ABOUT THE PARK: Rockefeller State Park Preserve - New York State Parks Rockefeller State Park Preserve - Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve
There is a $6 fee to park or, if you were gifted an Empire Passport by your son and daughter-in-law for your birthday last summer, that works, too.
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.11184, -73.83723
The main parking lot at 7:30 AM.
The main parking lot at 11:30 AM with cars circling like vultures for a spot to open up.
THE HIKE:
These are all trails as described in the Eagle Hill Area section of the brochure.
Our 7.2 mile route on the park map.
We took the Nature's Way Trail from the parking lot just a short distance in from the restroom building.
Sunrise on the Nature's Way Trail.
A very short side trail to ...
... one of the largest glacial erratics in the Hudson Valley.
Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail
Crossing Sleepy Hollow Road - this road would be lined with parked cars on the return route.
Shawnee often starts to panic when I am 10 feet away and she can't see me yet she can clearly see those two deer.
After crossing this bridge we turned right on the Pocantico River Trail. We would be returning from the left.
Pocantico River Trail
Going under Route 117.
It was slow going on this hike because there were just so many places to stop and sniff.
Turning right on 13 Bridges Trail.
I was so excited to see a black squirrel. I had only seen one once before a few years ago and he was on my deck but I only saw him the one time.
But then a few steps ahead there were two playing. Turns out they were everywhere in this area.
One of the 13 bridges.
The 13 Bridges Trail follows and crosses over Gory Brook.
Three bridges in a row.
Going back under Route 117.
I had never seen such a huge flock of wintering robins before. They were everywhere and I was getting pictures of 3 at a time but they were blurry because at least one was always in motion.
I wanted to turn left on the Eagle Hill Trail but the only way to see the sign was to pass it by and turn around to look at it.
Heading up the Eagle Hill Trail and we had it all to ourselves, not another person up there.
Could it be, right where I can scoop it up without having to hack through thorny undergrowth?
Yes it is, my first balloon of the year,
Almost at the top...
... the trail splits into a loop.
Some Hudson River views with the Tappan Zee Bridge.
Continuing around the loop then down and over to ...
... the Witch's Spring Trail to ...
... the Spook Rock Trail.
Spook Rock
From Spook Rock Trail to Big Tree Loop.
At the other end of the Pocantico River Trail
Pocantico River
An old bridge on the left off of the trail.
Pocantico River from the old bridge.
Continuing on the Pocantico River Trail.
Across an open field ...
... a red-tailed hawk in a tree surveying the field.
Pocantico River Ducks
Heading back on Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail.
Seriously, they let you "push it off"? Then why did I still see so many bags of poop around? Lazy people!
Every available spot taken on Sleepy Hollow Road where there were no cars earlier.
Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail is kind of boring and crowded with people so we went back on Nature's Way which is much more to our liking and nobody else was there.
