Go Back  Bike Forums > Community Connections > Regional Discussions > Northeast
Reload this Page >

Hopewell Junction to New Paltz on Empire Trail: Parking Question:

Notices
Northeast Connecticut | Maine | Massachusetts | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New York |Rhode Island | Vermont |

Hopewell Junction to New Paltz on Empire Trail: Parking Question:

Old 10-07-21, 08:18 PM
  #1  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Hopewell Junction to New Paltz on Empire Trail: Parking Question:

Does anyone know, for sure, if I can park my car (safely and legally) overnight at the Hopewell trailhead of the Empire State Trail? I am waiting to hear back from the Hopewell RR Museum regarding this, but I need to make a decision soon.

Right now, I have reservations booked for two possible bike trips for Oct 17-18 and overnight parking will be the deal-breaker on the Hopewell to New Paltz option. Does anyone have a definitive answer?
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 10-08-21, 05:31 AM
  #2  
Prowler 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Near Pottstown, PA: 30 miles NW of Philadelphia
Posts: 2,185

Bikes: 2 Trek Mtn, Cannondale R600 road, 6 vintage road bikes

Mentioned: 83 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 470 Post(s)
Liked 1,016 Times in 398 Posts
Tom, I don't know. However on the times I day parked there it "felt OK". It seems like a nice small town with good people around. A well done, clean, maintained trail head near the museum and going businesses. You should also contact the local police station or state police barracks. Whomever does the local policing. They'll tell you what the history is there. Call the Hopewell Inn and Daddy O's.

The town and the state have a vested interest in that being a safe place, attracting tourist money.
Prowler is offline  
Likes For Prowler:
Old 10-08-21, 06:05 AM
  #3  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Ironically, as I opened this thread to reply, the East Fishkill Police called me back and told me it's OK to park overnight, requesting only that I stop by the station and leave my contact and registration info before heading out.
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 10-08-21, 07:49 AM
  #4  
TravellingFool
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 26
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts
I would consider it pretty safe, and thanks for confirming it's legal too.
TravellingFool is offline  
Old 10-08-21, 08:49 AM
  #5  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Is the ride worth doing from there to New Paltz? It's only about 20 miles from what I see, but I like to stop and "explore" along the way. I'd be driving from Long Island, so the number of daylight hours with a reasonable temperature will be limited, too. I have already done the Walkway Over The Hudson and I've been to Poughkeepsie and New Paltz many times, so if those are the only places worth stopping/seeing, I might reconsider.
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 10-08-21, 09:18 AM
  #6  
Andrey
Senior Guest
 
Andrey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Upstate NY, USA
Posts: 374

Bikes: Jamis Endura, Cannondale CAAD, Raleigh Cross, Fausto Coppi.

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 79 Post(s)
Liked 47 Times in 31 Posts
I would suggest going past New Paltz to Kingston on the trail and check out the "strand" in Kingston(waterfront) and the uptown by Wall Street , then I would cross the Kingston bridge via the Empire State Trail through The Hutton Brickyards and ride through Bard College all the way to Tivoli, through Tivoli Bays. I think those places are very beautiful for exploration.
Andrey is offline  
Old 10-08-21, 09:26 AM
  #7  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by Andrey
I would suggest going past New Paltz to Kingston on the trail and check out the "strand" in Kingston(waterfront) and the uptown by Wall Street , then I would cross the Kingston bridge via the Empire State Trail through The Hutton Brickyards and ride through Bard College all the way to Tivoli, through Tivoli Bays. I think those places are very beautiful for exploration.
That does look like a much nicer ride than Hopewell to New Paltz. From the looks of Google Maps, it's a bit hillier than I was planning on, though. Am I wrong?
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 10-08-21, 09:56 AM
  #8  
Andrey
Senior Guest
 
Andrey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Upstate NY, USA
Posts: 374

Bikes: Jamis Endura, Cannondale CAAD, Raleigh Cross, Fausto Coppi.

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 79 Post(s)
Liked 47 Times in 31 Posts
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
That does look like a much nicer ride than Hopewell to New Paltz. From the looks of Google Maps, it's a bit hillier than I was planning on, though. Am I wrong?
It is a pretty flat ride, because mostly it follows the rail trail, you may have some small hills around Tivoli, but they are minor. You also climb Kingston Bridge, but River road is beautiful in Duchess county. For me Hopewell to Poughkeepsie is a very boring ride in comparison.
Andrey is offline  
Old 10-08-21, 11:50 AM
  #9  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by Andrey
....For me Hopewell to Poughkeepsie is a very boring ride in comparison.
That's what I'm thinking...
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 10-08-21, 12:09 PM
  #10  
Andrey
Senior Guest
 
Andrey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Upstate NY, USA
Posts: 374

Bikes: Jamis Endura, Cannondale CAAD, Raleigh Cross, Fausto Coppi.

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 79 Post(s)
Liked 47 Times in 31 Posts
Here is another shorter option around New Platz, the ride is flat and very scenic with the views of the mountain ridge
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37728010
you can make it longer by going through the Watchtower farms on Red Mills road.
Andrey is offline  
Likes For Andrey:
Old 10-08-21, 04:40 PM
  #11  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by Andrey
Here is another shorter option around New Platz, the ride is flat and very scenic with the views of the mountain ridge
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37728010
you can make it longer by going through the Watchtower farms on Red Mills road.
Thank you again; however, my mission was to ride another piece of the Empire Trail, as I've already done most of the portions south of Hopewell. Sort of a bucket list thing!
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 10-09-21, 10:29 AM
  #12  
dendawg
Senior Member
 
dendawg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,418
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 73 Post(s)
Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
Thank you again; however, my mission was to ride another piece of the Empire Trail, as I've already done most of the portions south of Hopewell. Sort of a bucket list thing!
I recently parked in Stormville at the lot behind Greenhaven prison. A liitle further than Hopewell but not much. The only lot I noticed was by a restaurant and wasn't sure if it was public or not. We didn't go past the western end of the Walkway Over The Hudson
dendawg is offline  
Likes For dendawg:
Old 10-09-21, 05:25 PM
  #13  
indyfabz
Senior Member
 
indyfabz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,051
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18318 Post(s)
Liked 15,277 Times in 7,225 Posts
Originally Posted by Andrey
Here is another shorter option around New Platz, the ride is flat and very scenic with the views of the mountain ridge
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37728010
you can make it longer by going through the Watchtower farms on Red Mills road.
I was on Libertyville, etc., again last month during a tour from northern Vermont to Philly. Love that stretch.
indyfabz is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.