I heard about the Hyuck Preserve a long time ago, and have wanted to visit for may years now.  We recently had a cool summer day and thought it might be a good time to go on a relatively short hike and explore the preserve and the waterfall.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

I set my Google maps to take me to the Hyuck Preserve Research Station, and we had no problem finding it.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

There is some decent, but limited parking (maybe enough for 10 cars?).

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

However, our main goal was to hike to the falls, and the parking at research station is only for trails, which are furthest from the falls.  Since we were looking for direct trails to the falls, we decided not to stay at this part of the preserve.  We checked out the pond at the Research Station before heading out.

HyuckPreserveResearchStationPond

We ended up driving over to the Visitor’s Center.  When we got there, there were maybe 8 spots, which were all taken.  The parking was very tight, and we headed back to the main road.  We couldn’t find anywhere to park in town, so decided we would look for the next closest place to park.

Next, we headed over to the the beach.  There was plenty of parking, and portapotties there as well.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

The beach had a swimming area roped off and lifeguards on duty.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

You can only swim at the beach with a permit, so the kids were a little disappointed.  Beach passes are $90 in addition to a Hyuck Preserve membership.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

We started the trail that takes you to the falls.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

The trails are clearly marked and well-maintained.  It was nice to see trail maps posted, as well as paper maps available to take along with you on hikes.  Plus, the Hyuck website invites users to share feedback on any trail issues you may encounter.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

First we passed the top of the falls, which is very nice.  There is a scenic overlook and a bridge that passes over the water, and we continued the trail to get to the bottom of the falls.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

As we neared the bottom of the falls, the trail has a marker to show the site of an old felt mill.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

The falls are beautiful, cascading over 120′.  I really think this is one of the most beautiful local falls that we have been to.  It was very peaceful and worth the hike.

Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY

The trail from the beach to the bottom of the falls was probably about 1-1.5 miles, and a relatively mild hike.

I was impressed with the Hyuck Preserve, as the trails were very well-maintained and I don’t think I saw any litter the whole time we were in the preserve.  I liked having a paper map, and that you can give feedback on the trails online if there are any issues.  This would be a nice place to spend the day exploring different trails, as there are about 12 miles of trails within the preserve.

Visit the Hyuck Preserve page here: http://www.huyckpreserve.org/

Their trails info and map are available here: http://www.huyckpreserve.org/trail-map–rules.html

Check out the other hikes we have been on: https://www.anationofmoms.com/hikes 

Check out our other Things to Do in Albany, NY!

Marysa

About the Author: Marysa

Busy blogger and mom of two girls. We love traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure!