Walkway Over the Hudson Loop

So much for a night time walk

This is part of rail trail east of the walkway

The walkway.  It's very well done.

A bird's eye view of Poughkeepsie

The view north up the Hudson

The bridge leaves quite a shadow!

The view south of the Mid Hudson Bridge

The vital stats!

The bridge was once the longest in the world!

The Mid Hudson Bridge

The Walkway as viewed from the Mid Hudson Bridge

Beautiful Catholic Church with the Walkway in background 

I came across this statue of a former governor from colonial times

I had been meaning to check out the Walkway over the Hudson for a long time now.  I went briefly two years ago around this time of year.  Like today, it was blistering cold.  The Walkway spans for over a mile over the water.  And you are exposed!  My face really felt it.

I parked just east of the main lot to avoid the $5 parking fee.  Why not a dollar?  Instead of walking the road to the start, I walked up to where I could make out the former tracks.  Here the trail is grown in.  I immediately thought this may be a bad idea.  But I made my way through the brush and blow down.  I made my way over an old rail bridge that tested my fear of heights.  At first it looked like it'd be easy, but as I moved along there were a few railroad ties missing.  A bit sketchy, but it was pretty cool to do.

Once passed the parking lot, the rail trail starts to rise offering up views of the great city of Poughkeepsie.  They clearly don't want jumpers to land on the roads below as they have high fixed fences at these points.  If someone jumps to their death and lands in somebody's backyard, Who cares?

Once over the river the wind really started to kick my ass.  So far this winter (technically it's still fall) I have been a real wimp to the cold.  Wishing I had warmer clothes, I soon took it as a challenge to wake my ass up to the cold that's on it's way.  Many great views along the river.  The Mid Hudson Bridge and the Hudson Highlands to the south.  To the north the Catskills could be made out in the distance.

While walking across the Walkway, I thought it'd be cool to walk back by going over the Mid Hudson Bridge.  Well, apparently there is a marked trail (an urban trail, it's all roads) to do this.  How cool is that?  While on the Walkway you get views of the Mid Hudson Bridge.  Then the Mid Hudson Bridge provides the walker with views of the Walkway.  It made for a surprisingly rewarding walk that surely I will do again.

The Walkway is also great to take out the unicycle!!!