The Old Croton Aqueduct was a 19th century engineering marvel, a covered tunnel that brought fresh water from Croton, NY to New York City. Today, visitors can walk the entire 41-mile length atop the old tunnel through suburban villages, state parks and city streets.
The portions of the trail within Westchester County constitute a linear state park of about 26 miles in length. Open dawn to dusk, it is perfect for jogging, hiking, dirt biking and walking with strollers, although some sections of the trail have small stones and occasional tree roots. The trail can be muddy after a heavy rain but, on the whole, drainage is good.
We strongly recommend that visitors order our new Map and Guide before arrival, as without it you may have difficulty navigating some of the trail’s detours. Less-detailed FREE MAPS you can download and print are also available.
An Easy Weekend Visit
If you’re looking for an easy day trip from New York City or elsewhere in Westchester, we recommend first-time visitors take Metro North Hudson Line to Dobbs Ferry (view schedules). There are many restaurants nearby for brunch. You can walk up the (steep) hill on Walnut Street to the Keeper’s House Visitor Center which is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm-4pm. We have maps there, as well as an exhibition about The Aqueduct, helpful docents, bathroom, water and an interactive kiosk to plan further walks.
There are two options from The Keeper’s House: You can hike north about 3.5 miles to the Lyndhurst Estate and the Riverwalk. On the way you can take a look at The Octagon House (they give tours on weekends, but you must register in advance). To return from Lyndhurst you would have to walk about 30 mins back down to Irvington, which is a scenic town with lots of resturants. Alternatively, you can walk about 3.5 miles south on the trail from The Keeper’s House to Untermyer Gardens. Untermyer is a beautiful place for picnics, and is directly uphill from the Greystone MTA station for your return trip.
If you are not starting at the Keeper’s House, we strongly recommend that visitors order our Map/Guide before arrival, as without it you may have difficulty navigating some of the trail’s detours.
