Amazing easy/moderate hike in. No idea it existed and not that far away from Troy/Albany…read more Surprisingly big waterfalls and rock formations. Was told cause of all the rain it was not normally as high. Really peaceful. Thankfully no trash or other distractions from people. Will be back many times I'm sure.

I almost don't want to write a review for this conservation area because then it could become…read moreinundated with people. Simply put, you don't have to walk very far for some incredible views. We visited right after a heavy summer rainstorm so the trail right down to the falls was a bit hard to traverse (high water, slippery rocks, etc) but it was worth the treachery. But you don't have to hitch yourself down to get the full magic of these falls, you can also go for a slightly longer walk to see them at eye level. If you're visiting close to the Hudson area, a visit to the High Falls Conservation Area should be on your list! Then grab a drink in town.

The falls are truly incredible…read more The trail down to the bottom of the falls, is a bit tricky. But so incredibly worth it. I would suggest not to believe the sign saying 189 steps.... it is definitely more! Take drinking water because you'll need that for sure. We went back in August and the heat was definitely there. The parking lot was pretty packed but throughout the trails people were pretty evenly spaced out. Not so much at the base of the falls themselves but there was still plenty of room to move around freely.

One of the tallest waterfall in NY, similar height to Taughannock Falls. Physical requirement is…read moredifferent tho, Kaaterskill Falls has about 500foot of elevation change and a lot of slippery stone steps at the end, if you come here when the weather is still cold. Parking: most people park at the Laurel-House Road parking area, because it is the closest. Or you can park at Mountain Top Historical Society, the old train station, which an extra mile. Starting from the old railroad station is nice, you can still see some old tracks on the ground. Walk to the overlook is fairly easy, once you get to the start point of Lower falls junction, it is where you need to be prepared. I recommend hiking shoe, especially in colder months where the ground is wet and iced. When you reach to the stone steps, they can get slippery. I am surprised no one fell in late March. Half of the steps were cover in ice and people were wearing regular sneakers. Once you reach the base of the two tier falls, the view is tremendous. If water levels are high, you can feel the energy of the water. There is a lot of spray from the falls when you get close. There is short trail to the middle tier pool. It was iced up during winter, spikes will definitely be useful. The end was amazing too. So close to the lead of the waterfall. You can keep going and follow Escarpment trail and follow the edge of the valley. There is monument for fireman Frank Layman who died during firefighting in 1900, at his monument, you can see route 23A bend around mountain. And if you keep going, there are a couple viewpoint to overlook the valley. Nice break points to enjoy the view and rest your legs.

The topography of this place is undulating but not too challenging, even for someone like me, a…read morecouch potato. A river runs through it. Along the way, there are some waterfalls of differing levels. Obviously, the volume of water is dependent on recent precipitation. The "mood" of the place depends of that flow. On most occasions, I could hear the rush of water before actually seeing it. It's an added bonus to this place, changing on a daily basis. Like a lot of things upstate, you've got to be informed about a place before you know it exists. If a co-worker hadn't told me about this sanctuary, I doubt I would have found it on my own. There is no fee but the parking lot is small; there's space for about eight vehicles. Check it out. It's a neat place. It'll do some good to get some fresh air.

Note to self: September may not be the absolute best time to come here because of the very low…read moreflow. Still, there are plenty of things to like about this...once you find it. The falls seem to be commonly known as Bozenkill Falls but the road sign (pictured) says Christman Sanctuary, and the gravel parking lot isn't massive so it may be easy to miss. The first 100+ metres is mostly boardwalks so it's easy enough to navigate. Then comes rocky, uphill trail, but at least markers are readily visible and aplenty. On our first visit I feel like we barely scratched the surface, so will look forward to another visit. Thank you whoever you are, for helping to preserve and maintain this sanctuary!

The trailhead was marked clearly and a map was on the front info board. So I started walking down…read morethe trail from an amazing old red barn and got confused when I couldn't even tell where the trail went. I circled back and started again, this time cutting through what looked to be no more than a deer trail through waist high weeds. I wasn't even sure this was the official trail at this point. However. There was a man on a tractor mowing when I started and on my way back, I noticed the trails had been cut clearly in big swaths through the grasses. So I think my timing was just bad as far as that goes. I did find my way to the access road and more traditional gravel/rock trails through the forest to the river's edge. Lovely views. Aside from one moderate hill, I would say it's a fairly gentle hike. I must say other than the trailhead marker and one sign about birds, I never saw any flares/markers or signs showing me the various named trails shown on the map and showing me I was still on the trails. That would be a great addition.

Great little hike to the cascades which were beautiful. At the peak the pools are deep enough to go…read morein about knee deep. Water is cool and refreshing.

