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    Ferncliff Forest

    4.5 (15 reviews)

    Ferncliff Forest Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Ferncliff Forest

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    Vivian G.

    Easy trails,short walk to the fire tower. This is definitely the place for people who want to take in the forest & not work too hard or bring the dog & the kids. Small but a satisfying atmosphere. Parking lot will fill quickly so one early

    Thomas S.

    Nice free park with beautiful tree canopy along the trails. The prize of this park is the fire tower which can be climbed for a 360 degrees stunning view of the Hudson River and surrounding countryside. The trail to the fire tower was easy and short. Make sure to bring bug spray. Parking spaces were limited. A great place to spend couple of hours.

    Kristy J.

    1.67 miles total for the yellow trail, and a fire tower at the top. It was an absolutely stunning view and a delightful hike. There's a picnic table near the summit and a lake near the parking lot.

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    6 years ago

    Easy hike. Fire Tower is nice but was covered in bee hives when we went Summer 2020.

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    Review Highlights - Ferncliff Forest

    It has an 80ft fire tower, a new pavilion, a meadow and several camping shelters.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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    Thompson Mazzarella Park

    Thompson Mazzarella Park

    4.3
    (3 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    Fantastic local playground, situated down off Rhinecliff Rd and minutes from the center of town…read more Fenced in area with expansive playground area with plenty of open space for children 5-12 to run around. Benches surround the playground with an open pavilion nearby with picnic tables and a parking lot area.

    This is a nice easy set of trails, flat or gentle hills. The forest and grassland areas are quite…read morenice. For the most part, the trails are well maintained, although I do think the trail markings/signage could be clearer. I started at the kiosk trail head and the first turnoff for the trail can be easy to miss(in fact, I did.) The initial part of the trail is nice dark gravel, but it veers into a field where the trail is just a mown path and the sign for the turnoff is an unassuming post with orange and green squares on it tucked back into the growth. Also at one point off the blue loop, I ended up in a strange area with farm equipment with a sign posted about private property. So I turned back to the loop. I never even saw how to get to the white or red trails. So what I saw was nice but I'd like to come back and try to find what I missed. Maybe I'm just hopelessly directionally challenged. I did take a picture of the map at the trailhead but still found parts confusing. I saw a fox following the paths several times, which was pretty exciting:) There was a pool, playground and community garden but I didn't really check those out.

    Photos
    Very cool map
    Very cool map
    Well marked trails
    Well marked trails
    Large playground

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    Large playground
    Charles Rider Park

    Charles Rider Park

    5.0
    (4 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    Being in the Kingston area got me stopping here. There's a lot of parking spaces to park in a…read morecouple of sections, and we parked on the big gravel on the south side. Picnic tables are accompanied along here and the other section on the northern side with many more. Grills are provided for a plus near the picnic tables. Boat docks are used in this park for anyone's pleasure, and there's plenty of room for it to be done right. The view of the Hudson River is an incredible closeup, seeing the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge as the highlight and also viewing the east side of northern Dutchess County. In the distance on that side, you'll get a glimpse of the train tracks of Amtrak and occasionally CSX trains passing by. We happen to see an Amtrak heading north as we were leaving. Looking even further, especially if it's a clear day, you'll see the town of Rhinecliff to the south. It's a great place to have a get-together and to take in nature at this location!

    There's an almost Zen feel here. It's fairly quiet, almost cozy. The picnic tables are spaced…read moreprobably 25 to 30 feet apart, with grills between some. But you may want to bring your own lawn chairs if you want to sit on something other than a picnic table. There's plenty of parking space. You're right along the river, and there's a deck area where folks lounge and fish. You have quite a view of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge. If you're there when the Rhinebeck Aerodrome is open, you'll occasionally see one of their planes fly over the river to about the same latitude as the park, which is evidently their turn-around point. You'll have some very nice views of foliage during leaf-peeping time.

    Photos
    You'll see Rhinecliff out in the horizon.
    You'll see Rhinecliff out in the horizon.
    Charles Rider Park
    Northern section with more picnic tables.

