Four Mile Point Preserve

7.6 acre riverfront preserve offers picturesque shoreline, dramatic vistas, and a tranquil inland pond. Nature trails are used as an outdoor classroom.

Access: Rt. 385 north 8 miles from the Rip Van Winkle Bridge.

Located midway in the Hudson River's eight-mile course between Hudson and Coxsackie (hence its name), Four-Mile Point long was a hive of activity. For 6,000 years, it was the site of a Native American tool-making workshop; the long stone blades fashioned here were used to butcher fish and game. In the 19th century, a large icehouse stored frozen blocks cut from the river — as much as 55,000 tons worth — awaiting shipment to Manhattan during warmer months.

While traces of this bustling past remain, the land now invites more tranquil pursuits. In fact for a small park, there's an awful lot to explore. An observation platform invites up-close inspection of a small wetland that furnishes critical habitat for birds and amphibians. Grand Hudson River views await those who reach a bluff-top overlook. And the walk is all downhill to the piece de resistance — the river itself, where a fishing pole, a kayak or a picnic would come in handy, but none are necessary to savor the scenic splendor.