The meadow surrounding Overlook Trail is awash with the buzzing of cicadas and the staccato chirp-chirp-chirp of grasshoppers. The air, soaked by the afternoon sun, is as sticky as the green algae goop that has collected around the shoreline of Swan Lake. Small turtles sun themselves on logs in the lake, which sits a few hundred feet down a hill from the trail.

It is serene in this section of Rockefeller Park Preserve. Those with good ears can hear the occasional passing car on nearby Route 117, but otherwise the landscape seems plucked straight out of John D. Rockefeller's 19th century estate.

It isn't hard to imagine his horse-drawn carriage wheeling by, as the trails remain wide and well maintained so that horses can travel them to this day.

Then a 747 roars overhead and one is reminded of exactly where and when this meadow is.

The illusion is broken, but the fact that there can be one is what makes this place, and lower New York's other secluded spots, so unique.

Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties aren't havens for woodland walks. While Yonkers and Pomona and Armonk residents might be driving up to the Catskills to go hiking, nobody from the Catskills region is getting in a car to come here. Population, topography and lack of space make it too difficult to lay hiking trails.

Did you know, though, that there is a 26-mile linear park running along the Old Croton Aqueduct from Cortlandt to the Bronx? Or that you can walk under a waterfall at Mianus River Gorge near Bedford?

"That's one thing about Westchester. There's lots of little pockets going through these nature preserves," veteran hiker Aaron Schoenberg said. "They're mild hikes suitable for families."

Rockefeller Park in Sleepy Hollow epitomizes that. The terrain is very mild. Walks there are more about scenery and serenity. You could traverse the 1,200-plus acres without straining a calf muscle once (although the soles of your feet might not be so forgiving).

Swan Lake is the central attraction of the eastern part of the park. Following a trail west leads to the Hudson River, where another trail runs north-south along the water.

Popular among joggers and dog-walkers for its smooth and flat pathways, the park gets fairly crowded on weekends.

"I just think it's exquisite. I'm grateful to the Rockefellers every time I go here," said Jane Livingston while corralling her dog Coby.

The philanthropic family donated the land to the state in 1983.

For pure beauty, few people could come up with a better spot anywhere nearby.

On the other side of the county is Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, which stretches across Lewisboro and Cross River. At almost four times the size of Rockefeller it is not only the largest park in Westchester, but also the first.

The winding collection of wooded roads is easy to get lost on, so getting a map at the front gate is essential. Leatherman's Cave and Bear Rock, which features Native American carvings, are the must-see attractions. Hikers frequently come across man-made evidence of the land's history, such as stone walls denoting the boundaries between the 30 farms that originally comprised the territory.

"Once in a while you see an old dam that came from an earlier day that might have been used for an old mill," said Don Derr, president of the Westchester Trails Association hiking group.

Northwest of Ward Pound Ridge in Putnam County is Fahnestock Park. Though it hosts a variety of community activities in the warmer months, it is big enough that hikers can easily find secluded trails if they don't want to see another human being. Ridges run from southwest to northeast, marking the section of the Appalachian Trail that runs through the county.

"There are many, many ferns growing under the canopy of the trees. There are three different levels of plants, like a rain forest. It's very beautiful," said Diana Catz. If anyone would know rain forests, it's Catz, an Argentinian transplant.

The jagged contour has allowed the formation of numerous small lakes, creating landmarks for walks through the woods. Still, the paths themselves do not have a particularly steep grade, so families can navigate the area easily.

Just a few miles to the west is the toughest terrain in this area, Hudson Highlands Park. For those who like wearing out their boots and the palms of their hands climbing up rocky slopes, this is the place.

Two peaks are of particular interest. Breakneck Ridge, in the northern area, rises 1,250 feet in only three-quarters of a mile.

"It takes me forever to get up there," Derr said, "because I'm scared stiff of the place."

He ought to be. This February, the body of a hiker who had slipped and fallen to his death was found in a gully. It is not as dangerous when there is no snow or ice on the ground.

The other peak, Anthony's Nose, juts out over the Hudson and affords spectacular views of Cold Spring below and the Shawangunk and Catskill mountains in the distance.

"If you sit and have lunch on Anthony's Nose, it looks like you could get on a bobsled and slide right down the mountain and across the Bear Mountain Bridge," Deanna Felicetta of Pearl River said.

Felicetta's favorite hikes, though, are those across the river in Harriman Park. Harriman's best feature is its diversity. The 46,000-acre parcel contains lakes, mountains, streams, stunning vistas - anything a hiker could ask for.

"Some of the hikes have gorgeous brooks. Some have challenging rock scrambles and others will be quite level," Felicetta said.

"All the hikes have different personalities."

Long walking trails, including the Ramapo-Dunderberg trail and Suffern-Bear Mountain trail, crisscross the park. There are flat, easy areas and steep hikes, such as the aptly-named Agony Grind.

These hauls are obviously worth the reward to 82-year-old Ellie Carren.

"The vistas are absolutely fantastic," the Irvington resident said. "You get to the top and you can't even tell whether you're at 1,500 feet or 2,500 feet, because you can see for miles north and south."