Stony Kill Farm
Discover, enjoy, spend the day!
Katie’s Hudson Valley Travel Journal
Open barns with animals to visit, butterfly festivals full of monarchs, yoga on the lush green lawns; what's not to love?
Stony Kill Farm is such a beautiful and historic place, I can't believe it's so close! A wonderful place to spend the day whether you are hiking, picnicking or just wanting to enjoy the outdoors!
When you pull into the dirt driveway the beauty of the farm is everywhere! White picket fences surrounding the house and flower gardens, swallows darting back and forth over the pastures, cows and sheep grazing peacefully in the sun. You can choose to park at the white house, which is now the Visitor's Center (no longer open) or you can continue along the road and park near the red barns, where the animals are kept during "open barn" hours. Both areas are in easy walking distance of each other, so no worries that you won't get to see it all!
If you choose to park by the house your visit will start with the flower gardens & woodland hiking trail; this is where my family always parks. The gorgeous flower and herb gardens are filled with every type of fragrant flower imaginable! They attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, precious pollinators that are so important and amazing to watch while they work! We love to peruse the tiny garden paths watching the buzzing creatures flit from flower to flower! It's the perfect place to exercise all the senses!
The Woodland hiking trail is right off this same parking lot and is the perfect hike for families. The .5 mile trail is flat, well marked and passes through a mature forest filled with the sounds of birds and squirrels. In the spring, small vernal pools are filled with frogs and salamanders, my daughter's absolute favorite thing! This short, easy hike is great for any age and is even stroller friendly!
After a stroll through the woods and gardens it's time to head out to the pastures and barns to see the beautiful animals. We love the
open barn hours that are offered on the weekends because it's a great to see the animals up-close and interact with them. Volunteers are always on hand to answer questions or allow you to pet and feed the animals.
The barn is also home to a small play room that is filled with lots of educational toys and interactive farm exhibits! It's the perfect place to spend a rainy or cold day!
After visiting all the farm inhabitants and playing in the barn it's time to head back outside and to the next hiking trail! Just a short drive away from the farm (about 1 minute away) but still on farm property is the
Mueller Pond Trail! This trail is one of my family's most favorite short hikes! There is so much to see and do on this .75 mile hike that it could be a trip all on it's own! The parking lot to this hike is on Red Schoolhouse Road so you will need to take your car.
This hike is so magical, you will forget you are in bustling Wappinger's Falls! Down a grassy, well marked path this loop takes you through a small forest alive with song birds, across a small bridge and over a rambling brook, perfect for dipping toes!
The trail loops around ponds full of sun bathing turtles, noisy frogs and honking geese. We sat for a while and watched the turtles slowly moving about on the logs while frogs jumped and swam in the murky water.
Purple butterflies were everywhere in the long grass and we startled a chubby woodchuck enjoying some sun, he scurried off under the thick bushes that frame the trails. The absolute perfect hike for kids!
There is nothing better than spending a day outside in nature. Stony Kill Farm has it all; hiking trails, gardens, large grassy lawns for picnics and lots of animals! Pack a lunch and spend the whole day exploring and discovering!
Tips for this visit:
- The farm has public bathrooms in by the red barns in the Comfort Station.
- The farm is stroller friendly, as is the Woodland Trail. The Mueller Pond Trail is not stroller friendly.
- The trails were a little muddy in some spots, I suggest wearing shoes you don't mind getting wet.
- There is no fee to enter or use Stony Kill Farm, they do accept donations.
- Do not feed the animals unless the volunteers are present and give you something to feed them.
- The greenhouse has plants for "sale" they accept donations for them.
- The Visitor's Center is no longer open, they have volunteers in the barn areas if you need help.
- The farm hosts a variety of community events, find their calendar of events here.
For more information visit Stony Kill Farm online.
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