Rockefeller State Park, located just 30 miles north of New York City in a town called Pleasantville, is a fantastic place to go hiking with kids! Containing more than 45 miles of carriage roads (wide crushed stone paths) that were laid out by John D Rockefeller Sr and Jr, they provide the perfect pathways for hiking, as well as horseback riding! For anyone planning a family road trip to New York- this is a great place to add to your itinerary!
Before you head to Rockefeller State Park, visit this website to download a copy of the trail map and make a plan for your hike! You can also read about the history of this park, which was donated to the state of New York by the Rockefeller family.
On our first visit to the park, we planned on hiking the Thirteen Bridges trail, but we ended up taking a different path from the parking lot, and instead came upon Swan Lake first, and once we saw it, we wanted to hike around it!
We spotted ducks swimming (with their babies!) and groups of turtles on the rocks.
Once we reached the other side of the lake, we hiked along the Brook Trail until it met David's Loop and then hiked that trail- where we came upon a brook with small waterfalls to explore.
We crossed bridges like balance beams…
And we even came nearly nose to nose with this gentle deer!
Since this first trip to Rockefeller State Park, we've returned many times to hike the other trails- including the Thirteen Bridges Trail which is our favorite! But a visit is never complete without a stroll around Swan lake!
*Rockefeller State Park Hiking with Kids is part of the “MomOf6 Loves NY!” series that highlights some of our family’s favorite places to visit during a New York road trip!
Looking for more great New York road trip ideas?
Check out these posts:
- 7 Reasons to Visit Lake Placid with Kids
- 8 Great Things to Do In New York City in with Tweens– In Just One Day!
- Howe Caverns with Kids
- Watkins Glen State Park with Kids
- Corning Museum of Glass
- Minnewaska State Park
- Rockefeller State Park
- Legoland Westchester
Suzi says
This looks so cool. Practicing for the BIG hike??