Scenic Hudson Valley hiking trail with autumn foliage

825 square miles of Hudson Valley wilderness

Outdoors & Recreation

Hike, paddle, cycle, and explore — Dutchess County's parks, trails, and Hudson River await

Parks Trails Water Cycling Seasons

State & County Parks

Featured Trails

12 mi

Rail Trail

1.28 mi

Walkway Bridge

Parks & Preserves

State parks & public lands

From the iconic Walkway Over the Hudson to 14,000-acre Fahnestock State Park, Dutchess County offers some of the finest public lands in the Northeast.

Lush forest trail in a Dutchess County state park

Walkway Over the Hudson

Poughkeepsie

World's longest elevated pedestrian bridge — 1.28 miles spanning the Hudson River. Free, open year-round. Stunning river views.

WalkingViewsFree

(845) 834-2867

Fahnestock State Park

Carmel

14,000 acres of wilderness. Swimming at Canopus Lake, camping, hiking, fishing, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing.

HikingSwimmingCamping

(845) 225-7207

Hudson Highlands State Park

Beacon / Route 9D

Dramatic Hudson River views from Bull Hill (Mt. Taurus). Challenging hikes, birdwatching, and photography.

HikingViewsBirding

(845) 225-7207

Taconic State Park

Copake Falls

Hiking, camping, swimming at Rudd Pond, fishing, and cross-country skiing. Near Bash Bish Falls.

CampingSwimmingSkiing

(518) 329-3993

Bowdoin Park

Wappingers Falls

Dutchess County park with Hudson River views, hiking trails, sports fields, picnic areas, and a sledding hill.

PicnicsViewsSports

(845) 298-4600

James Baird State Park

Pleasant Valley

Golf course, hiking, fishing, picnic areas, and cross-country skiing in a peaceful setting.

GolfHikingFishing

(845) 452-1489

Norrie State Park

Staatsburg

Hudson River access, camping, hiking, marina, and fishing. Gateway to the Hudson River Valley.

CampingBoatingFishing

(845) 889-4646

Wilcox Memorial Park

Stanfordville

Swimming pond, camping, hiking, and sports facilities in a beautiful rural setting.

SwimmingCampingSports

(845) 758-6100

Harlem Valley Rail Trail

Wassaic to Millerton

12-mile multi-use trail through scenic farmland and forests. Perfect for walking, running, and cycling.

CyclingWalkingFree

Free access

Hiker on a mountain trail with panoramic Hudson Valley views

Hiking & Trails

Featured trails

From easy riverside strolls to strenuous summit scrambles, Dutchess County has a trail for every ability level.

🌿

Poet's Walk Park

Easy

Red Hook·2 mi

Hudson River views, meadows, historic bridges. Free, open year-round.

🏔️

Stissing Mountain

Moderate

Pine Plains·2.5 mi

Summit views of the Hudson Valley. Historic fire tower at the top.

⛰️

Bull Hill (Mt. Taurus)

Strenuous

Cold Spring area·5.5 mi

Panoramic Hudson River views. Part of the Hudson Highlands.

🧗

Breakneck Ridge

Strenuous

Route 9D, Beacon·3.5 mi

One of the most popular hikes in the Northeast. Scrambling required.

🚴

Harlem Valley Rail Trail

Easy

Wassaic to Millerton·12 mi

Flat, paved multi-use trail through scenic farmland.

🦅

Denning's Point

Easy

Beacon·1.5 mi

Hudson River peninsula. Excellent birdwatching and fishing.

🌲

Pawling Nature Reserve

Moderate

Pawling·1,000+ acres

The Nature Conservancy preserve with diverse habitats.

🗺️

Catskill Center Trails

Moderate

Eastern Dutchess·Multiple

Access to Catskill foothills from eastern Dutchess County.

Kayaking on the Hudson River in Dutchess County

Water activities

Hudson River kayaking: Launch sites at Beacon (Denning's Point), Poughkeepsie (Waryas Park), and Rhinebeck. Hudson River Recreation: (845) 473-4440
Fishing: Hudson River (striped bass, shad), Wappingers Creek, Fishkill Creek, Tenmile River. NY fishing license required: dec.ny.gov
Swimming: Canopus Lake (Fahnestock SP), Rudd Pond (Taconic SP), Wilcox Memorial Park pond
Boating: Norrie Point Marina, Staatsburg — (845) 889-4646