Highland can be explored through several very different points of reference: the Walkway Over the Hudson above the Hudson River, the route of the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, and the activities at Bob Shepard Highland Landing Park. There is also a seasonal miniature museum in a caboose near the Walkway. When choosing where to stay, it helps to distinguish between these themes: they show whether the river crossing, a trail connection, a museum visit, or activities in the park are most important to you.
Walkway Over the Hudson: River Crossing and History
The Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park spans the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie and Highland in New York State. Highland is therefore one of the two named endpoints of the structure; Poughkeepsie lies at the opposite end. This geographic relationship gives the Walkway a clear orientation and makes the river crossing a prominent point of reference for Highland.
Its history dates back to 1889, when the structure first opened as the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge. The historic and current names emphasize different things: the first preserves the name of the Railroad Bridge, while the second identifies the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park. The hyphen in the historic name links the two endpoints. If you would also like to take cultural history into account when choosing where to stay, you can connect a specific historical year with the park’s present-day name.
Rail Trail and Seasonal Miniature Museum
From its connection with the Walkway in Highland, the Hudson Valley Rail Trail runs through the hamlet of Highland and continues to connections with the Empire State Trail. For planning purposes, the two routes serve different roles: the Rail Trail runs through the hamlet and connects to other routes, while the Walkway crosses the river between Highland and Poughkeepsie. This distinction helps with planning: decide whether the river crossing or the trail route through the hamlet is your main focus.
Near the Walkway, on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, a caboose serves as a seasonal miniature museum. Alongside the river crossing and the trail, a visit to the miniature museum offers another distinct focus. Its seasonal operation is important when choosing your dates: check in advance whether a visit is possible during your travel dates.
Activities at Bob Shepard Highland Landing Park
Fishing, boating, kayaking, picnicking, and birdwatching are possible at Bob Shepard Highland Landing Park, which is open year-round. The activities can be grouped by focus: fishing, boating, and kayaking are water activities, while picnicking and birdwatching are other options in the park. Fires are not permitted when picnicking.
If swimming lessons for children are relevant to your plans, check in advance whether they are taking place at Berean Park during your visit.
For choosing your dates, there is a clear difference: the miniature museum in the caboose is seasonal, while Bob Shepard Highland Landing Park is open year-round.
Discover more destinations: Shandaken, Lake Katrine, Hurley, Kingston, Ellenville, Stone Ridge, Wallkill, Phoenicia
For the broader travel overview: Ulster.