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    Northern section with more picnic tables.
    Staatsburgh State Historic Site

    Staatsburgh State Historic Site

    4.6
    (18 reviews)
    6.9 mi

    6/26/26: Staatsburgh can give many of the Newport mansions a run for their money…read more On the drive up to the mansion, you'll see a beautiful sculpture of Diana the huntress. We made reservations online. Upon entry, you'll check in and pay at the gift shop in the rear of the estate. Lindsay was very helpful. Inside the gift shop, there's wonderful items for serving tea and historical books on area mansions. Our wonderful docent was Faith. She was so passionate and highly knowledgeable of all the estate decor and family history. Think Faith is one of the best docents ever! The tour group starts out in a very low-keyed way. During that time, you're learning about the history of the estate in a fun way. Out of nowhere, the Gilded Age Opulence appears. YOU'RE WOWED! Unfortunately, Staatsburgh doesn't receive the accolades like the other well known area mansions. If you're going to see one estate in the area, make it Staatsburgh!

    The Staastsburgh Estate grounds are simply beautiful, expansive and extremely well maintained. The…read morelong canopied tree-lined paved driveway winds its way up to the mansion and down to and along the Hudson River. There is a smaller unpaved road that leads to the carriage house and around to several gardens and eventually up to the front entry way of the mansion. We didn't go inside as we had spent 40 minutes walking the grounds but plan to do so on a future visit.

    Photos
    Driving up seeing Staatsburg for the first time.
    Driving up seeing Staatsburg for the first time.
    Ice Box Room.
    Ice Box Room.
    Inside.

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    Inside.
    TR Gallo Waterfront Park

    TR Gallo Waterfront Park

    4.0
    (2 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    When you factor in just the nearest park setting, this park tends to be a little small - with few…read morebenches. But when you factor in the expansive area just outside the park - this waterfront park can be huge. It's centerpiece is it's monument dedicated to kingston members of the armed forces who've risked their lives and died - found at the corner nearest the waterfront bathrooms near the Rip Van Winkle boat. I myself have found the ability to feed the birds and ducks that go by here often. It can be so serene and these poultry know it. You can often find electric fish coming up from the water below to catch food floating on the water's surface. Then you add in the few benches that exist, and you will get a park. It's gotten worse over the years. Many years ago, there used to be live bands playing on the stages, but it seems like they've all be told to find other gigs elsewhere. A person who sits on the benches, will sometimes hear the soundtrack from what's inuse at Mariners Harbor nearby, but this isn't even the best. There's little - if any - parking existing for this park that is free. You either have to pay for sidewalk-like parking, or you can go into the lot (which often is full of cars from the Landing added to the cars from the nearby businesses), or if you see a non-handicap spot nearest the Rip Van Winkle boat (isn't often), you can take one there. Your best bet is to park somewhere else in Kingston and Uber-down to the park (or Uber to Mariners Harbor and walk). I don't come down here that often, if it isn't for some peace and quiet in busy times, but it can be a necessary place at times.

    Boats creeks and…read moreplaques T.R, Gallo Park was developed in 1984 and renovated and expanded in the years since then. Not a very large park but it is connected to a river walk so it's possible to walk for several miles along the water. The park is located on Roundout Creek and has nice views of the water and boats at the marina. You can even see a couple of very cool lighthouses if you really try. The park has a nice gazebo, picnic tables, benches and a memorial to all those brave souls that have been lost at sea. Lots of events are held at the park in the warm months and there is even a little place to launch kayaks and other small craft. Not a large park but one in a great location. A great use of the open space down by the marina and water.

    Photos
    ''Twas The Night After Christmas
    ''Twas The Night After Christmas
    Beautiful fall foliage!
    Beautiful fall foliage!
    UnderCover @ Nite: (@ The Gazebo)

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    UnderCover @ Nite: (@ The Gazebo)

    Ferncliff Forest - parks - Updated July 2026

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