10 Scenic Hudson Parks You Can Get to By Train

A group of people on the boardwalk at sunset looking out over the water in Madam Brett Park. Photo: Robert Rodriguez Jr.

Who says you need a car to explore Scenic Hudson parks? A ride on Metro-North’s Hudson Line and a short walk will deliver you to these 10 outstanding places where you can admire the Hudson River, connect with nature, go fishing, rent a kayak, or just sit and enjoy a little peace and quiet.

A bonus for leaf peppers, Metro-North has added special weekend service on the Hudson Line. Between October 6 and November 10, four additional trains will run between Grand Central and Poughkeepsie on Saturdays and Sundays. More details at https://new.mta.info/article/metro-north-fall-leaf-peeping-service-2024.

Yonkers

Esplanade Park

A 2-minute walk from the station brings you to this 1,000-foot walkway paralleling the river’s edge that offers magnificent views of the New York City skyline and across the river to the Palisades.

Esplanade Park
Esplanade Park

Van der Donck Park at Larkin Plaza

Relax and enjoy nature in this park right outside the station’s front door. Its centerpiece is the Saw Mill River, a Hudson River tributary that flowed beneath a parking lot here for 80 years until being “daylighted.”   

Van der Donck Park at Larkin Plaza (Photo: SH Staff)

Habirshaw Park

Take a 5-minute stroll to arrive at the only place in downtown Yonkers where you can dip a toe in the river. It’s also a prime sunbathing spot.

Habirshaw Park
Habirshaw Park

Irvington

Scenic Hudson Park at Irvington

A minute from the station, the park features a riverfront walking path offering views spanning from the Manhattan skyline to the Tappan Zee. There’s a basketball court for LeBron James wannabes.

Scenic Hudson Park at Irvington
Scenic Hudson Park at Irvington

Tarrytown

Scenic Hudson RiverWalk Park

Stroll westward for 2 minutes and you’ll arrive at this riverfront oasis (formerly site of an asphalt plant) featuring an esplanade as well as lawns perfect for siestas.

Scenic Hudson Riverwalk Park at Tarrytown (Photo: Robert Rodriguez, Jr.)

Peekskill

Scenic Hudson Park at Peekskill Landing

Hop off the train and walk right into this park, whose walking path offers an up-close look at Peekskill Bay—and maybe a bald eagle. For more exercise, stroll 2 miles south along the city’s RiverWalk.

Scenic Hudson Park at Peekskill Landing
Scenic Hudson Park at Peekskill Landing

Cold Spring

Foundry Dock Park, Cold Spring

Right across the station’s parking lot, this park is small but offers BIG views of the dramatic Hudson Highlands. Those craving more action can bring a kayak and paddle through nearby Constitution Marsh.


West Point Foundry Preserve, Cold Spring

Take a 10-minute walk along scenic Foundry Cove to visit this woodsy “outdoor museum” containing remains of a 19th-century ironworks whose cannons helped win the Civil War.

West Point Foundry Preserve (Photo: Robert Rodriguez, Jr.)

Beacon

Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park

For optimal enjoyment of this riverside mecca 2 minutes from the station, bring a blanket, picnic or fishing pole. For more action, bring a bike (our Madam Brett Park is 1 mile away on the flat Klara Sauer Trail) or a kayak, and paddle into Newburgh Bay.

Madam Brett Park
Madam Brett Park (Photo: Seth Martel)

Poughkeepsie

Walkway Over the Hudson

Take the elevator 5 minutes away to enjoy magnificent views from the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge. For more fun, take the Walkway Loop Trail or hike at idyllic Franny Reese State Park.

Walkway Loop Trail (Photo: Robert Rodriguez, Jr.)

Tour Historic Hudson River Towns by App

Untermyer Gardens

Launched in June 2020, an app allows users — whether driving in their car or reclining in a backyard hammock — to take a self-guided audio tour of parks, historic sites and other attractions in riverfront communities in Rockland and Westchester counties.

Emeline Park (Photo: Robert Rodriguez, Jr.)

Created for Historic Hudson River Towns, a consortium of municipalities along the river, the app spans attractions from Yonkers to Peekskill on the Hudson’s eastern shore and Nyack to Haverstraw on the west. Interestingly, it crosses both the oldest (Bear Mountain) and newest (Gov. Mario M.  Cuomo) bridges in the Hudson Valley.

Fort Montgomery (Photo: Robert Rodriguez, Jr.)

Along with fact-filled narration, the app features myriad photographs illustrating the historic, scenic or ecological importance of each location.

Untermyer Gardens (Photo: Chris St. Lawrence)

The 50 stops on the tour include 7 Scenic Hudson parks or riverfronts where we played major roles in transforming contaminated industrial sites into magnificent places to connect with the Hudson’s beauty and wildlife. These include Esplanade Park in Yonkers, Scenic Hudson Park at Irvington, Scenic Hudson Park at Peekskill Landing and Emeline Park in Haverstraw. Scenic Hudson staff members provide the narration at each of these stops.

Peekskill Landing (Photo: Robert Rodriguez, Jr.)

Historic Hudson River Towns also has released two guided audio tours — one for bikers, the other for walkers — crossing the river on the Cuomo Bridge’s 3.6-mile pedestrian path, which opened to the public on June 14. It offers interesting facts about the current and previous bridges, the history of the two communities it connects (Nyack and Tarrytown), and a glimpse at the life and legacy of Mario Cuomo. Future plans include walking tours of Irvington, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow and Nyack. 

Van der Donck Park at Larkin Plaza (Photo: SH Staff)

Funding for the mobile audio tour program was provided by a grant to Historic Hudson River Towns from the New NY Bridge Project’s Community Benefits Program, administered by the New York State Thruway Authority.

Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry (Photo: Tyler Blodgett)