Sunday, December 20, 2015

Hyde Park Trails, NY: Pine Woods Park


ABOUT THE PARK:
Pine Woods Nature Trail - Hyde Park, NY
Hyde Park Trail - Hyde Park, NY Recreation Trails

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.78644, -73.93141

TRAIL MAP:
Hyde Park Trails/Mills-Norrie State Parks - Dutchess County, NY
Pine Woods Nature Trail Loop - Dutchess County, NY


HIKE DISTANCES:
All hikes combined with short drives from one to the other - 8.9 miles:
Pinewood Park - .9 miles

THE HIKE:
Head towards the playground then veer left at the kiosk to start on the orange trail.
It's a short trail at under 1 mile but it's a very lovely trail.
After crossing the park service road...
... the sound of rushing water in Crum Elbow Creek and ...
... a waterfall!
Coming back around at the other side of the playground and ball field.

Hyde Park Trails, NY: Mills-Norrie State Park


ABOUT THE PARK:
Mills-Norrie State Park - New York State Parks
Hyde Park Trail - Hyde Park, NY Recreation Trails

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates to Norrie Point Marina parking: 41.83259, -73.94091
Huge parking lot at the marina.

TRAIL MAP:
Hyde Park Trails/Mills-Norrie State Parks - Dutchess County, NY
Mills-Norrie State Park Trail Map - New York State Parks


HIKE DISTANCES:
All hikes combined with short drives from one to the other - 8.9 miles:
Pinewood Park - .9 miles

THE HIKE:
From the marina parking lot it isn't clear where to pick up the trails, even with a kiosk right there.
I had seen yellow markers driving in so followed those...
... over the bridge where the white trail comes in from the right (will take that on the way back to see where it comes out)...
... then left on white at the kiosk where it leaves yellow.
The marina on the left.
White leads straight to the cabins along the Hudson River.
Mother of Perpetual Help Monastery directly across the Hudson.
The trail passes right through the cabin area.
A little tufted titmouse...
... eating breakfast.
The entire white trail follows along the Hudson with nonstop views.
Looking straight up the Hudson with a peek of the Catskill Mountains.
Esopus Meadows Lighthouse with the Wilderstein Historic Site in the background.
I probably took 100 pictures of the Catskills. 
Are we being followed?
Nearing the end of the white trail.
Blue is mostly woods road and passes some historic points of interest.
Hoyt House Barn Complex
Hoyt House
Historic Ice House
Old stone walls everywhere.
Not knowing who Lewis Gordon Norrie was or how he died so young, I googled and found this.
There are some views of the Hudson from blue but nothing like the views along the white trail.
We got tired of woods road walking so instead of finishing on blue, we took yellow, which was much more to our liking.
On top of the world on yellow.
Yellow joins back up with blue.
Then it is a road walk ...
... to just past the kiosk where white comes in from the right (where we started the hike) then crosses that bridge and leaves to the left.
It then comes out in the trailer section of the marina parking lot.