NYC/NJ/CT Walks: Explore Architecture, Art, History & Nature

NOTE: This event is mostly different from my walk to Croton Dam. We will NOT be going to Croton Dam area.

According to The New York Times, the Croton River Valley & nearby was home in early 1900s to artists, writers, socialists, and stage performers who settled in the surrounding hills facing the two rivers there & it was known as "Greenwich Village on the Hudson."

Today, Croton-on-Hudson has miles of riverfront scenery, country roads & historic stone houses built during the early part of the 1900s.

Water is Croton's most precious commodity with the two rivers offering recreational and esthetic benefits, while aquifers produce high-quality drinking water.

The two rivers along with the village's parks & open spaces, encourage an abundance of outdoor activities, like swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, walking, and bird watching.

I'll comment at points of interest, but you will have plenty of time to socialize with others.

Cost: $5.00 fee per person paid (in cash) at start of this event.

7 circular miles. Moderate (not slow) pace. You have to be capable of doing the entire length of this event and keep up with this group's moderate (not slow) pace to attend this event.

Terrain:

For most of the time (about 95 percent), we'll be walking on paved streets or sidewalks with some uphills/downhills. Similar to other Hudson River Valley towns, this village has some hilly and flat roads. We'll also walk through Croton-on-Hudson's town center and go through two neighborhoods with stone houses.

Croton-on-Hudson has an extensive trail system mapped out in detail on paper, but many of these dirt paths are unfortunately overgrown, poorly maintained and not manageable to hike on.

So, along this route (which I recently changed a bit), we'll only go on one dirt path that is well-maintained and cleared. This dirt carriage trail, which is wide, easy, and mostly flat, goes along a scenic ridge for about 1/2 of a mile and runs parallel to the river, which is way below. After this dirt carriage trail, we'll continue to walk along paved, country-like roads that go parallel to the river way below.

NOTE: Leaves will be scattered around the ground on this dirt carriage trail. This dirt path will, at times, have small tree roots or small rocks sticking out from the ground. So have at least sturdy shoes or boots with good traction.

Bring LUNCH/PLENTY OF WATER. There is no place to buy lunch/water at the Croton-Harmon railroad station or at our lunch spot somewhere near the Hudson River.

Restrooms: At meeting place, indoors restrooms are located at railroad station's overpass level. At our lunch spot, Indoor restrooms might still be open in the riverfront park.

VERY IMPORTANT: BRING EXTRA LAYERS OF CLOTHING!
According to the weather forecast as of late Saturday afternoon (11-16-2024), the temperature will range from 54 degrees to maybe 61 degrees, with somewhat windy conditions for Sunday (11-17-2024). The wind will make it feel cooler near the two rivers. According to the weather bureaus, the somewhat windy conditions also might bring smoke around Croton-on-Hudson from the wildfires located inland on the other side of the Hudson River.

NO DOGS, please!

Bring sun protection.

If you register and later can not go to this event, please change your response to "not going" as I take "no-shows" seriously.

There is no need to post why you can't make this event.

Have a question, contact John (the Host) through the Direct Message Meetup Account or at [email protected]

Train Riders:

Take 9:23 AM Metro-North Hudson Line (LOCAL) train from Grand Central Terminal, arriving at Croton-Harmon Station 10:37 AM.

Reg. Fare: $11.25 one way. You have to buy a ticket before boarding the train or you will pay a penalty (extra fare) on-board train.

Senior Fare: $7.50 one way. You can buy ticket before boarding train or buy ticket on train, using credit card or cash, without paying a penalty (extra fare) on-board train.

Drivers:

For important info, including how to pay and where to park in this large parking lot at station, go to Village of Croton-on-Hudson website about Daily and Multiple Day Parking FEES. Croton-on-Hudson owns/operates this large RR parking lot, where many of the parking sections now have canopies. Because Croton Harmon is a major commuting and traveling station along the Metro-North's Hudson Line, Croton-on-Hudson does charge a daily parking FEE on Sundays. You can also call them at 914-271-4781 about parking questions, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM.

Bad weather (rainy, very windy, or flooding conditions ) cancels. If Sunday's forecast calls for rainy or very windy conditions, I'll send cancellation email sometime before 6:00 PM Saturday. If Croton-on-Hudson had torrential rain a day or two before this event, I might cancel because of flooding conditions near the riverfronts. If I don't send cancellation email, I plan to be there.