Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park

Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park

Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park
4.5
7:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 7:30 PM
About
Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park is a 19th century railroad bridge transformed into the world's longest elevated pedestrian park.
Duration: < 1 hour
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  • drafty
    New York102 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    If you enjoy walking, this is for you!😀
    I must agree with one poster who mentioned that certain areas of Poughkeepsie were sketchy; particularly to the trail by the the train station. We couldn't find how to get on the bridge as there were no signs. However, when we eventually did find the bridge, the views were simply breathtaking! It was a perfect day to spend a Saturday afternoon away from the city. Just take the train from Grand Central Station. The train ride is at least 2 hours and 30 minutes. The walk to the Hudson bridge is at least 15 minutes, but it is worth it! We took so many pictures! My only regret is we didn't stay longer. You can spend a whole day out there! We loved it!
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 30, 2023
  • MoneyD
    New York City, New York146 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Exercise along with amazing views
    This is a great way for scenic lovers and exercise lovers to take in some exercise and amazing views. You can walk, jog, bike ride, it's all up to you. It's a bit of a walk with no signs that lead you anywhere, is my only complaint. It is a bit of a walk to get there, but once there, it's worth it. Perfect for this time of year to view the fall foliage . Rest stops are around, as well. I definitely recommend, and will be back. 😎
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 30, 2023
  • Jerseytraveler08540
    Princeton, New Jersey170 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must do when you are in the area!
    The walk was great and the views spectacular. We took lots of pictures and took in the beauty of the area. This was the first place we visited when we arrived and it really set the tone for a great weekend. It is over a mile long (each way) and definitely worth every step.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 6, 2023
  • LynnKCB
    Cambridge, Massachusetts5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Truly Stellar Attraction
    I did this walk on a warm fall day in November and then after Christmas on a cloudy overcast day and both experiences were great. I think this is such a unique and wonderful attraction and I know I'll be making more trips back to walk it again in the future. The walk is great and the community feeling is great, too. In December, my family and I did the loop that consists of the Walkway and then the Mid-Hudson Bridge. We were glad we did it!
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written January 2, 2024
  • Traveller
    New York City, New York3,304 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome experience
    My wife and I visited the Walkway over the Hudson in April 2024. We parked in a small paid parking lot on Parker Street on the Poughkeepsie side. The parking cost was $7. My wife walked with me to the beginning of the river then turned around. I walked the entire walkway and crossed the river to the Highland side. The views of the Mid-Hudson Bridge, the Hudson River, Poughkeepsie and the scenery were awesome with many photo ops. On both sides there was an information area and a rest area with tables. The walk took me 30 minutes each way. It was a great experience.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 1, 2024
  • Dave B
    Beaverton, Oregon210 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Soak your feet when you’re done.
    This is a pedestrian only walkway. To walk from one side to the other takes a full hour, so be ready. It’s wide and flat with plenty of space for walkers and bicycles. I’m visiting from another state so I don’t know of any special events that happen there. The views are nice, but make sure to park at the official parking location.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 22, 2024
  • Trail322885
    Cincinnati, Ohio7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ohio River residents take in the Hudson
    We went during a heat wave so opted for the glass elevator, accessed from the Upper Landing Park on the Poughkeepsie side. This eliminated the walk over land which would have been interesting but was decided against due to a long day of activity planned. Interpretive signage along the way brought the bridge's story to life. Many people obviously use the bridge as part of their regular exercise - lucky them! The bridge is incredibly high, made more obvious when looking toward the Mid Hudson Bridge to the south, and clearly much lower. The deck is made up of 973, 15 ton sections of concrete that were preformed and placed. That's 14,595 tons of concrete supported by steel that's been in place for 136 years - pretty incredible!
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 18, 2024
  • SeniorTravelerTF
    1,223 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Can fit easily into any itinerary, free entrance and free parking nearby.
    You can make this a 30 minute, or a two hour, visit just depending on how much time you have and how much you want o walk. The Poughkeepsie side starts in a parking lot (paid, but on some on street available) as you walk over two blocks of housing toward the river. Note that you can also start riverside and take an elevator up to avoid this section. This portion of the trail is shaded, a nice feature in summer. There are exhibit signs along the way explaining historical features of the bridge, and the variety of people (dog walking, biking, jogging) taking advantage of the free scenic walk adds to the milieu. The entire walk is 1.3 miles, 2.6 if you go over and back. But you can just walk to the middle and view the Hudson and river traffic.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 4, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
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535
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Theaksam
Maplewood, NJ12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Phenomenal views of The Hudson River! We were on our way to Albany and decided to stop to see the walkway. It was definitely worth the visit. The walkway is quite spacious with room for walking and biking. The views of the Hudson and surrounding towns are breathtaking. There are historic markers and information along the walk and some illustrated signs that show you what you are looking at from the walkway, ie. Marist College, Mid-Hudson Bridge... It took me and my family (husband and two teenagers) about a half hour to walk the entire span and we ended up on the Poughkeepsie side where we decided to have lunch. It was a hot Saturday in July and we walked around Little Italy for quite awhile before finding any sit-down food establishments that were open so I would recommend just getting a snack at the concessions on either side of the walkway, packing your own food/picnic or making advanced reservations if you plan to dine before or after your walk, unless you like wandering around for almost an hour in the heat before finding a place that's open on a Saturday in July!

