Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site · New York

Hyde Park Trail

1.8 mi of trail, end to end · Top Cottage Trail: 2 mi round trip in the Service's write-up · about 80 ft of climbing · 100 ft of descent · 9 ft–227 ft

Visitor centers

49 ft 32 ft · 1.2 mi high 68 ft

Along the way Wallace Center

Top Cottage Trail 2 mi round trip · the Park Service's write-up

1-2 Hours · dogs allowed

A stone house with large porch nestled among trees.

Length: 2 miles, round-trip

Difficulty: Moderate

Blaze: Green and white Hyde Park Trail Marker

Trailhead Location: Trailhead is located south of the historic core, beyond the access road to the parking lot.

Terrain : Moderate walking on woodland paths with some steep hills and rough surface in spots.

Summary : The trail follows a road built by FDR in 1940. Follow the Hyde Park Trail blazes (green leaf).

History : This trail takes you to the highest point on the Hyde Park Trails. When you reach the summit, you will have made the same climb that kings and queens and a host of foreign leaders made during some of the most critical days of the 20 th century. Top Cottage, FDR’s humble hilltop getaway hosted pivotal meetings that shaped world history. It also provided guests with a dramatic vantage point from which to view the natural beauty of the Hudson River Valley, FDR’s cherished home.

Trail map available here .

Rules & Regulations

Safety first!

Trail is open daily sunrise to sunset.

Bikes are not permitted on any trails at this site.

Garbage cans are not available. This is a Carry In,Carry Out trail.

Stay on marked trails only.

Hunting, trapping, or possession of firearms prohibited.

No Fires, camping, or swimming.

Pets must be leashed; You must clean up after your pet.

Removal or disturbance of flora, fauna, or cultural resources is strictly prohibited.

Motorized vehicles prohibited.

In Case of Emergency Call 911

Report Safety & Security Issues to (845) 229-9380

Report Trail Maintenance Issues to (845) 972-2268

Accessibility Moderate walking on woodland paths with some steep hills and rough surface in spots.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 13 trails in Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic SiteFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.