It was a bit difficult to find accurate directions to arrive at the trailhead, which is located at…read morethe end of a residential road. Online sources say to park at the YMCA nearby. The YMCA is permanently closed, and instead we found an elementary school where you can park, alongside which you begin through a short woodsy path and then must walk maybe 1/4 mile through the neighborhood before discovering the trail. The hike is a beautiful gentle up and down through the woods and along a river. It's only about 2 miles in-and-back, mostly very easy, but has a few tricky but fun spots where you may have to navigate over a tree trunk or carefully walk over rocks/uneven terrain at the edge of a shallow point in the river . The waterfall is a nice feature where you can sit and enjoy the sound and vibe before you turn around to head back.

This place is amazing to take a walk or a bike ride(keep in mind your type of bike)! I have never…read morecamped here as I live nearby, but it seems relatively quiet and calm. Nice boat launch, and it's great for kids!

We came here for a picnic on Father's Day and the weather was great. There was plenty of on-site…read moreparking near the water (convenient for boat launchers and picnic goers), and there were several pavilions for rent. A nice children's play area was also available, plus lots of grass for kicking a ball around. There were great views of the Hudson River as well as the highway and railroad bridge. Sadly, no trains went by while we were there. They have nice campgrounds which we drove by on the way in, which seemed isolated from each other and well designed. At least a couple of hiking trails were also observed. Well worth the $6 cover charge to get in.

The Hannacroix Ravine, a Nature Conservancy Preserve.  It is located in Clarksville, NY, off Cass…read moreRoad, and we had no problems finding the preserve using the directions on the Nature Conservancy website and Google Maps.  There are signs along the road and a small parking lot that holds two cars. I've heard it doesn't really get busy, so parking shouldn't be a concern, but just what I was told. (Note that the Hannacroix Ravine is different from the Hannacroix Preserve in New Baltimore, NY). We started off at the trailhead.  There isn't a kiosk at the beginning of the trail, so you might want to save a copy of the trail map to your phone beforehand. The trail meanders through woods, and is mostly flat or only a slight elevation change. My knees have been bothering me lately, so this was a great trail for me. The kids only complained moderately, so overall a success. There isn't a whole lot to do as far as exploring until you come to the creek. We had fun checking out the creek and wandering both up and downstream. We found some fish, newts, crayfish, and more. Being September, the stream was very low. Once we were done exploring the creek, we headed back the way we came. You can also do a loop, which puts you out to the road, and then you have to walk back a bit on the road. I don't think the road is too busy, but we figured the rest of the loop was similar to the first half, so we just went back how we had come in. I would say it was a couple miles from the trailhead to the creek. Overall, a pleasant hike with some nice exploring along the creek.

Really perfect spot for a November walk; gravely trails so no worries about ticks or twisting an…read moreankle in a rabbit hole. Stunning views. Well maintained and map available. No bathrooms so go somewhere before you arrive or take the risk behind a tree. Seem to be some lax dog owners around today though; could you at least kick the piles off the trail???

We had never been here despite living in this area forever. We took a picnic lunch and the kids(4…read moreand 8.) The blue trail is a nice easy walk, flat with a well maintained gravel walkway. It looks like the green trail is a bit more challenging but we didn't check that out. Beautiful fields of wildflowers teem with monarch butterflies and giant dragonflies. The mountains lurk blue in the distance. Lovely wooden benches dot the trail and one sits near a nice overlook. There's a beautiful gazebo and a picnic shelter perfect for lunching.

I most recently spent a few healing, soul-searching days at Kripalu, and on the last day, I hiked…read moreto this beach to meditate. (Go ahead and tell me I'm granola as $hit.) About the beach itself, it resides on a sizeable property, and they have a few chairs for sitting and relaxing while watching the calm lake in front. The sand seems smooth, so during the summer time I'm sure it's a fun place to swim and sunbath. There is a building with canoes and other types of boats on the property, but when I visited it was closed. Def a place to check out if you're ever at Kripalu.

I'm constantly on the lookout for great places to hike not far from home. I saw this one in a…read moreguidebook and I'm glad I tried it. The preserve is on 138 acres on a very quiet road. There's a trail on one side of Rarick rd. to the Onesquethaw Creek, and more hiking trails across the road. It's beautiful and quiet but fairly muddy this time of year.

Ample parking in the provided lot on a weekday. I took the white loop that starts across the Rarick…read moreRoad first. I only saw 2 other people on this trail (and 2 later on the creek trail). Easy forest walk, mostly flat with some stones and tree roots. It was surprisingly not muddy and few bugs. Amazing rock formations and lots of native plants. On my way back, I connected with the blue/creek trail, which has amazing views of the rushing water. This is a bit rockier path. You have to walk along Rarick Road a little ways at the end of this trail to connect to the last leg that will take you back to parking. Overall I walked about 2 miles. The trails are well marked and kept. Would definitely come back, a treasure!