Dog walking in Stony Point

Nyack

New City

A few miles south of Stony Point is New City, home to the Kennedy Dells Park Off-Leash Run, inside Kennedy Dells County Park, which is comprised of 179 acres of grassy and wooded land. The dog run is a large, open and grassy area in the center of the park. Water is not provided, nor are there benches for the humans, but it’s a great place for Fido to release some energy and make some new friends. The Kennedy Dells County Park boasts 1 bridle path, 2 hiking trails and a fitness trail equipped with physical challenges. Dogs are permitted on the trails, in the woods, and on the meadows on a leash. There are 2 places where pups can splash and cool off:  one in the center of the park near the Off-Leash Run, and another on the west side called Crum Creek. If all this exercise makes you and Fido think of food, New City is host to 3 dog-friendly restaurants with outside seating: Wasabi, Rocket Wrapps, and Calabria Restaurant. Bark-erful!

Pomona Center

Pomona is a village to the southwest of Stony Point that is home to dog-friendly Cheesecote Mountain State Park, a 217-acre park with hiking and nature trails, campgrounds, picnic areas and fishing from its 6-acre lake. Take one of the trails, a 3-mile looped hike that takes you up approximately 500 feet to the top of Cheesecote Mountain and is considered moderately difficult. This is natural trail hiking, and there are no amenities provided, so be sure to bring water and appropriate clothing for both you and Fido, who must be leashed. Take in Cheesecote Pond near the parking area before leaving for one of the picnic areas for a well-deserved lunch for you and your furry friend.

Stony Point Town Center

Stony Point’s Town Center sits immediately south of Bear Mountain Park and boasts the Stony Point State Park. This historic landmark park juts out into the Hudson and contains the terrain upon which a great Revolutionary War battle was fought. The dog-friendly open areas provide vistas of the Hudson River below, as well as much of the local wildlife and birds that live and migrate through as the seasons change. Your pooch must be leashed, and isn’t permitted inside any of the historic buildings, but hiking among these fields where significant history was made will be fun for him, too. Be sure to bring water for both of you as none is provided by the park.

Tompkins Cove/ Jones Point

This Stony Point neighborhood, in addition to being the home of the Bear Mountain State Park, is also host to Iona Island, a 120-acre island composed of rock in the Hudson River, just off Tompkins Point. The island can be accessed by the public and their doggos from April through November, and it is well worth slogging through the mudflats connecting it with the river’s western shore to view the dozens of species of birds and other wildlife. From December to March, bald eagles who make their nests there every year can be viewed from Bear Mountain overlooks. An impressive sight for man and beast. Free kayak tours are available as well, so take your adventurous leashed pup out for a few hours on the waters of the Mighty Hudson.