Overall it was a great experience walking over The Hudson River and seeing spectacular views of The Hudson Valley. Highly recommended and impressed by the determination and efforts of the people that made this walkway possible for the public to enjoy. Thank you!
Written November 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Justin W
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ6,133 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
This was the first time I had seen the Hudson River like this. Walking across an old bridge and being able to see the river from this standpoint. It is really a nice walk. My advice though is park on the New Paltz side of the bridge as the Poughkeepsie side is really rough and not paved.

Still it is a breathtaking walk across to see the views of the Hudson River both north and south and see the natural wonder of it all. It is well worth the trip just to see the foliage and the ships passing by. You will have wonderful picture taking positions all over the bridge.

The best part is there are clean bathrooms on both side of the bridge to visit and refreshment stands. From the Poughkeepsie side you can visit the Little Italy neighborhood and see the historic parts of the city.

Go for the views alone on a nice day.
Written September 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tymetraveler222
Bay City, MI6,773 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Friends
This is obviously a beautiful bridge for pedestrians, with gorgeous views. Parking is good around the elevator, but not great around the start of the walkway. We needed to use the elevator because of mobility issues, and it was broke. There was no signage indicating so, however. And still currently read it still is broken. This keeps people from having easy access that is necessary. Please fix it!

Very nice park adjacent.
Written February 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TrainsFan
New York City, NY105 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
The view of the Hudson river and scenery is excellent. There is a lot of room for foot traffic and bikes also. We made a purchase at the souvenir shop which offers a nice selection of stuff. Perhaps the parking lot road surface can be improved since it was very uneven. There could be a more clear sign telling visitors where to go for the paid parking - something we had to look for. It was a day well spent and we are happy we found it.
Written September 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MidwestKathM
Detroit, MI1,086 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
Being along the Hudson River, we were happy to find this extraordinary walking experience...a former railroad bridge turned into a pedestrian bridge. It's 1.25 miles across. And it is high! Over 200 feet above the Hudson River. We parked on the Poughkeepsie side in a dedicated parking lot, with self-serve parking for a reasonable hourly fee. As we approached the bridge, we saw a food truck and a concession stand. There are restrooms on either end of the bridge. As we strolled across the bridge, we encountered others on foot as well as those jogging, on bicycles, on skateboards, and on rollerblades. Dogs are allowed. Fencing above the rails extends over land, but once you are over water, no fencing. That was unsettling for me; I walked dead center both ways, although it was easier on the return trip. Placards noting the history of the bridge are placed at intervals across the bridge. The views are worth the crossing.
Written September 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MikeyTravel
Mount Holly, NJ657 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
We did this on a nice weekend day. Lots of other people had the same idea, so it was a bit crowded... since this is during COVID, I would estimate that there was about 80% mask wearing, so thats not too bad, we also wore masks during the entire walk. We approached from the east side of the river in Poughkeepsie - there is limited parking. Furthermore, it looked like they blocked every other spot due to COVID, perhaps to try to cut down on the crowds.... not sure, anyways, we ended up parking in the neighborhood, which a lot of people were doing... the neighborhood seems "ok" and there was a few restaurants nearby. Im wondering if maybe its a bit better to park on the West side of the attraction, but not sure on that. We walked from east to west and back, it took about 90 minutes at a leisurely pace. On the west side, there is a gift shop, some restrooms and a few food concessions. It gives some good views of the river, you can watch boats and trains pass by, a fun activity for when the weather is nice.
Written October 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nicole G
2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
