Mills-Norrie State Park

Mills-Norrie State Park, which includes the Ogden Mills and Ruth Livingston Mills Memorial State Park and the adjoining Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park, comprises more than one thousand acres. The extensive trail system in the parks is popular with hikers, cyclists and cross-country skiers alike. Mills Memorial State Park is the home of Dinsmore Golf Course and Staatsburgh State Historic Site.


The park is located right off Route 9, about four miles north of Hyde Park, in the town of Staatsburg. Heading north along Route 9, turn left onto Old Post Road. The entrance to the Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park is located here, and various roads will take you throughout the park and to the nearby marina. However, I suggest you continue to the Ogden Mills and Ruth Livingston Mills Memorial State Park (more commonly referred to as "Mills Mansion") and follow the road through Staatsburg for about a mile. The entrance to the park will be on your left, right across from the Dinsmore Golf Course.


Dinsmore is one of the oldest public golf courses in the country. The original course was built in 1893 and consisted of only nine holes on the south side of the present course. At that time, Dinsmore was a private course enjoyed by the many prominent families living along the Hudson River. In 1952 the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation acquired the golf course and in the early 1960s created an additional 9 holes.


Heading into the park, follow the road until it comes to a stop sign. You can either head left up the hill, and park next to the mansion, or continue on to the lower parking area next to the Carriage House. The Carriage House is now used for maintenance vehicles, but still holds some of its original charm and I would therefore suggest parking over here.


From here, walk up the hill to the mansion where you will get a nice view of the Hudson River, the Catskill mountains, and the Esopus Lighthouse. The large hill upon which Mills Mansion resides is a popular spot for sledders during the winter months.


Take some time to explore the outside of the beaux-arts style mansion, embellished with balustrades, pilasters, floral swags, and a massive portico. Inside the rooms are furnished with elaborately carved and gilded furniture, fine oriental rugs, silk fabrics, and a collection of art objects from Europe, ancient Greece, and the Far East. Tours of the house from January to March are limited to Sundays 11-4. Between April and October, tours are available from 10-5 every Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 on Sundays. Special tours are also available from the Friday after Thanksgiving to December 31 for "A Gilded Age Christmas," during which they erect a 20+ foot faux-Christmas tree inside the home. (They stopped using a real one for fire reasons a while back.)


Even if you choose not to take a tour, make sure to stop inside the museum shop, located in the back of the home to the right of the staircase. In here you will find a map of the grounds which is fantastically detailed and an invaluable resource. From here, head out the door and to your left. You should notice a dirt pathway heading towards the woods and into the "gardens."


As you come out of the tree-line, you'll see a rectangular grassy area with a gravel path encircling it. This is where the gardens once were, but unfortunately flowers no longer grow here. Although there's nothing much to see, it's a nice enough stroll with a few interpretive signs to illuminate how the gardens used to look. During the wetter seasons, a body of water forms to the left of the gardens, but during the hotter months it evaporates.


To the right of the gardens is the Treehouse, the only remaining Greenhouse Complex. Follow the path as it passes by this building, ignoring the trail leading off to the right which will take you back towards the mansion.


Past the greenhouse is the small Wagon Shed, where the park now stores various items. Head to your left again, away from the mansion lawn. You'll soon come to the Red Trail. From here, if you look diagonally backwards to your right, you may make out the Stone Reservoir up on a small hill, from which water was taken to care for the gardens. There are two horse trails which branch in this general direction, but neither actually approaches the tower. If you're interested in viewing the structure, you will have to make your own way up to it. There is a nice vantage point from here, so it's worth a little sojourn.


Back at the Red Trail, head to your left. This will take you past a small marshy area to an old bridge over the railroad tracks and out to another park entrance, which is closed to traffic. Personally I find the little bridge here interesting, and it is a very short walk. You'll need to go back to the intersection, however.


You now have two options. You can either head straight along the Red Trail, or you can go left along a short Horse Trail. If you choose the latter, you'll follow the trail along the base of a hill and through marshes. When the trail forks, head to the right. This meets up with the Red Trail again, so head left.


Follow this trail until you come to the Green Trail, which will be on your right. This will take you to what appear to be an old barn and a potting shed. Past these you'll see the Blue Trail. Head left up the hill. (Going right will take you back towards the mansion.) You'll very shortly notice a trail to your right which will take you up to a three-building complex nearby. As far as I can tell, these were used as storage buildings. This short trail will circle you around and back to the Blue Trail, where you can continue on.


