Locust Grove
Poughkeepsie (Dutchess County)
Why we love it
Few places in such a suburban location offer the opportunity to explore so many habitats. The historic carriage roads at the 19th-century estate of artist and telegraph inventor Samuel Morse bring you into direct contact with meadows, a pond, a stream with a pretty waterfall, wetlands, a cove on the Hudson River, dramatic rock outcrops and, throughout, grand trees, interesting plants and many birds. A formal garden features a colorful array of peonies, grown here for more than a century. Views from well-sited benches around the 200-acre property make it clear why Morse — also a prominent artist — chose to live here.
More to explore
Tours of Locust Grove’s mansion , designed in 1850 by famed architect A.J. Davis, explore the lives of the Morse family and subsequent owners. Just a few miles away — and sitting 212 feet above the river — Walkway Over the Hudson offers views spanning from the Highlands to the Catskills.
Highlights
- Amazing variety of habitats and wildlife
- Nearly 5 miles of paths
Directions, hours, etc.: https://www.lgny.org/
