Hyde Park Trails
Get Directions
Park Overview:
The Hyde Park Trails system links three National Historic Sites – notably FDR’s estate, Eleanor Roosevelt’s “Val-Kill” and Vanderbilt Mansion – together with trails in a cluster nearby parks under the banner of “Walkabout Trails.”
Park Description:
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site contains his house, library, rose garden, grave and a small museum. Val-Kill is the former cottage of Eleanor Roosevelt and houses her effects and memorabilia. The Vanderbilt Mansion contains a vast collection of antique furnishings and is surrounded by a landscape that includes magnificent views of the Hudson River and a formal Italian garden. Fees are charged to tour the buildings, but access to the grounds and trails are free.
The “Hyde Park Walkabout” project aims to promote healthy physical activity by encouraging walking/hiking on designated trails in the surrounding area (see Web Map link above)
- The Hyde Park Trails system is a cooperative effort of the Town of Hyde Park, National Park Service, Scenic Hudson Land Trust Inc., Winnakee Land Trust, and several private landowners.
Trails Overview:
The Vanderbilt Mansion and FDR National Historic Sites border the Hudson River. The NPS Hyde Park Trail (10.4 miles) through and between them travels from waters edge at one point, near Vanderbilt Mansion, to the bordering ridge before heading inland, via Scenic Hudson Land Trust property, to the Val-Kill site. Around the mansions, the trail meanders through beautifully tailored grounds. In other parts of the estates, the trail passes large specimen trees, small swampy areas, streams, rock outcrops and wooded areas. The trail is marked with green tulip tree leaf markers.
The Hyde Park Walkabout Trails map displays 11 trails (23 miles) in 9 parklands including the national historic sites and Mills-Norrie State Park along the Hudson River. Map inserts for each trail include a brief description, mileage (ranging from 0.7 to 3.6 miles), parking and trailhead location.
Park Acreage:
Not availableMunicipality:
Hyde ParkThe Hyde Park Trails system links three National Historic Sites – notably FDR’s estate, Eleanor Roosevelt’s “Val-Kill” and Vanderbilt Mansion – together with trails in a cluster nearby parks under the banner of “Walkabout Trails.”
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site contains his house, library, rose garden, grave and a small museum. Val-Kill is the former cottage of Eleanor Roosevelt and houses her effects and memorabilia. The...
Park Acreage:
Not availableMunicipality:
Hyde ParkContact Information
Web Link:
Hyde Park Trail –Town of Hyde Park Recreation DepartmentPhone:
Not availableFees:
Some times and places; check with parkDogs in park:
Dogs on leash
Directions to Trailhead
Public TransportationDirections to Trailhead :
From the New York State Thruway (I-87): From either north or south Exit 18 (New Paltz), take 299 east, to 9W south; follow the signs to Mid-Hudson Bridge (also known as the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge). After crossing bridge follow overhead signs to Route 9 North. You will come to the Roosevelt Home first approximately 5 miles north once you exit the bridge. The Vanderbilt Mansion is approximately 2 miles north of the Roosevelt Home. Both are located on the left.
Physical addresses and GPS coordinates:
- FDR National Historic Site, 4097 Albany Post Road (Route 9 North), Hyde Park, NY, 12538: 41.770646, -73.932916
- Eleanor Roosevelt NHS (Val-Kill), Route 9G, Hyde Park, NY, 54 Valkill Park Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538: 41.763369, -73.906445
- Vanderbilt Mansion NHS, 119 Vanderbilt Park Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538: 41.802037, -73.939908
Support the trails with a donation!
The Hyde Park trail, is the underrated highlight of Hyde Park. It is not given half the love it deserves, and most people don't even know it exists.
The Hyde Park Trail is over 20 miles of trails connecting Top Cottage all the way to Vanderbilt. There is also a section that will connect Vanderbilt to Mills Mansion, but it has yet to open.
Each year the Hyde Park Trail hosts an End-2-End hike, which focuses on the main 9 mile trail running from Top Cottage to Vanderbilt. On the walk you go to Valkill (Home of Eleanor Roosevelt), the Farm Lane trail (FDR's former tree plantation), FDR's home, the historic Hyde Park train station, Bard Rock, and Vanderbilt.
While these places make up the main trail, three other parks (Hackett Hill, Pinewoods, and the Winnakee Preserve) make up the rest. Winnakee features a long trail through some very interesting woods in town, Pinewoods has a rock slide (Think playground equipment made of stone, not death on a mountain) waterfall (That was once part of an old mill!), and a skatepark. And Hackett Hill (My favorite) includes: a beautiful section of the Crum Elbow Creek, a rock shaped like a Gorilla (Not kidding) a walkway through a swamp, a disc golf course, the site of a former freed slave community, and the town swimming pool.
One of the coolest things is that Hyde Park still gives out trail patches each year to those who complete a number of trails. If you hike the End-2-End, you receive one on completion of the hike. You're probably thinking, Who cares? but I'll tell you right now, not a lot of people have a Hyde Park Trail patch with an Atlantic Sturgeon on it.