The Walkway over the Hudson is lovely and so is the Hudson Valley Rail Trail on both sides of the bridge walkway. However, I would NOT recommend the suggested loop trial that goes through Poughkeepsie and Highland. The trail loop through Poughkeepsie is not made for biking. The sidewalks are uneven, narrow in spots and doesn't take you through a very nice area. At one point, we didn't even feel very safe. You have to cross over an exit and entrance ramp for a highway to get to Mid-Hudson Bridge. We enjoyed this bridge but also did not enjoy the venture after the bridge. We were hoping to take the Highland Landing/Oakes Rd path along the river, but in order to get there you would have to carry your bike down a long narrow staircase. Since we weren't about to do that, we traveled up hill for quite some time. The hills were long and very step!!! I had to get off my bike several times and walk because I was out of breath and I am a slender, fit active woman!! My husband and I were not happy. Then we were looking forward to the "quaint town" of Highland Hamlet. Well, the town was deserted for a beautiful fall Sunday afternoon. The sidewalks weren't made for biking here either and the trail wasn't clearly marked so we actually were lost at one point. The moral of the story is if you are biking the Walkway Over the Hudson stay on the rail trail for a much more relaxing and enjoyable bike ride!
Written October 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Don H
Stratford, CT191 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
My son and I rode our bikes from Poughkeepsie, NY across the walkway bridge to Highland, NY. Easy ride, slightly up hill to the center of the river then slightly down hill from the center into Highland.
The bridge was built in the late 1880s as a rail bridge for both freight and passengers with two tracks going in opposite directions. It was converted to a park to be used by pedestrians and bicyclists (and roller skaters, dog walkers... so it's wide enough for many pedestrians and cyclists to pass side by side.) As we approached the west side of the Hudson, there was a southbound freight train with 4 diesel locomotives pulling many tens of cars that we were able to see cross almost 200 ft below us.
Once across the bridge, we turned south into the trail parking lot and to where the Mid Hudson Bridge for Routes 44/55 crosses back to Poughkeepsie. The walking/riding lane of that bridge is very narrow so you need to be careful of riders/walkers coming from the other direction. When we reached the mid span, we saw a large barge being pushed by a tug coming up the river and watched it pass about 100 ft below us as it continued north up the river. As soon as we reached the other end, we took a sharp left turn northward and down toward the river edge. Nice park spaces are along the way. This includes a skate park, pavilions and green fields. We continued north on the path until we were directly under the walkway bridge. There's an elevator there that runs up the supporting tower to the walkway bridge surface, so we ascended it and then rode back to the car where we had parked. It was a quick 6 or so miles but fun.
I recommend it if you have an hour or two to spend. If on foot plan to spend a few hours.
I recommend doing this in the fall when the tree colors are at their peak. Bring a jacket since the wind can rip down the Hudson valley.
Quick fact: The Hudson River is tidal all the way to Troy, NY (a few miles north of Albany) so as New York Harbor tides goes from low to high, the Hudson has a northward flow. That means that south of Troy, NY, the Hudson is an estuary, not a river. You can easily see this in winter when the ice actually moves up the river.
Written September 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

drafty
New York102 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
I must agree with one poster who mentioned that certain areas of Poughkeepsie were sketchy; particularly to the trail by the the train station. We couldn't find how to get on the bridge as there were no signs. However, when we eventually did find the bridge, the views were simply breathtaking! It was a perfect day to spend a Saturday afternoon away from the city. Just take the train from Grand Central Station. The train ride is at least 2 hours and 30 minutes. The walk to the Hudson bridge is at least 15 minutes, but it is worth it! We took so many pictures! My only regret is we didn't stay longer. You can spend a whole day out there! We loved it!
Written October 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SeanC
3 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
The bridge is a nice walk (just about 1.5 miles across) and offers some nice views of the Hudson River. If you're a railfan this is a particularly nice walk as you get great views of the main lines on both sides of the Hudson including the busy river line on the west side. Saw roughly 5 trains in about an hour visit.
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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