Once the temperatures warmed up a bit, the snow nearly all melted from earlier, so I headed south along the east side of the Hudson to get in some hiking at the Poets' Walk Park in Red Hook.
There were several other cars in the lot when I arrived as people were trying to get out and enjoy the sun. This forsythia bush looked to be enjoying the sun and is really blooming.
The beautiful trails wind through fields on its way towards the Hudson River.
There are several rustic benches along the trails for resting spots to soak in the surrounding nature.
The well manicured paths make for a peaceful walk.
The overlook pavilion sits atop the hill making for a picturesque scene.
A bench with a nice western exposure to soak in the late afternoon sunshine.
There are a couple of different trail options but they basically form a loop. The round trip distance of all the trails is about 2 miles.
The rolling hills leading to a fine picnic area and scenic overlook.
The Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge crossing the Hudson from the Flagpole Lot viewing area.
A beautiful view of the Catskills over the Hudson River.
A pleasant woodland walk with a couple of nice bridge crossings on the way towards the Summer House a secluded resting area with benches and small gazebo.
Looking back down over the streams and trails running down through the woods. Really enjoyed this trail.
Just a little further north past Bard College is the Tivoli Bays Wildlife Management Area, a very large tidal wetland in the town of Red Hook. I stopped in for a 2 mile RT hike on the overlook trail, which provides views out over the bay and Hudson River to the Catskills.
While much of the landscape still appears dead and bland, there are signs of life springing up everywhere if you look. The green plants and buds look so nice and are so refreshing to see this time of year.
This hike could be summed up in one word. MUD. This section of the trail was actually more of a stream as water flowed directly through the trail.
Several small streams flow through the woods and are very pleasant to come across.
After several boggy and very muddy meadows and woods I finally arrived at the overlook spot. Thwe views west did not disappoint. Here is a view directly over the bay out to the Hudson.
The vista is very nice and rewarding after the muddy hike. The Catskills make for a beautiful backdrop beyond the Hudson River and Tivoli Bays.
There are many trail options through this protected area but it still seems pretty quiet and secluded. I only saw one other hiker out on my way back. It was a pleasant walk on a cool afternoon but need to clean my boots off now!
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