Background
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Background you can feel free to skip: If you venture to Poets’ Walk on a sunny weekend afternoon, you won’t be the only one there, and for good reason. This is one of the most popular places to take a stroll in the Hudson Valley, with its beautiful views, picturesque meadows and a gazebo that looks like it was stolen from a Lord of the Rings movie set.
When we used to live in Rhinebeck, we’d come here quite often, and there were times when we’d find the sizeable parking lot completely full. But we’d still find a spot to park along the driveway, because even a crowded day at Poets’ Walk beats a regular day just about anywhere else. (And on a weekday evening, you can sometimes have the place to yourself.)
We loved to bring guests here for an afternoon stroll, even if they weren’t the biggest fans of hiking. The land is relatively flat, so you have to burn very few calories to be rewarded with awesome views of the Catskills and the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge. This is a primo fall foliage spot, too, but really, it’s beautiful no matter what time of year you visit.
I used to wonder if this place was named after any poet in particular, but it doesn’t seem to be. It’s just a cool name to describe a beautiful spot that just might inspire the artist within. After a pleasant afternoon spent wandering these trails, you shouldn’t be too surprised to find that you have been turned into a bit of a poet, whether or not you know it.
**UPDATE November 2016** Please see Alicia’s comment below for details on recent updates to the park. Thank you, Alicia, for the helpful information! (Especially the part about this being “Poets’ Walk,” not “Poet’s Walk,” like I used to have it written all over the place — it’s now corrected! Apologies to all the other poets I left out with my original apostrophe placement.)
Trail Guide
Bonus unsolicited advice: Don't depend on having cell service in the woods - it can be spotty out there! Download this trail guide to your phone before you head out. (It's easy to do on iPhone and Android.) May your connection to nature be strong, even when your connection to the internet is weak.
1. This is one of those hikes where I feel silly writing a trail guide, since the trails are very well-marked, there’s a great Scenic Hudson Trail map available online and you’d have a really hard time getting lost at Poets’ Walk, even if you were trying to. But I’ll go ahead and fire one up anyway, since you’re here.
2. From the parking lot, head out on the gravel trail. In a moment, you’ll come to some nice signage (marked as the “arbor” on the trail map) explaining all about Poets’ Walk.
3. Keep going straight on the trail, which is now taking you to the gazebo. If it’s been rainy, you might find some muddy patches along the way. Good thing you’re so hard core that you barely even notice. The view helps, too.
4. Take a moment to check out the gazebo. I wish I had a fort like this when I was kid. The benches just outside are a tough spot to beat for catching a sunset.
5. Keep heading past the gazebo and in a moment, the trail splits. This is the beginning of a loop, so whichever way you take, you’ll end up right back here. We always went left, which seemed better for taking in the views. I’ll be assuming that you went left through the rest of these instructions, but you can go right if you’re feeling like a rebel.
6. Head towards the river and take it all in.
7. Don’t forget to look left, too. Check out the little matchbox cars on the bridge.
8. Once the loop starts heading to the right, parallel to the river, you’ll find yourself plunging into the woods, and the best views are behind you. Still, there are some neat little bridges to check out in the woods, and the Summerhouse gazebo to explore.
9. The loop brings you back to where you started, near the gazebo. From here, retrace your steps back toward your car.
10. By the time you stroll back into the parking lot, you have walked the Poets’ Walk. But doth thou talk the poet’s talk?
Directions
Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of Market St (Rt 308) and Rt 9 in the village of Rhinebeck, head north on Route 9. In about five blocks, bear left onto Montgomery Road (if you’re still on Rt 9 as you roll past the Northern Dutchess Hospital, you just missed it.) Keep going straight and Montgomery Road becomes Mount Rutsen Road which becomes River Road (County Rd 103). Take River Road for a few hundred yards and you’ll come to a stoplight at the intersection with 199. Go straight here and find the well-marked Poets’ Walk parking lot on your left in about half a mile.
You can also get directions by checking out the Poets’ Walk entry on the HiketheHudsonValley.com Google map.
Sorta nearby address for your GPS: The well-marked parking area is on River Road (County Rd 103) about a half-mile north of the intersection of River Road and Rt 199 in Red Hook, NY. My old-ish Garmin Nuvi lets me put in an intersection as a destination, so hopefully yours does, too.
GPS coordinates of parking area: 41.98173, -73.91841 (Clicking will open in Google Maps or the Apple Maps app, depending on your browser/device.)
Resources & Interactives
Super-cool Google Earth flyover of hike route:
Google Terrain Map of hike route:
Related resources: If you’re looking for actual facts and/or useful information, see the following resources:
- The official Scenic Hudson Poets’ Walk page
- The official Scenic Hudson trail map.
- Dang! This hike has its own Wikipedia page. It is officially much more noteworthy than me.
- There’s also some good information in this Hudson Valley Net write-up.
More Poets’ Walk pictures from the hike’s Picasa album:
Was this trail guide useful to you? Please leave a comment!
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This is a beautiful little hike! Especially during the spring/summer where you can see all the birds dodge in between the tall grass. It also just happens to be where my husband and I got engaged! Definitely a must! Thank you for all your reviews. This site is a must when navigating the hudson valleys hiking spots!
What a wonderful place to get engaged! Thanks so much for the kind comment, Jessica. Here’s wishing many more happy adventures to you and your husband!
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This is not as leisurely as it says. Lots of hills and fairly rough terrain. Not recommended for anyone with a disability.
Hi, Tony! I agree that this walk in the park is not exactly a walk in the park if you do the full 2.4 miles, but I still think a 3/10 on the Scientific Hike Difficulty Rating Scale (https://hikethehudsonvalley.com/frequently-asked-questions/#Three) is appropriate in the context of a hiking site. If you head beyond the gazebo, I agree with you, the terrain gets more “hikey” and less “strolly.” Thanks for taking the time to drop by and share your input – I hope you didn’t have a ruined day based on my description! (If I’m off-base here and others think I should bump this up to a 4/10 difficulty, let your opinion be known and I shall adjust accordingly!)
Is the trail open during the Covid Pause?
Hi, Mike! Yes, it is indeed — Mt. Beacon is the only Scenic Hudson park closed as of this writing. I’m keeping a list of all park closures here: https://hikethehudsonvalley.com/hudson-valley-trail-closures-and-parking-restrictions-due-to-covid-19/. I’ve heard that it is getting mobbed at Poets’ Walk on nice weekend afternoons — I’d highly recommend visiting at an off-peak time (ideally on a weekday, and very early or very late in the day). Good luck, and stay safe out there!
This Scenic Hudson park (actually called Poets’ Walk, if you’re a grammar junkie) just celebrated 20 years!! (October 2016). The celebration brought upgrades to the parking, ADA accessibility all the way to the gazebo, updated kiosk that explains the name, and even a port-o-let as long as the public doesn’t trash it (just saying).
Some years there’s even a farm stand just off one of the paths on private property. Watch for the signs, but please don’t trespass – if it’s there, it will be marked!
Alicia, I am indeed a grammar junkie, and I’m visiting from the future to let you know that I corrected this trail guide several years ago based on your input. Thank you for the correction and good information here! (Is this comment fashionably late enough now? I could wait a few more years if this seems too punctual!)