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary
West Park (Ulster County) Why we love it The open ridgelines, secluded forests, wetlands and fascinating rock formations that make this a must-visit destination for hikers today also proved indispensable to nature writer John Burroughs (1837-1921), who sought inspiration among...
Overmountain Conservation Area
Ancram (Columbia County) Why we love it Want to experience the Taconic Mountains — along the Hudson Valley’s eastern boundary — without scaling them? Hike this Columbia Land Conservancy gem. Its ridge-top trails afford super views of these peaks (especially...
Five Locks Walk
High Falls (Ulster County) Why we love it What this mile-long (out-and-back) amble lacks in distance, it more than makes up for in history. It follows the towpath along one of the most impressive portions of the Delaware & Hudson...
Cornish Estate Ruins
Cold Spring (Putnam County) Why we love it Flanking Mount Taurus, these ruins combine impressiveness and accessibility. A short, slightly uphill walk on the estate’s former driveway leads right to the crumbling confection, built ca. 1910 and owned for 20...
Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Explore wildlife on a sand dune created at the end of the last Ice Age.
Peekamoose Blue Hole
Take a dip in the cool, clear waters of a classic Catskills waterhole.
Lake Awosting — Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Take a trek to one of the Shawangunks' most pristine "sky lakes."