PLEASE NOTE: Due to City of Beacon repairs to Tioronda Bridge, Madam Brett Park will be closed to the public from April 29 to Nov. 1, 2013. No vehicular or pedestrian access will be allowed. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Enjoying the views at Madam Brett Park. photo: Robert Rodriguez, Jr.
Beacon, Dutchess County (12 acres)—Madam Brett Park hugs Fishkill Creek, which played a prominent role in Beacon's development. Along it stood a gristmill owned by the park's namesake — Catheryna Rombout Brett (1687-1764), the first European settler in the present-day city. The mill was an important gathering place for farmers and Native Americans inhabiting both shores of the Hudson River hereabouts. In the 1800s, the creek powered a profusion of hat factories (including the Tioronda Hat Works, located in the brick building adjacent to the park), which earned Beacon the nickname "New York's Hat-Making Capital."
Today the park provides a perfect place to explore the ecology of a vital Hudson River tributary and the tidal wetland at its mouth. Fishkill Marsh supports an extraordinary variety of wildlife. It furnishes a home for amphibians and aquatic mammals, including muskrats; serves as a hunting ground for ospreys, bald eagles and other raptors; and is a stopover for migratory birds. A boardwalk and observation platforms afford up-close discoveries of these and other creatures. A waterfall at the park's eastern end is especially impressive — and raucous — in spring or after heavy rains.
Park Features
- Biking
- Bird watching/nature study
- Dog walking (on leash)
- Fishing
- Featured Atlantic Kayak Tours destination
- Food nearby
- Picnicking
- Universally accessible Walking
- X-country skiing & snowshoeing (ungroomed trails)
When to visit
PARK CLOSED from April 29, 2013 to Oct. 1, 2013 while the City of Beacon makes repairs to Tioronda bridge.
Trails
A mile of gently sloping, gravel-surfaced trails lead to the dramatic waterfall and tidal marsh; a short, narrow woodland trail provides access to the marsh observation platform. A boardwalk along Fishkill Creek allows universally accessible exploration of this important Hudson River tributary and the wildlife it supports.
Directions & Map
From Newburgh-Beacon Bridge head 3.2 miles south on Route 9D, turn right on Tioronda Ave., then left under the railroad trestle. Parking area is on the left.
