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The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area was established by Congress in 1996 to preserve and promote the historic, recreational and cultural attributes found along the 165-mile region surrounding the river.
The Heritage Area, stretching from Saratoga County to Westchester County, is divided into three areas along the river, the Upper, Mid and Lower Hudson.
Each region offers museums, parks and historic sites that can be visited during a tour of the region.
For example, the Lower Hudson region is home to Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, an important Gothic Revival mansion whose 67-acre grounds offer fine views of the Hudson River.
In the midsection, visitors can explore Opus 40, a monumental environmental sculpture encompassing more than six acres. Painstakingly crafted over 37 years by one man, it affords superb views of nearby Overlook Mountain, which offers a 2.5-mile trail up to Overlook's fire tower.
In the Upper Hudson, visitors can tour the site of the "turning point of the American Revolution" at the Saratoga Battlefield, where American forces defeated British regulars and Hessian auxiliaries in 1777, putting an end to an invasion of New York that was intended to divide the 13 colonies.
In addition to visiting the region's dozens of historic sites and museums, the river itself offers a wealth of boating and paddling opportunities.
There are 65 kayak launches, 10 campsites and more than 70 day use sites along the Hudson River Greenway Water Trail in New York State between the Erie Canal and lower Manhattan.
The Hudson River Watertrail Association has developed a guidebook for quiet exploration of the trail and river. The guide offers a mile-by-mile description, including where to hand-launch a small boat, where to stop for a bite or a stretch, or where to pitch your tent for the night.
It also offers information about the natural environment and river's geology from a paddler's viewpoint. The final section details explains the river's tides and currents.
Each year, the Hudson River Valley Greenway and National Heritage Area jointly sponsor the Great Hudson River Paddle to celebrate the 156 mile-long Hudson River Greenway Water Trail. A group of up to 30 paddlers and guides journey from Albany to New York City. A series of public festivals are held at several stopover points to celebrate the valley’s communities and the Greenway Water Trail.
Schodack Island State Park is one of the designated Greenway Water Trail sites in Rensselaer County and offers boating, hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and ice skating, as well as eagle watching.
The Appalachian Trail traverses the lower Hudson Valley crossing the Hudson River on the Bear Mountain Bridge. Walking across any of the other bridges provides an awe-inspiring view of the river, including the Rip van Winkle (Catskill) and Mid-Hudson (Poughkeepsie) bridges.
Another Greenway Trail is the Corning Preserve, a multi-use community trail in Albany County, offering a variety of activities, including walking, biking, rollerblading, picnicking and boat launching.
State Bike Route 9, also a designated Hudson River Greenway Trail, offers a variety of bicycling opportunities for all skill levels between the Capital District and New York City.
The Heritage Area is managed by the Hudson River Valley Greenway, in partnership with the National Park Service and the Hudson River Estuary Program/New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Outdoor Activities |
