oet's
Walk Park celebrates the connection between
landscape and poetry. The park's mown and gravel paths
provide access to the 120 acres of fields and forest.
The Park's design reflects
19th century picturesque style of American landscape
design. The extraordinary vistas, sunlit fields and
thick forest were the focus of landscape architect
Hans Jacob Ehlers vision for the property in 1849.
Using walls of foliage and breaks in the rise of a
fields or a stone wall, he created several "outdoor
rooms", each evoking a different atmosphere. As you
walk the Park, you will see the maturity of his design
which has endured through the efforts of previous
landowners. Today, the visual integrity of the Park
and its setting is protected by The Scenic Hudson
Land Trust's conservation easements on the surrounding
800 acres.
You are invited to enjoy
the sweeping vistas from the Park's paths of fields
and ravines that speak to you and the poet in you.
Take a moment to sit on a bench, read a poem, or better
still, scribe a line or two of your own on a blank
page.
The distance from the
Information Arbor to the Overlook Pavilion is about
1/2 mile and at a leisurely pace takes the average
walker about 15 minutes. The return trip is slightly
uphill and a bit longer.
From the Pavilion to
the Summerhouse via Poets' Walk Path is an additional
20 minutes (one way); and from the Pavilion to the Flagpole
is also 20 minutes (one way). The
Park is open from 9am till dusk. Please be considerate
of other visitors and the adjoining property owners.
Please carry out anything you carry in -- there are
no trash receptacles. Please leash and clean up after
your dog. The Park is available for events and activities
that nurture the connection between poetry and landscape.
Groups wishing to use the park should contact Scenic
Hudson at (845)473-4440 for further information.
HV/Net Note: Be prepared
when you visit Poets Walk Park. Although the paths
are manicured and the views are awe inspiring, the
walk can be a little on the strenuous side. At times
the grade can be a little steep and the distances
more than you at first imagine. From the parking area
to the river vantage points is at least a mile, although
at times it might seem even farther. Take your time
and be leisurely. Enjoy the scenery and the magnificent
views. There are no "facilities" at Poets Walk Park,
so be prepared. You might consider packing a snack
and a little refreshment, as well as your favorite
book of poetry, and make an outing of it! From the
parking area to the Overlook Viewing Pavilion is more
than accessible for the handicapped and physically
impaired as the paths are all gravel, if a little
steep in places. From the Overlook Viewing Pavilion
to the Stone Bridge would not be recommended for wheelchairs
as the path is very steep in spots and is mown grass
and soil. From the Overlook Viewing Pavilion to the
Flagpole Lot might be navigated by a wheel chair with
a stout & hearty assistant as it is quite a distance
and the path consists of mown grass and soil.
Directions to
Poets' Walk Park
From
the South:
Follow Route 9 North through Rhinebeck to 9G. Turn
left onto 9G and follow to the intersection with Route
199. Turn left onto Route 199 (west) and follow to
County Road 103, River Road. This is the last intersection
before the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge. Turn right
onto River Road. Poets' Walk Park is on the left side
of the road.
From
the North:
Follow Route 9G south through Tivoli. Continue past
the intersection where 9G/199 join. Turn right at
the light for 199 West to County Road 103, River Road.
This is the last intersection before the Kingston-Rhinecliff
Bridge. Turn right onto River Road and follow the
signs to the entrance. Poets' Walk Park is on the
left side of the road.
From
the West:
Cross the Hudson at the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge
(this is Route 199). Turn left onto River Road, County
Route 103. Poet's Walk Park is on the left side of
the road.
These lands are owned and
made available to the public by The Scenic Hudson
Land Trust, Inc., a not-for-profit land conservation
organization affiliated with Scenic Hudson, Inc.
Major funding for this project
was provided through the generosity of the Lila Acheson
and DeWitt Wallace Fund for the Hudson Highlands,
a charitable Fund established by the founders of The
Reader's Digest Association, Inc. and dedicated to
the preservation of land in the Hudson River Valley
for public benefit.
Scenic Hudson, Inc. is an
environmental not-for-profit organization founded
in 1963 and based in Poughkeepsie, New York and dedicated
to preserving and enhancing the scenic, cultural,
historical, ecological and recreational treasures
of the Hudson River Valley.
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