Bristol Beach State Park (photo by Julie O’Connor}
Bristol Beach State Park is one of the best-kept secrets in Saugerties. The former brickyard along the Hudson River just north of Malden is an ideal spot for nature-lovers who enjoy a bit of American history in their sojourns.
“It’s a gorgeous spot right next to the Hudson River,” said Eric Humphrey, park manager with the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, which was transferred Bristol Beach by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 1967, eventually tripling its acreage 30 years later. The park is undeveloped and sprawling, and it features a landing popular with kayak, birding and fishing enthusiasts alike.
“It’s open to the public,” said Humphrey. “There’s a small parking lot, but no formal trails. People can put kayaks in, but there’s no swimming.”
The brickyard formerly on the site was in operation in the 19th century, and Humphrey said that structures still remain, as well as other signs of its former industrial use.
To get to Bristol Beach State Park, take Route 9W north of the Village of Saugerties and past Malden-on-Hudson. Just north of Route 34, make a right turn onto Emerick Road and follow it to the end. For more information on Bristol Beach State Park, call (845) 255-0753 or log on to https://www.palisadesparksconservancy.org/parks/21/.