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Outdoor Recreation in Cold Spring-on-Hudson
Cold
Spring-on-Hudson, NY -- Nature rules in the scenic riverfront village of
Cold Spring-on-Hudson, with many ways for visitors to enjoy the great
outdoors year-round.
From June
to October, tours of historic Constitution Island, including a
round-trip Hudson River boat ride from West Point's South Dock, are offered
every Wednesday afternoon. On Wednesday evenings from June to August,
Hudson Valley Outfitters will offer Kayak Skill Sessions on
the Hudson. Participants will practice forward paddling, rescues, edging the
boat and more. Every Wednesday is also Pizza Night at the popular
Riverview Restaurant, with many choices of gourmet brick-oven
pizza available for dining on the scenic porch overlooking the Hudson River.
Boats,
Canoes and Kayaks
Every day
is an opportunity to get out on the water. A boat ramp near the Cold Spring
Train Station offers river launching for non-motorized craft, while the
private Cold Spring Boat Club offers launching and docking for boats
up to 30-feet long on a first come, first served basis. A popular anchorage
site is the sheltered cove of Little Stony Point, part of the Hudson
Highlands Park, just north of Cold Spring village across from Storm King
Mountain.
Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary,
a 270-acre tidal marsh, offers an interpretive canoe program of the
near-shore environments of the tidal Hudson River, particularly the natural
history of Constitution Marsh and the surrounding Hudson Highlands. An
expert Audubon naturalist leads participants through winding tide channels
lined with lush marsh plants. Canoeists can enjoy the physical activity and
scenic landscape while learning about this fascinating habitat just south of
the village. Parking and space are very limited, particularly on weekends,
so reservations must be made well in advance.
Rental
kayaks and guided kayak tours
are available from Hudson Valley Outfitters. An impressive sight from one of
the tours is the ruin of Bannerman's Castle on Pollepel Island in the "gap"
between Breakneck Ridge and Storm King Mountain. Another popular tour,
great for beginners, includes instruction, a leisurely paddle through the
protected marshland of Constitution Marsh and a stop for lunch at the
Audubon Museum.
Hiking
For
those who prefer land-based activities, Cold Spring-on-Hudson is a hiker's
paradise. A number of short hikes explore the scenic countryside of the
Hudson Highlands Park, while other hiking trails are available on the
grounds of Boscobel, Manitoga and in Clarence Fahnestock
State Park. There is always the annual Hudson Valley Ramble,
which will offer many unusual area hikes. Trail maps are
available at Hudson Valley Outfitters, which also offers guided hikes.
Popular short hikes include:
·
Little
Stony Point,
just north of the village, offers easy trails along the Hudson River
waterfront and over a scenic promontory across from Storm King Mountain
·
Bull
Hill/Mount Taurus
is walking distance from the Cold Spring Train Station. Appropriate for
intermediate level hikers, the trail starts up a sparsely wooded area headed
for an abandoned quarry. As the trail climbs steeply it offers fantastic
views over the Hudson to Storm King, Breakneck Ridge and the Catskills in
the far distance.
·
Breakneck
Ridge,
one of the most rugged and scenic of the park trails, follows an open ridge
from the Hudson River to the top of South Beacon Mountain. Perched high
above the Hudson, the views at the summit are breathtaking and it's an ideal
place to rest after a demanding hike.
·
The
Chimney
is a leisurely hike through a fragrant pine forest along a bridal path
ending at the ”Chimney”, a stone foundation, which is the only remnant of a
local author’s home overlooking the Hudson Valley.
·
Sugarloaf
Mountain
is a prominent landmark in the southern Hudson Highlands because of its long
summit ridge, conical southwestern shoulder, and the proximity to the river.
The profile of the mountain is said to resemble a sugarloaf, the solid cone
shape in which sugar was imported before the days of granulated sugar. One
can appreciate the importance of Sugarloaf during the American Revolution as
a spot to monitor traffic on the Hudson River.
·
Anthony's
Nose
offers a panoramic view over the Bear Mountain Bridge and the vast expanse
of Bear Mountain and Harriman State Park.
·
The
Appalachian Trail
winds
past Anthony's Nose as it makes its way from Georgia to Maine; the Hudson
Highlands are an extension of the Appalachian Range. Hikers can connect with
the trail south or east of the village.
Hikers
and other outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy a hearty pre-outing breakfast at the
Cold Spring Café, pack a great deli lunch from Cold Spring Pizza. Rewarding post-hike treats are
easy to find at the The Village Scoop. Others may prefer to
unwind while enjoying a meal and listening to Dixieland music on the patio
at the Cold Spring Depot Restaurant. And the homemade baked
goods, gourmet sandwiches, hearty soups and decadent desserts found at the
Foundry Café are refreshing before or after venturing out and about.
Biking
Many
scenic roads offer enjoyable biking in and around Cold Spring-on-Hudson.
Route 9D parallels the Hudson River and is a popular bike ride from the
Bear Mountain Bridge, nine miles south of Cold Spring, to the Beacon
Newburgh Bridge, just nine miles north. Riders with solid traffic-handling
skills may wish to make the 42-mile "loop" between the bridges and travel
along the western side of the river as well, including transiting the
mountain-hugging Skyline Highway through West Point (security measures
permitting). Another great ride is along Route 301, the hilly
continuation of Main Street as it heads east into Clarence Fahnestock Park.
