Just south of the Bard College area are two lovely spots for running, in the Red Hook and Rhinebeck areas:
Poet’s Walk Park. Grounds of former estates, designed by renowned landscape architect Jacon Ehlers, are now a park with 2 miles of trails meandering through meadows and woods. The signature run is Poet’s Walk, a shaded, streamside path, named in honor of numerous literary figures who reputedly strolled here. Sweeping views of the Hudson River and the dramatic, cascading Catskill Mountains. Park info.
Ferncliff Forest. Located 1.5 miles south of Poet’s Walk Park, this 200-acre forest preserve & game refuge has trails for hiking & biking. We’ve mapped a 2.3 mile, somewhat hilly, perimeter route, but there are some additional trails in the park as well. Be sure to climb the fire tower, located in the middle of the park. Great views! Trail Map
Longer Run/Rt. 103: Can combine Poet’s Walk with Ferncliff Forest via 1.5 miles on Rt. 103. You can also do more miles on Rt. 103/River Rd., a scenic road that runs between Rhinebeck and Bard College. Nice views of farms, mountains, and the river. Note: No shoulder but the traffic is not too bad.
Just south of the Bard College area are two lovely spots for running, in the Red Hook and Rhinebeck areas:
Poet’s Walk Park. Grounds of former estates, designed by renowned landscape architect Jacon Ehlers, are now a park with 2 miles of trails meandering through meadows and woods. The signature run is Poet’s Walk, a shaded, streamside path, named in honor of numerous literary figures who reputedly strolled here. Sweeping views of the Hudson River and the dramatic, cascading Catskill Mountains. Park info.
Ferncliff Forest. Located 1.5 miles south of Poet’s Walk Park, this 200-acre forest preserve & game refuge has trails for hiking & biking. We’ve mapped a 2.3 mile, somewhat hilly, perimeter route, but there are some additional trails in the park as well. Be sure to climb the fire tower, located in the middle of the park. Great views! Trail Map
Longer Run/Rt. 103: Can combine Poet’s Walk with Ferncliff Forest via 1.5 miles on Rt. 103. You can also do more miles on Rt. 103/River Rd., a scenic road that runs between Rhinebeck and Bard College. Nice views of farms, mountains, and the river. Note: No shoulder but the traffic is not too bad.
Terrific waterfront running in this village just over the Cuomo Bridge. Highlight is trail at Nyack Beach State Park, which has great river views. There are also lake loops at nearby Rockland Lake and Congers Lake. You can also now run over the bridge to Tarrytown!
Great running options in this historic area: The 21-mile Walkill Valley Rail Trail; A loop in New Paltz on historic Huguenot St.; and the carriage roads and trails at the Mohonk Preserve and adjacent Minnewaska Preserve.
Vassar is one of the more bucolic college campuses in the United States, with historic buildings and beautiful grounds. Take a run around the campus paths, athletic fields, and then a 3.7 mile loop around Vassar Farm on gorgeous paths.
Run the world's highest and longest pedestrian bridge! The 1.5 mile Walkway Over the Hudson is a Hudson Valley running highlight. Add on with the Hudson Valley Rail Trail on the western side and the Dutchess Rail Trail on the eastern side.
A wonderful run along the Hudson River in Kingston. Combine waterfront paths with the new BrickYard Trail for 3 miles along the water. For a ~10 mile run, add the Kingston Rail Trail, heads for 1.3 miles from downtown to the water.
Samuel Morse-owned Tuscan villa sits on 150 acres of gorgeous grounds bordering the Hudson. There are 5 miles of carriage road trails winding through woods and meadows that make for gorgeous running.
Fantastic running in Hyde Park. The 16-mile Hyde Park Trail System includes the FDR NHS, Eleanor Roosevelt NHS, Vanderbilt Mansion, and Mills-Norrie State Park. Great combination of woodland trails, grounds, historic sites!
A great way to explore the bucolic campus of Bard College and its outskirts, using roads and pathways to enjoy the varied scenery. For a longer run, enjoy a jaunt to the Montgomery Place National Historic Landmark.
A couple of pleasant routes in the Tivoli and Annandale-on-Hudson area, featuring the trails of Tivoli Bays and the bucolic Bard campus. Great views of the river, marshland, and the Catskills.
A great opportunity for a long off-road run in the eastern part of the Hudson Valley. The mainly paved trail follows an old rail line for 24.6 miles between Copake Falls and Wassaic. The landscape is a mix of woods and open farmland. Plans to extend the trail north.
The 13-mile Heritage Trail is a paved/crush limestone multi-use path that follows the former Erie Railroad rail line through New York’s Orange County, between Middletown and Harriman. Especially nice in fall!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!