22. Hudson River at Staatsburgh Mills Mansion State Park

Distance:	Dayhike
Difficulty :	Easy for children
Distance :	2.7 miles, round trip
Hiking time :	2 hours
High point/elevation gain :	60 feet, 60 feet
Hikable :	Year-round
Map :	USGS Hyde Park

Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy a lot of other neat stuff. Two hundred years ago, it bought Morgan Lewis 1600 acres in the central Hudson Valley, including the lovely riverfront property where Staatsburgh, the stately home also called Mills Mansion, now stands.

From the mansion, set back from the Hudson River on a manicured hillside, gently curving paths extend in all directions. Grand beech, spruce, and oak trees line the paths and roadways; visitors will have no trouble imagining how the estate must have looked a hundred years ago, with butlers hustling to heed orders and elegant ladies floating across the lawn twirling parasols with gloved fingers.

But this hike through the estate property and along the Hudson River offers more than the chance to enjoy a glimpse of the lifestyle at the turn of the century. The kids will have a ball romping on the vast lawns, running ahead on the level paths, and counting the motorboats and sailboats bobbing far down the river. The hike offers constant water views, plus several opportunities for wading, splashing, and exploring when the trail swings close to the river's edge. Staatsburgh Mills Mansion State Park is one of the few public places on the east side of the Hudson River that lets you get to the water—in many other places, including the other great mansions in the area, railroad tracks block access or must be crossed. Here, the tracks run inland through a cutting and access to the river is completely free and safe.

From New York City, take the Thruway (I-87) north to Exit 10 in Tarrytown. Follow US 9 north for approximately 65 miles. Drive 0.5 mile beyond the Dinsmore Golf Club and Restaurant on the left and turn left onto Old Post Road. Drive 0.5 mile, following signs to Staatsburgh Mills Mansion State Historic Site. Turn right into the park; in another 0.3 mile, park in the lot near the mansion.

Stop at the mansion for a park map. The view from the verandah across the manicured grounds to the Hudson River and across the water to the Catskills is delightful. The mansion, a massive Beaux Arts structure containing sixty-five rooms and fourteen bathrooms, was built in 1895. The property was in the Mills family until 1938, when the children of Ogden and Ruth Livingston Mills donated it to the state of New York.

Run (you can't help running) down the right side of the expansive, sloping lawn toward the river. (One hundred years ago, this lawn was a cornfield. Today it is a favorite place for safe winter sledding. ) Just before you reach the river, you'll meet a paved path that skirts the eastern bank. If stomachs are rumbling, continue to a sandy strip of beach and a picnic pavilion perched near the water. If you would rather postpone your picnic, turn left onto the paved path, heading southward.

Track along the ridge that follows the river, bordered on the left by the sweeping estate grounds. Does this trail service athletes other than hikers? Look for a sign that provides a clue. (The 5K marker indicates that this is a cross-country ski trail in the winter.) At a sign for a private residence 0.4 mile from the start, turn right onto another paved path that hugs the bank of the Hudson. With the residence on your left, head westward, passing a small sandy beach. One-half mile from the start, look for a Taconic Region trail marker at an intersection. Turn right here, onto a foot trail that borders the shoreline, as the now gravel road continues straight.

Seven-tenths mile from the start, the trail reaches a pebbly beach. Across the river, the Catskills loom over the nearby hills; to the south, the impressive Hudson rolls toward New York City. The lighthouse you see out on the river is the old Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. It was built in 1839, rebuilt in 1872, and closed and replaced by an automated light in 1965. If you look closely at it now through binoculars, you can see that the windows are actually paintings on boards that are nailed over the real windows.

By 0.8 mile, the trail has tracked uphill and crested; the wooded slope that falls into the waters of the Hudson is steep here. Follow the path along rolling terrain through mixed woods, sweeping past a stiff drop-off guarded by a row of hemlocks. Soon, landscaped timber steps lead hikers down an embankment, closer to the water's edge.

Just under 1 mile from the start, the trail opens onto a coarse pebble beach. Drag sticks in the water to "fish," skip stones, look for water bugs darting close to shore. At the end of the beach, hop over a stone wall and mount a set of stairs to return to the elevated trail. As the path weaves through a lofty stand of white pines, look left to see an old pump house bordered by an enduring stone wall. At the 1.3-mile mark, as a trail defined by a stone wall leads left, continue straight toward a grassy knoll shaded by pine trees. An abutment supports the river's edge here, creating a sheer drop to the water. Enjoy a peaceful picnic under the pines or save your lunch for the lawn of the mansion, where you'll have a lot of company.

Return to the mansion and your car the way you came.

Note: Dogs must be leashed.
The mansion is open seasonally for house tours. The Mansion is open seasonally for house tours, call ahead for details — the number is listed in For more contact information "See Addresses"