Rockefeller State Park Winter Snow

Westchester Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Sleepy Hollow Trail
Pocantico River Trail
Rockefeller Family Trail
Farm Meadow Trail
Brother's Path
Nature's Way
Glacial Erratic Trail

Total Time: 1:05 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.1 Miles

Pros: Many trails and routes
Cons: Busy area
Hike Type: Loop
Level of Difficulty: Very Easy

Google Maps of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/91SEhYxvUuzfzYxQ7

This hike was in early December. The forecast had predicted snow, with an accumulation later in the day. It was just a wet snow at this point, but was still cold and wet and not the greatest day for a hike, with a strong wind on top of everything. I had been here several times before, and there are many trails in the area, but there isn't really great scenery. Considering the weather I opted do hike some more trails in this area.

There is a year-round parking fee here with a self-parking station, but I parked on Sleepy Hollow Road where there is free roadside parking. I took the Sleepy Hollow Trail across the Pocantico River to the Pocantico River Trail, and headed south to the Rockefeller Family Trail, which I took up the hill alongside the brook to the Farm Meadow Trail. I then took the Brother's Path alongside Swan Lake, to the main parking area, to Nature's Way, taking a short detour to the Glacial Erratic Trail. I then continued on Tower Hill Road back to my car.

Map of the Route

Sleepy Hollow Trail at the Beginning of the Hike

Pocantico River

Stream Along the Rockefeller Family Trail

Farm Meadow Trail

Swan Lake

Ducks at Swan Lake

Nature's Way Large Rock

Nature's Way Greenery

Large Glacial Erratic

Swan Lake and 13 Bridges Trail at Rockefeller Park

Rockefeller State Park Preserve
Pleasantville,
Westchester Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Brothers' Path (BP)
Rockefeller Family Trails (RF)
Farm Meadow Trail (FM)
Ash Tree Loop (AS)
Overlook Trail (OV)
Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail (SH)
Eagle Hill Trail (EH)
13 Bridges Trail (TB)
Pocantico River Trail (PR)

Total Time: 2:30
Estimated Distance: 3.6 miles

Pros: Many trails, scenic lake
Cons: Alot of people, no good views

This was a beatiful summer day with a bright blue sky and seasonably warm temperatures. I hadn't been to this area in a long time, which features many carriage roads and wide trails. It is a very scenic area but doesn't really have good views or remote hikes. I parked in the main parking area, and took the Brothers' Path to the north side of Swan Lake, and then continued along that path to the eastern side of the lake. I then took the Farm Meadow Trail to the Ash Tree Loop, to the Overlook Trail. I then took the Old Sleepy Hollow Road Trail, crossing over the Old Sleepy Hollow Road, and then crossed the bridge over the Pocantico River, and then took the Eagle Hill Trail to the 13 Bridges Trail. I took the 13 Bridges Trail under highway 117 on an underpass, and continued along the trail alongside the brook which it crosses many times on small bridges. I then looped around and took the Pocantico River Trail to the corner of Old Sleepy Hollow Road and Old Sleepy Hollow Road extension, where I got a ride back to the entrance of the park.

Map of the Route

Lily Pads on Swan Lake

North Area of the Lake

The Northern End of Swan Lake

Swan Lake

13 Bridges Trail going under the Highway

13 Bridges Trail with one of the Bridges