When thinking of spending the day picnicking among beautiful apple trees and sweeping mountain views there is one place that always comes to mind for my family and that is Peach Hill Park. Located in the town of Poughkeepsie, you can easily escape the hustle and bustle of traffic and enter into a hiker's paradise. The park was originally planted with peach trees, hence the name, and has since been planted with apple trees that have been left and "gone wild."
The 159 acre park is home to many varieties of apple trees, wild berry bushes, wild flower fields and boasts the highest point in Poughkeepsie. The summit of Peach Hill Park awards hikers with views of the surrounding areas and offers a large flat green space that is perfect for picnicking.
The park is open year round which makes it a perfect destination for exploring with children. Come in the spring when the apple trees are in full bloom and the native bluebirds are using the birdhouses to make their nests. If you come in the summer the park is a lush green and the fields are full of every color of wildflower imaginable. Come in the fall and your family can see the bright colors of the changing leaves and pick your weight in apples for free! Or come in the winter and bring your snowshoes to explore in the quiet and solitude.
The 3.5 miles of hiking trails are well maintained, the grass is kept low and trees are trimmed off the pathways. We love to bring a wagon, pack a picnic and find one of the look out spots. We plop ourselves down and enjoy the quiet and peacefulness that you don't often find in Poughkeepsie.
Don't be surprised if you don't see another soul on your hike, this place is definitely a hidden gem and I love feeling like we have the place all to ourselves, that is why we go hiking after all! The kids love to run free and this is a perfect place to let them.
Tips for this hike:
- This hike is not stroller friendly, but we have brought a wagon successfully. I recommend the Blue and Red trails if you bring a wagon.
- The Blue and Red trails are not steep, these trails switch-back so I recommend them for families with small children.
- Wear shoes that will protect your feet, the grass is very stiff and flip flops do not cut it on this one. I had lots of cuts on my feet the first time I went in sandals.
- There is poison ivy everywhere so stay on the trails.
- There are bathrooms (porta-potty) at the trail head.
- There are maps online here for the trails.
- There are picnic tables and benches all throughout the trails.
- If you come in the fall when the apples are ripe, feel free to pick as many as you like, we fill up bags and eat them or bring them to a local horse rescue.
For more information or to check out their events at the orchard visit Peach Hill Park's Website.
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