If you’re a nature lover, there are many opportunities to explore the outdoors near Garrison.
In 1942, Russel and Mary Wright — both renowned industrial designers — purchased an abandoned quarry and the surrounding woods in Garrison. Today, you can explore 75 acres of woodlands around the house at Manitoga. There are three trails: one, the short Wickopee Trail Loop, is the easiest, while the White Pine Trail Loop longer is more challenging. The moderately difficult Lost Pond Trail Loop connects to the Appalachian Trail.
One of the region’s most popular stretches of the Appalachian Trail is the intriguingly named Anthony’s Nose. (The names dates back to at least 1697, and historians can’t agree whose nose was immortalized.) The hike, which begins at a trailhead about four miles south of Garrison, is challenging for the first half mile because you’re scrambling up a stony staircase. The rest of the fairly flat trail leads to a breathtaking view of the Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson River.
One of the most beautiful sights is at Constitutional Marsh Audubon Center, a few miles north of Garrison. A boardwalk extends into this 270-acre tidal marsh in the Hudson River Estuary. There is no on-site parking, which means you’re likely to run into very few people on the trail.