Hike of the Week 5/6/2004

Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center

Location:  Dutchess County, straddling the towns of Wappinger and Fishkill, near Castle Point

Length:  Approximately 10 miles of hiking trails

Rating:  Easy walking

Dogs:  Unknown - call

Map:  At visitor center

Features: A working farm, ponds, farm animals and wildlife

Watch out for: Deer ticks, poison ivy

Background:

Hike Description:

Hike Description: Stony Kill Farm is a 756-acre Department of Environmental Conservation environmental education center. It is a working farm, dating back to 1683, with an 1842 manor house/visitor center, a mid-1700s stone tenant farm house and a huge red barn. There are approximately 10 miles of hiking/interpretive trails on the property. A map of the red, yellow or blue-marked trails is available at the visitor center. Trails include the half-mile Woodland Trail loop, the 1.5-mile Verplanck Ridge Trail, the half-mile Muller Pond Trail, the 1- or 2-mile Sierra Trail loops, the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail and the 1-mile Connector Trail. This aptly named trail connects the Sierra Trail and the Freedom Trail.

How to get there: 

It is located on the west side of Route 9D, south of Wappingers Falls and north of Beacon, near Castle Point.

About the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference : The NY-NJ Trail Conference is a federation of hiking clubs, environmental organizations and individual members who volunteer their time and resources to build and maintain hiking trails and protect related open space in the bi-state region.

Information : For a more detailed description of this hike including a map, visit www.nynjtc.org and click on Hike of the Week. For information on NYNJTC activities, call 201-512-9348 or email info@nynjtc.org.

Hike of the Week is a regular feature in the Poughkeepsie Journal Players section, call 845-437-4848. This hike is contributed by Ralph Ferrusi of Stormville, an avid hiker and member of the NYNJTC.

V3 Last updated: May 6, 2004   Copyright © 1996-2004  New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Privacy Statement.