Yet another fork will become visible. Head to your right and you'll soon reach Lydig Munson Hoyt House. This home was erected in 1855 by architect Calvert Vaux, who also planned the landscape of nearby Wilderstein. This stone country home is now in disrepair, with no apparent restoration plans. However, it is still quite lovely with its gothic inspired exterior.


Continue along the Blue Trail, following it to the right at the next fork. After a little ways, before the trail bends around to the left, you'll see a building off to your right. If you work your way towards it, you'll notice there are no ground level entrances, only one doorway about 10 feet up. This leads me to believe this used to be a hay loft.


Back on the Blue Trail, continue on until you reach a road. You are now entering Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park. Immediately before the road you should notice a horse trail off on your right. You can either take this trail, or follow the actual road to the right towards the next section of the Blue Trail.


Whichever way you choose, you'll come across a small monument to Lewis Norrie. Follow the Blue Trail beyond. (If you continued along the road, you would approach Old Norrie Point, which we will come to later.) The trail will come out of the woods next to a parking area and comfort station. Continue straight for a short ways, and then head right towards the campground area.


The campground is open from mid-May until the end of October. There are 46 tent sites and 10 cabins available for rental at the park. Campsites cost $13.00 a night and cabins are $290 per week. Recreational vehicles are also welcome, however, the park does not offer hook up facilities.


Follow the road until you see the Blue Trail branch off to the left. Follow the trail down the hill to the road headed towards the marina. This road is also considered the Yellow "Trail."


If you go straight and underneath the railroad, you can follow a short trail which will take you on a pleasant walk past an old barn far on your right and over a cute little bridge. Beyond the bridge, there's not much to see, so turn around and head back to the road, taking a left towards the marina.


Follow the road as it takes you past wetlands, where various species of birds congregate. Further up the road you'll see the marina and a comfort station. Beyond that is the Dutchess Community College Environmental Study Center, which includes an aquarium, museum, research boat, and conference space . You can access the water from here, and you'll often see fishermen milling about.


When you've finished here, head to the far right corner of the parking lot, where you can pick up the White Trail. This will take your through the woods and back to the road you came in on. (Of course, you can always just retrace your steps.) Head over the bridge and then look for the continuation of the trail on your left.


Follow the trail up the hill, and then head left toward the nearby cabin. The White Trail, also called the River Trail, circles around and to the left of the stairs. From here, until you return to Mills, you will be following the River.


After you've passed the cabins, you'll notice a trail that cuts to the left and gives a nice view of the old monastery across the river. This path is much closer to the water and offers more unobstructed views. However, it is narrower and more difficult than the marked trail. The two will eventually meet, so it's entirely up to your discretion.


After the two trails join together, you'll soon come to Old Norrie Point. This is a popular picnic area and has a lovely gazebo. Follow the road as it heads up the hill until you see a trail heading to your left. Follow this through an upper picnic area and beyond. After a short ways you'll come to a small shack. Inside is some old equipment which I have yet been unable to identify, although one piece looks to be a canon mount.


The trail will continue on, with various access points to the river. After about a mile, you'll reach the Blue Trail. Head left towards Mills Mansion, and you'll come across the Superintendent's House, now occupied by employees of the park. Follow the paved trail to the left along the base of the hill. You'll soon seen steps heading down to the water on your left.


At the base of the stairs is a small building with some information plaques. I can't remember a time when this building was not locked, however. Follow the trail along the water and back up to the paved path. Continue up the hill and back to your car.


Obviously, I have not covered all of the trails available at the park. I have stayed mainly on the colored trails and ignored most of the horse trails for three reasons. One, the colored trails include the main points of interest at the park; two, they are easier to follow than the narrow horse trails; and three, it would impossible to include these trails without a large amount of back-tracking. However, all the trails in the park are pleasant enough, and if you're looking for additional hiking, are quite worthy of perusal.


If you're looking for additional information on Mills Mansion, please go to http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=133 or http://www.staatsburgh.org/contact.php?page=history. If you'd like more info on the Hoyt House, located within Mills State Park, you can go to http://preserve.bfn.org/bam/kowsky/hoyt/index.html (thanks to J. Reynolds for the link). For more on Norrie, you can go to http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=134. For more info on the DCC Environmental Center, go to http://www.sunydutchess.edu/ahbs/Norrie/. Salubrious sojourns!