Black Creek Preserve(Esopus-Hudson Valley)

Visited Scenic Hudson's 130 acre Black Creek Preserve after work Friday, located just outside the village of Esopus along the west banks of the Hudson River.  Trail access is located off small Winding Brook Road, which is found about 6 miles south of the village of Esopus on 9W.  The parking area is on the left just past the Preserve access sign at the beginning of the road.

 Once past the kiosk and leaving the parking lot, you will cross the private section of paved Winding Brook Road where the trail begins.  It follows babbling Black Creek for a short distance.

 There is a small fishing access path that drops down to the water's edge just before the suspension bridge.

 A dramatic suspension bridge crosses the Black Creek here.

After crossing the creek the yellow trail climbs steeply uphill to a junction with the red trail after about .45 miles.  The red trail winds through mixed woods, crossing a small stream on a footbridge here.

 

 Stone walls line much of the woods along the red trail, remnants of past farming generations.

 Stone walls.

 The red trail soon meets a blue marked trail, which leads steeply down to the Hudson River. 

 A panorama of the Hudson looking north.

 Looking east towards the Poughkeepsie Yacht Club.

 A power boat out enjoying the beautiful summer weather.

 The trail eventually leads to a pitch pine overlook, which provides awesome views.

After lingering near the Hudson for a bit, I returned to the woods, where after just over half a mile the blue trail eventually loops back to the red trail.  I stumbled across this fawn just yards off the trail.

 This section of the red trail follows an old road, making for easy walking.

 Puncheon on the yellow trail as it winds back down towards Black Creek.

A view from below of the hikers suspension bridge over the creek.

 Looking upstream from the bridge.

 The last stretch of trail before returning to the parking lot.

Hiked 2.2 miles RT on a gorgeous Friday evening.