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Peebles Island State Park

Cohoes (Albany County)

Why we love it

It’s the only place in the Hudson Valley where you can connect with two great rivers, the Hudson and its mightiest tributary, the Mohawk. Be sure to walk the Perimeter Trail, which hugs the Mohawk’s banks for much of its nearly two-mile length, offering superb views of rapids and a small waterfall just before the river flows into the Hudson. The island’s backstory includes a Mohican village, a likely visit by Henry Hudson and Revolutionary War fortifications (still visible), so while enjoying its current tranquility and natural beauty you’ll literally be stepping into the past.

More to explore

In nearby Waterford, the Erie Canal begins with a bang at the Waterford Flight, where five locks raise boats 170 feet in less than a mile — the largest lift in the shortest distance of any canal system in the world.

Highlights

  • 5 miles of mainly flat trails
  • Great views of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers
  • Picnic pavilion

Directions, hours, etc.: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/111/details.aspx