From The Chatham Press, October 2009
As part of an ongoing series, Thorunn Kristjansdottir examines the trails of Columbia County. In this article, she describes her 10 favorites, and the Roe Jan Park of Hillsdale was one of them!! Here's what she had to say about us:
"Located half a mile south of the Town of Hillsdale, on the left on Route 22, this park has it all!!
According to the park's website, Roe Jan Park is not a traditional state park, so it does not have state funds for staffing. Volunteers run the park. The property consists of 300.7 acres, split by Route 22, with the east side comprising 163.8 acres and the west side with 136.9 acres. While the community plan will clarify the ultimate use patterns of the park, it is widely expected that the east side will be the site of the majority of the more intensive park activities, with the west side remaining a more passive recreational area over time. In addition, the west side also abuts the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. The park's website is chock full of information. The sign for the park is by the road, Odyssey Farm North. About halfway up the farm road is Overlook Trail, which goes to the top of a hill, giving you views north to Hillsdale and beyond. The trail loops back to the parking lot, or you can also turn in the other direction and go on the Picnic Trail. The park abuts the Roe Jan Kill, a beautifully flowing, gravelly stream. You can choose two trails to the kill."
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"Located half a mile south of the Town of Hillsdale, on the left on Route 22, this park has it all!!
According to the park's website, Roe Jan Park is not a traditional state park, so it does not have state funds for staffing. Volunteers run the park. The property consists of 300.7 acres, split by Route 22, with the east side comprising 163.8 acres and the west side with 136.9 acres. While the community plan will clarify the ultimate use patterns of the park, it is widely expected that the east side will be the site of the majority of the more intensive park activities, with the west side remaining a more passive recreational area over time. In addition, the west side also abuts the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. The park's website is chock full of information. The sign for the park is by the road, Odyssey Farm North. About halfway up the farm road is Overlook Trail, which goes to the top of a hill, giving you views north to Hillsdale and beyond. The trail loops back to the parking lot, or you can also turn in the other direction and go on the Picnic Trail. The park abuts the Roe Jan Kill, a beautifully flowing, gravelly stream. You can choose two trails to the kill."
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From the Hudson River Almanac, Feb. 1-7, 2010
HUDSON RIVER ALMANAC
February 1 - 7, 2010
Compiled by Tom Lake, Hudson River Estuary Program Naturalist
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
<<<<< OVERVIEW >>>>>
This was a week of uncommon bird sightings: a dovekie (a small auk), an orange-crowned warbler, a red-headed woodpecker, and a yellow-headed blackbird. The context of winter, with its limited diversity of bird life, makes such finds seem more special.
2/4 - Roeliff Jansen's Kill, HRM 111: If you follow this major tributary of the Hudson River from its mouth near Linlithgo, it wanders inland to the Roe Jan Park in Hillsdale, Columbia County, where it meanders behind the Woodland Stream Trail. It was there that I spotted four common mergansers tucked in seeking refuge from the wind. According to historian James Polk, Roeliff Jansen was a sometime sailor, sometime farmer, and sometime government official.
- Fran Martino
"HRM" refers to the number of miles up the Hudson from the southern tip of Manhattan)
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February 1 - 7, 2010
Compiled by Tom Lake, Hudson River Estuary Program Naturalist
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
<<<<< OVERVIEW >>>>>
This was a week of uncommon bird sightings: a dovekie (a small auk), an orange-crowned warbler, a red-headed woodpecker, and a yellow-headed blackbird. The context of winter, with its limited diversity of bird life, makes such finds seem more special.
2/4 - Roeliff Jansen's Kill, HRM 111: If you follow this major tributary of the Hudson River from its mouth near Linlithgo, it wanders inland to the Roe Jan Park in Hillsdale, Columbia County, where it meanders behind the Woodland Stream Trail. It was there that I spotted four common mergansers tucked in seeking refuge from the wind. According to historian James Polk, Roeliff Jansen was a sometime sailor, sometime farmer, and sometime government official.
- Fran Martino
"HRM" refers to the number of miles up the Hudson from the southern tip of Manhattan)
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From The Chatham Press, July 2009
In this ongoing series, Thorunn Kristjandottir examines the trails in our neck of the woods. This month's hike was to the brand new state park in Hillsdale.
In my opinion, this park has it all!...
Let me tell you about my experience at the park! This is my stomping ground. I mean Taconic Hills, my alma mater, is a stone's throw away from this park. I've driven by the park countless times, but never stopped in until on this particular Sunday afternoon.
The sign for the park is by the road, and you'll see a big old dairy barn, a silo and the old farmhouse. This used to be part of the former Odyssey Farm...When I was growing up, and when I attended Taconic Hills' Roe Jan building, the Odyssey farms were the biggest milk farms around-or so I remember anyway.
I met my friend Morgan in the parking lot. We checked out the kiosk where there's information and a trail map. We walked up the old farm road, past two of the park's buildings, and we encountered another hiker with a nice little dog. I stopped there to admire the alfalfa which was growing on both sides of the farm road.
About halfway up the farm road we veered right, heading up the Overlook Trail, which goes to the top of a hill, giving you views north to Hillsdale and beyond. The trail loops back to the parking lot, or you can also turn the other direction and go on the Picnic Trail. Morgan and I looped back to the parking lot and headed up the old farm road again. This time we ran into some bikers.
When we almost reached the end of the old farm road, we took a left, heading down to the Roe Jan Kill, a beautifully flowing, gravelly stream. You can choose two trails to the Kill. I opted for the forest trail. I initially said that this park has it all. Reason? It's got some neat trails, activities, buildings, views, alfalfa, forests, and a stream! It is so peaceful and serene in the park, that one just forgets time and space.
When Morgan and I reached the Kill she waded in, just to check it out. There is no swimming allowed, however. She then said,
"Wow! It's so nice here," she exclaimed.
"I wouldn't mind just coming here, sitting on the island in the middle of the stream for a whole day to just get away from it all."
In my opinion, this park has it all!...
Let me tell you about my experience at the park! This is my stomping ground. I mean Taconic Hills, my alma mater, is a stone's throw away from this park. I've driven by the park countless times, but never stopped in until on this particular Sunday afternoon.
The sign for the park is by the road, and you'll see a big old dairy barn, a silo and the old farmhouse. This used to be part of the former Odyssey Farm...When I was growing up, and when I attended Taconic Hills' Roe Jan building, the Odyssey farms were the biggest milk farms around-or so I remember anyway.
I met my friend Morgan in the parking lot. We checked out the kiosk where there's information and a trail map. We walked up the old farm road, past two of the park's buildings, and we encountered another hiker with a nice little dog. I stopped there to admire the alfalfa which was growing on both sides of the farm road.
About halfway up the farm road we veered right, heading up the Overlook Trail, which goes to the top of a hill, giving you views north to Hillsdale and beyond. The trail loops back to the parking lot, or you can also turn the other direction and go on the Picnic Trail. Morgan and I looped back to the parking lot and headed up the old farm road again. This time we ran into some bikers.
When we almost reached the end of the old farm road, we took a left, heading down to the Roe Jan Kill, a beautifully flowing, gravelly stream. You can choose two trails to the Kill. I opted for the forest trail. I initially said that this park has it all. Reason? It's got some neat trails, activities, buildings, views, alfalfa, forests, and a stream! It is so peaceful and serene in the park, that one just forgets time and space.
When Morgan and I reached the Kill she waded in, just to check it out. There is no swimming allowed, however. She then said,
"Wow! It's so nice here," she exclaimed.
"I wouldn't mind just coming here, sitting on the island in the middle of the stream for a whole day to just get away from it all."