Croton Gorge Park is one of my most favorite places to spend a day when the weather is nice. As you enter the park, you will see the impressive cascading waters of Croton Dam. We like to take our bikes, a picnic and shoes we don’t mind getting wet so that we can spend the whole day.
With 97 acres of green space, there is no shortage of things to explore and there is plenty of space for your family to spread out and stretch their legs.
The lush green picnic area has a huge lawn, lots of picnic tables, a public bathroom and a small playground. You can choose to spread out on a blanket under one of the large trees or at one of the picnic tables that overlook the falls. There were people throwing Frisbees, playing kickball and hiking around the huge tranquil space that this park offers.
There are a couple of trails to choose from for hiking and exploring. If you follow the paved road you drove in on and go below the small bridge, next to the parking area, you will see an unmarked path that leads you down to the front of the falls.
There are smooth, flat rocks that allow you to get up close to the falls and dunk your toes in the crisp, cool water. My daughter brought her dinosaurs to take a dip and had a blast splashing in the shallow pools at the base of the gorge.
The other trail leads to the top of the damn and to the bridge that spans the Croton River and overlooks the whole gorge and reservoir. The views are stunning. We chose to walk our bikes to the top of the gorge so that we could ride them back and forth overlooking everything. The trail to the top is steep, but it’s short and is very doable for any age or ability. My 4-year-old could hike it with no problem.
After you have explored the park and gotten your fill of exercise and hiking, there are plenty of places nearby for a sweet treat.
My family absolutely loves The Blue Pig, located at 121 Maple Street in Croton-on-Hudson. Their homemade ice cream is quite delicious on a hot summer’s day! This small ice cream shop is privately owned and the ingredients are locally sourced and free of anything that does not come from nature, which is perfect after an excursion in the outdoors. They have very eclectic flavors and you will find that everything is in season.
Kate Randall was born and raised in New York, she has lives in Hopewell Junction with her daughter, husband and their chickens. She is a graduate of SUNY Albany with a degree in Linguistics and Latin American Studies. She enjoys flip-flops all year round and traveling.
When You Go …
Croton Gorge Park
35 Yorktown Road
Croton-on-Hudson
827-9568
parks.westc
•There is a small entrance fee; with a New York Park Pass entry is $5 or without a pass $10 a car for the entire day.
•The grounds and picnic area is stroller friendly, but the hiking trails are not, so a carrier is preferable for very small children.
•Don’t forget the bug spray and tick spray and check yourselves and your children for ticks after hiking.
•Dogs must remain on a leash and are not allowed in the picnic area.
•The park is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to dusk.
