Making us feel like our own version of Indiana Jones, there’s something about hiking along a trail that leads you to an abandoned village that makes an adventure all the more exciting. From up in the Adirondack Mountains to out on Long Island, you can find quite a few state parks and hidden forests that are home to ruins that have long been forgotten. If you happen to keep your eye out in the Hudson Valley though, you’ll see that there are plenty of pieces of the past that are just waiting to be discovered. Take a look at this one amazing hike to an abandoned place in New York.
Covering more than 7,000-acres of our state, Hudson Highlands State Park is one of the most scenic areas of New York that you can explore.
Sue Helfrich/Google
Within this non-contiguous state park, you can find a handful of exciting trails that you can hike along.
Billie Grace Ward/Flickr
Out of all the trails in this particular area though, the Cornish Estate Trail happens to be one of our absolute favorites and one of the most unique hiking trails in New York.
Billie Grace Ward/Flickr
Many moons ago, Edward Joel Cornish and his wife Selina Bliss Carter Cornish decided to make their dream of living out in the woods come true.
Billie Grace Ward/Flickr
Building the home they’d lovingly envisioned for so long, the Cornish’s story would sadly end in tragedy when Edward and Selina both died within two weeks of each other in 1938.
Billie Grace Ward/Flickr
A lavish estate where luxury lived no longer, in 1958, just 20 years after the Cornish Estate was abandoned, the home would suffer from a devastating fire.
Billie Grace Ward/Flickr
Now an abandoned little village in the woods of the Hudson Highlands, today explorers can take this four-mile long trail out to these beautiful ruins.
Patrick O’Leary/Google
Best to be seen during the spring and summer when nature has taken over, the property looks like something out of a movie.
Billie Grace Ward/Flickr
From an abandoned greenhouse to the bones of a mansion that once was, you can explore the ruins and imagine what life was like when the Cornish couple lived here.
Bronie S/Google
The perfect time of year to explore the Cornish Estate Trail is coming, so start planning your day trip here now!
Bronie S/Google To find out more about the Cornish Estate Trail,
Have you ever hiked out to Doodletown? Do you have a favorite hike to an abandoned place in New York? Tell us about it in the comments! For more epic adventures, go ahead and Follow This Abandoned Railroad Trail For One Of The Most Unique Hikes In New York!
Sue Helfrich/Google
Billie Grace Ward/Flickr
Patrick O’Leary/Google
Bronie S/Google
To find out more about the Cornish Estate Trail,
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The OIYS Visitor Center
hike to an abandoned place in New York April 21, 2020 Beth Price-Williams Are there any other abandoned places in New York? If you like exploring abandoned places in New York, you might want to set off on this epic road trip. The nearly 4.5-hour road trip will take you to abandoned places in the lower regions of New York. You’ll visit such destinations as The Catskill Game Farm in Catskill, Overlook Mountain in Woodstock, and Rockland Psychiatric Center in Orangeburg. However, if you don’t have time for a whole day on the road, consider a trip to Wells Falls. You’ll visit a series of cascading waterfalls and get a glimpse of the now-abandoned Van Natta Mill, which once provided power to the local area. Can I take any other historic hiking trails in New York? Discover a full menu of historic hiking trails in New York, from the easy to the more difficult. Hike up Kaaterskill High Peak, an eight-mile hike that generally takes up to six hours to complete. However, along the way, you’ll stumble upon some fascinating pieces of history. The mountain is home to a former Mohawk Indian camp and the debris of two plane crashes. Before you set off, be prepared for a long and what’s considered a difficult hike. For a relaxing stroll, meander over the Walkway Over The Hudson State Historic Park. The bridge, in fact, is New York’s and the world’s longest pedestrian bridge over water. What are the best unique hikes in New York? On the hunt for the most unique hikes in New York? How about setting off on a hike with a llama? Dakota Ridge Farm, in Ballston Spa, welcomes guests to meet their friendly and fuzzy llamas and to set off on a hike with them. You’ll be matched with a llama, who you’ll lead along the hour-long hike in the scenic woods. After your hike, stop by the farm’s shop that’s chock full of llama-themed items, including photos, stuffed animals, and sweatshirts.
The OIYS Visitor Center
hike to an abandoned place in New York
April 21, 2020
Beth Price-Williams
Are there any other abandoned places in New York? If you like exploring abandoned places in New York, you might want to set off on this epic road trip. The nearly 4.5-hour road trip will take you to abandoned places in the lower regions of New York. You’ll visit such destinations as The Catskill Game Farm in Catskill, Overlook Mountain in Woodstock, and Rockland Psychiatric Center in Orangeburg. However, if you don’t have time for a whole day on the road, consider a trip to Wells Falls. You’ll visit a series of cascading waterfalls and get a glimpse of the now-abandoned Van Natta Mill, which once provided power to the local area. Can I take any other historic hiking trails in New York? Discover a full menu of historic hiking trails in New York, from the easy to the more difficult. Hike up Kaaterskill High Peak, an eight-mile hike that generally takes up to six hours to complete. However, along the way, you’ll stumble upon some fascinating pieces of history. The mountain is home to a former Mohawk Indian camp and the debris of two plane crashes. Before you set off, be prepared for a long and what’s considered a difficult hike. For a relaxing stroll, meander over the Walkway Over The Hudson State Historic Park. The bridge, in fact, is New York’s and the world’s longest pedestrian bridge over water. What are the best unique hikes in New York? On the hunt for the most unique hikes in New York? How about setting off on a hike with a llama? Dakota Ridge Farm, in Ballston Spa, welcomes guests to meet their friendly and fuzzy llamas and to set off on a hike with them. You’ll be matched with a llama, who you’ll lead along the hour-long hike in the scenic woods. After your hike, stop by the farm’s shop that’s chock full of llama-themed items, including photos, stuffed animals, and sweatshirts.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
If you like exploring abandoned places in New York, you might want to set off on this epic road trip. The nearly 4.5-hour road trip will take you to abandoned places in the lower regions of New York. You’ll visit such destinations as The Catskill Game Farm in Catskill, Overlook Mountain in Woodstock, and Rockland Psychiatric Center in Orangeburg.
However, if you don’t have time for a whole day on the road, consider a trip to Wells Falls. You’ll visit a series of cascading waterfalls and get a glimpse of the now-abandoned Van Natta Mill, which once provided power to the local area.
Can I take any other historic hiking trails in New York?
Discover a full menu of historic hiking trails in New York, from the easy to the more difficult. Hike up Kaaterskill High Peak, an eight-mile hike that generally takes up to six hours to complete. However, along the way, you’ll stumble upon some fascinating pieces of history. The mountain is home to a former Mohawk Indian camp and the debris of two plane crashes. Before you set off, be prepared for a long and what’s considered a difficult hike.
For a relaxing stroll, meander over the Walkway Over The Hudson State Historic Park. The bridge, in fact, is New York’s and the world’s longest pedestrian bridge over water.
What are the best unique hikes in New York?
On the hunt for the most unique hikes in New York? How about setting off on a hike with a llama? Dakota Ridge Farm, in Ballston Spa, welcomes guests to meet their friendly and fuzzy llamas and to set off on a hike with them. You’ll be matched with a llama, who you’ll lead along the hour-long hike in the scenic woods. After your hike, stop by the farm’s shop that’s chock full of llama-themed items, including photos, stuffed animals, and sweatshirts.