Birding
Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary
provides
refuge for breeding and migrant birds and offers irreplaceable habitat for
the plants, fish, and other wildlife of the Hudson River estuary. It has
been designated an Important Bird Area by Audubon and a Bird Conservation
Area by New York State. A 700-foot boardwalk, built in memory of the late
manager and warden James P. Rod, allows access to families, birders,
artists, and other visitors who want to explore the natural side of the
Hudson River. Parking is very limited, so visitors should call in advance
for additional information.
Camping,
Fishing & Swimming
The
centerpiece of Clarence Fahnestock State Park is Canopus Beach, a
multi-million-dollar facility with a large, sandy beach, a concession stand,
showers and toilets, and a picnic area. Located in the highlands just east
of Cold Spring, the park has campsites, and group wilderness camping
facilities as well. Fishing is excellent, with two lakes and four ponds for
anglers seeking bass, perch, pickerel or trout. Boating, miles of bridle
paths, hiking, biking and nature trails -- including a portion of the
Appalachian Trail -- are available to visitors.
Gardens
In
addition to the many private village gardens, which can be viewed during
meandering strolls, several grand-scale gardens in Cold Spring-on-Hudson are
spectacular spots to enjoy nature at its best. Boscobel Restoration,
just one mile south of Cold Spring, is a carefully restored Federal
home-turned-museum with stunning grounds. A brick walkway leads past apple
and quince trees, an extensive herb garden and perennial beds, to a formal
rose garden that opens onto a great lawn with sweeping views of the Hudson
River. The Woodland Trail offers a one-mile walk by a stream and waterfall,
with a picnic area overlooking Constitution Marsh.
Manitoga/the
Russel Wright Design Center
is a unique 80-acre property created by noted industrial designer and
environmentalist Russel Wright. Listed on the National Register of Historic
Places, it is a wonderful and very extensive example of the naturalistic
approach to landscaping design and embellishment. The woodland gardens,
which encompass more than four miles of trails, are open to the public
year-round.
Stonecrop
Gardens
consist
of 63 acres of gardens, fields and woodlands. Originally the private home of
Anne and Frank Cabot, Stonecrop became a public garden in 1992 under the
direction of Caroline Burgess. The display gardens cover an area of
approximately 12 acres and incorporate a diverse collection of gardens and
plants, including woodland and water gardens, a grass garden, raised alpine
stone beds, cliff rock gardens, and an enclosed English-style flower garden.
Additional features include a conservatory, display alpine house, small
tropical room, pit house with an extensive collection of choice dwarf bulbs,
two growing houses and six polytunnels.
The
gardens are open to the public during Garden Conservancy Open Days and by appointment on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, Fridays and the first and third Saturdays through October.
Admission is $5 per person; guided tours for large groups are also available
at additional cost.
Golf &
Personal Fitness
Just five
minutes from Cold Spring-on-Hudson is the Garrison Golf Club. The
18-hole championship golf course was designed by Dick Wilson and offers
spectacular Hudson River views. The course is open to the public daily (in
season) and features a complete pro shop as well as lessons with club
professional Joe Spivak. Dining and libations are available at the snack
bar, from the roving beverage cart and in Bill Brown's Restaurant and Bar.
The
Garrison
also features a holistic day-spa and salon with a full menu of massages,
facials, body treatments and salon services; the Satsang Yoga Center, which
offers workshops and classes drawn from a variety of yoga disciplines, and
personal training and fitness. Indoor or outdoor workouts can include Cybex,
Pilates, free weights or a game on the historic handball court.
Winter
Fun
Winter
Park at Clarence Fahnestock State Park
offers
ice skating, ice fishing, snowshoeing and sledding, with miles of trails for
cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Hudson Valley Outfitters provides
cross-country ski and snowshoe packages to Fahnestock, which include
round-trip shuttle and trail pass.
Cold
Spring-on-Hudson is an enjoyable getaway year-round. One of the earliest
visitors is said to have been George Washington, who, according to local
legend, appreciated a drink from the area's "cold spring." The aptly named
village is now home to a wide variety of unique shops, including more than
20 restaurants that serve everything from gourmet picnic fare, homemade
fudge and traditional burgers to regional French, Italian, Mexican and New
American cuisine. Several charming inns offer lodging, while many other
types of accommodations can be found in nearby communities.
Easily
accessible by car, train or plane, Cold Spring-on-Hudson is just one hour
north of New York City and minutes from major thoroughfares, such as the New
York State Thruway, Palisades Interstate Parkway, Taconic State Parkway and
Interstate 84. Metro-North Railroad's scenic Hudson Line offers frequent
train service from New York's Grand Central Terminal and the Cold Spring
train platform is a short stroll to Main Street. Stewart International
Airport (SWF), in nearby Newburgh, offers the closest air travel options
with service by American Airlines, ASA/Delta Connection, Comair, I-Jet,
Southeast Airlines, US Airways Express and Vacation Express. Rental cars are
available at the airport.
For more
information on Cold Spring-on-Hudson and Main Street America 2005, please
visit
www.ColdSpringonHudson.com.
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