Not only is it almost the end of summer, but also we have been cemented a significant part of the year indoors. Granted that, we were grateful to have at our disposal our Private Balcony for some Outdoor Greens. Even then, On Labor Day weekend, we did one reasonable thing to do this season; we took a one day trip from the NYC area to Cold Spring, NY. Again, all this before the heavy kind of winter air settles in on us.

Driving to Cold Spring from Jersey City, 9W takes you through Nyack, Hook Mountain State Park, Bear mountain state park before crossing the Hudson river towards Tarrytown along a scenic route.

While we waited for our friends to join us, we took a brief stroll along Main street. Window grazed the beautiful antique shop facades and a quick stop at Cold Spring Apothecary, my go-to place for all things – hair.

Later, we ate a picnic lunch with friends on the Cold Spring Pier lawns, overlooking the mountain and the Hudson River.

Straightaway, we headed to Old Forge Trail Loop for a comfortable, kid-friendly hike in a forest-setting. Along the way, we stopped by at the West Point Foundry preserve, an outdoor museum on an ironworks industrial site. The remains of foundry buildings and interpretive features manifest the site’s contribution to the Industrial Revolution and the Civil War.

Continuing on the track, as soon as we hit the cascading water streams tumbling down the rocks, the kids were thrilled. They imagined this is a sort of a place fairies and genies might dwell.

In the background, the water tinkled in a joshing kind of way. I lay down in the tranquility, a place of stillness even in the jingle of the water. The trees rose upward, the canopy above, like clouds of green and that fragrance of woodland before the rain.

Wild Mushrooms on Old Forge trail

Visitor Center at Old Forge Trail

On the way back, we meandered through the dusty path that sloped up and down. It was a serene and lovely hike.

Afterward, when we were back in town, we relished in Moo Moo’s Creamery Ice cream by the Hudson river watching not so far away a freight train run across the track with multi-colored caboose, tank, and hopper cars.

All in all, we gave ourselves the chance to recharge, and this one-day trip was rejuvenating.

Just a Little Bit More …

Are you looking for a place to stay? Hudson House Inn is part of the river history.

Brunch at Hudson Hil’s Cafe is popular.

Enjoy Oktoberfest in an a former train depot as trains pass by at Cold Spring Depot.