Upstate New York's Art Trail Immerses Landscape Lovers In Historic Views Of The Hudson River

If you head north on the Hudson River from Manhattan, skyscrapers give way to lush forests, charming towns, and idyllic countryside. This beautiful landscape lured mid-19th-century artists as industrialization expanded New York City. Hudson River School paintings captured the unspoiled wilderness not yet marred by modern development. Today, these masterpieces are found in America's leading museums and can sell for millions at auction. Founded in 2005, the Hudson River School Art Trail is a collective of 20 sites, including the studios and homes of Hudson River School artists and the vistas they depicted in their work. 

Wondering where to begin? Landmarks such as the Thomas Cole National Historic Site and Olana, artist Frederic Edwin Church's residence, offer an excellent historical overview of the Hudson River School. There, you can see some of the masterpiece paintings that define the Hudson River School movement. Active travelers can then head out on nearby hikes to waterfalls, lakes, and outlooks. Along the way, discover the landscapes that provided endless artistic inspiration. 

The Hudson River School Art Trail is an easy day or weekend trip from New York City. The urban hub of the Hudson River is Hudson, a trendy small city with postcard beauty, shops, and cafes. Hudson is a little over a two-hour drive or train ride from New York's Penn Station. 

Begin your Hudson River School Art Trail visit at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, New York. Cole is considered the father of the Hudson River School movement, one of the country's first art movements. He sought to capture nature in its purest state. The Thomas Cole National Historic Site is composed of the artist's 19th-century home, art studios, and gardens. The prime perch of the Main House's porch affords spectacular Catskill Mountain views that Cole often portrayed in paintings. 

Just across the Hudson River via the Rip Van Winkle Bridge is Olana, the unique estate of artist Frederic Edwin Church, which overlooks the Hudson River. The 250-acre property that spills down to the river is crowned by the Main House, a Victorian and Moorish-style creation that the artist designed himself. "The mansion too, is a thing of wonder," raved a Tripadvisor reviewer. "If one enjoys the Victorian aesthetic, as we do, the exuberance and eclectic mixture of styling, inside & out, provides a visual feast."

Next, visitors should discover nearby hikes, which often culminate in viewpoints that Hudson River School artists captured. Don't miss Kaaterskill Falls, one of America's oldest tourist attractions. Cole visited the falls on his first trip to Catskill in 1825, and his paintings from this trip were the genesis of the Hudson River School. Another site on the trail is Sky Top, a spectacular tower accessed by trails on the property of the Mohonk Mountain House, the most iconic resort in New York's Hudson Valley. From Sky Top, panoramic views of the Shawangunk Mountains unfurl in every direction.