As anyone who's ever met knows, I get bored. I'm born to explore and I love to do that in my spare time. Ever so often, something happens that alludes me to something that I've never seen before that is close to home and makes me wonder how on Earth I missed that. Recently, I saw a post on Instagram that made me feel just that way. It was about Croton Gorge Park in New York.
It was one of those things that I never thought about. I presume that everyone reading this has seen "Die Hard With a Vengeance." In that movie, they traveled through some giant tunnels that were supposed to connect with a water system upstate and deliver water to the city through an aqueduct system. I saw it, and I enjoyed it. I didn't really think about it.
Surprise! What I thought was probably a utilitarian dam and water supply system, turned out to be one of the most amazing pieces of architecture I've ever seen. And, there's a history.
These views are of the old Croton Gorge Dam. It was built starting in 1892. It was built into a natural feature to provide water to New York City through the old aqueduct system. Later on, the aqueduct system and the dam were updated. The dam was made bigger so that it could provide more water to a growing city.
Therefore, they added the top and now it's known as the New Croton Dam or the Cornell Dam. I can't really describe how large the reservoir it creates is. We followed it on the way to the park for several miles.
The dam itself is almost 200 feet high. It's over 200 feet thick at its base. It's well over 100 years old. The reservoir is rumored to sprawl over 20 miles. It has the largest overflow spillway into a natural gorge that I've ever seen. And you who know me know that I've seen a lot of natural water features.
This is a wonder and it's as artistic as it is functional. The bridge over the top used to be an operable road. Now, it's only for pedestrian traffic. It is hands down one of the most amazing man made structures I've seen in the Northeast.
The fountain below is a gauge for the water level in the reservoir. It's ingenious, beautiful and practical. The artistry in the structure is certainly something you don't see these days. The platform coming out of the middle of the dam is only accessible from the door in the wall of the dam. It had to be only for observation. The whole thing is truly amazing.
The top can be accessed in two ways. There are trails from the park below to the top of the dam. There is also a tiny bit of parking at the end of the old road where you can just walk in to the top on the level and not have to climb the 200 feet in elevation. If you enter the bottom, there is a $10 fee if you're from out of state as we are. But, as a note, that $10 will cover you for the day if you visit more than one pay to enter park.
The park is a great place for a picnic and hanging out with friends and family. Groups over 25 people do have to apply ahead of time for a permit. There is no pavilion and the restrooms are port a johns. However, it's all worth the trip. At the top of the hill adjacent to the dam is an outdoor historical aqueduct museum. It's all fascinating and beautiful. Truly enjoyed it all.
Where is this park? It's only a few miles from Croton Point Park in Croton on Hudson. There are many interesting things to see in this area. There are tons of historic homes to tour. There are boat tours. There's West Point. The lands in between the Tappanzee and the Mid Hudson Bridges is full of history and scenic spots. It's where Rockefeller used to live and where Washington Irving dreamed up the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It's a shipping route to northern New York, and it's all reachable by a train from New York City. This area is only roughly 35 miles from the city, so you can get some breathing room.
We rounded out our trip with a stop at Ramaesque in Peekskill for a late lunch. The food was terrific and the area is quiet, historic and scenic. We intend to take another trip to the area at some point and learn more about the area.
I'm still discovering amazing things about this place that I've chosen as my home. I love when I can learn history and see great beauty all at the same time. Visiting the Hudson River Valley is always a good time for me. I live in one of the overpopulated parts of the country, but I'm always amazed that there is so much space to breathe. So, come to Croton Gorge Park and Westchester County New York. Spend some time learning about how water gets to New York City. Soak up some local culture, get a great view of the Hudson River and enjoy!
