high falls, ny

Crested Hen Farms in High Falls is a part of the Hudson Valley stretches from just north of New York City all the way up to Albany. Its unspeakable beauty has always made tourism a large part of the economy, but the many farms of the region have also gained notoriety because they serve as the “bread basket” of New York City. The region is one of the oldest winemaking regions in the country; founded in 1677 by the French Hugenots in New Paltz, long before California had been discovered. It has become a world-renowned winemaking region and was officially designated as the Hudson Valley Wine Region in 1982 by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. There are now over 20 operating wineries in the region, most of which offer wine-tasting tours. More recently, the region has become known as the “Silicone Valley of the East”, as a result of attractive New York State sponsored tax incentives to lure tech companies from the West.

Crested Hen Farms sits on the banks of the Rondout Creek and is located in an area known as the Rondout Valley, a part of the Mid-Hudson Valley. The name is derived from reduyt, the Dutch equivalent to the English word redoubt, meaning fort or stronghold, one of which was built at its mouth. It begins at Rocky Mountain in the Catskill Mountains and winds around Ulster and Sullivan Counties for 63.3 miles before ending in the Hudson River near Kingston, N.Y. Along the way it passes through the Rondout Reservoir, a part of the New York City’s water system. It is wider in many places than the Wallkill River, which flows into the Rondout Creek before it joins the Hudson. In addition to the rich resources mentioned above, this part of the Hudson Valley is particularly known for its extensive hiking and biking trails, numerous places for canoeing/kayaking, snow skiing in the Winter, and some of the most challenging rock climbing in the world.

State: New York
Region: Mid-Hudson Valley
County: Ulster
Town: Rochester (not the city of Rochester, N.Y.; that’s near Niagra Falls)
Village/Hamlet: High Falls
Alligerville Historic District

Nearby attractions include (minutes by car in parentheses):

  • Mohonk Nature Preserve (3)

  • Minnewaska State Park (5)

  • Mohonk Mountain House (7)

  • SUNY New Paltz (10)

  • Kingston, N.Y. (15)—the first state capital of New York

  • Shawangunk Ridge—aka “The Gunks” (15)—mountain/rock climbing

  • Catskill Mountains (20)

  • Ashokan Reservoir (20)-stunning views and part of NYC’s water system

  • Woodstock (30)

  • Stewart International Airport (SWF) (50)—Newburg, N.Y.

  • Storm King Art Center and Sculpture Park (55)—New Windsor, N.Y.

  • Hunter Mountain (65)–snow skiing

  • U.S. Military Academy at West Point (70)

  • Bear Mountain State Park (70)

  • Windham Mountain (70)—snow skiing

  • Albany (75)

  • LaGuardia Airport—LGA (120)

  • John F. Kennedy Airport—JFK (130)

And just across the Hudson River (minutes by car in parentheses):

  • Rhinebeck (40)—home of the oldest B & B in the country

  • Vassar College (45)–Poughkeepsie

  • Marist College (45)—just north of Poughkeepsie

  • Home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (50)

  • Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (50)

  • Culinary Institute of America (50)

  • Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site (50)

  • Hudson (60)-haven for antiquing

There are numerous B & B’s and world-class restaurants in High Falls and nearby Stone Ridge and Rosendale. Kingston, the original capital city of New York, is a 15 minute drive from the farm and has several hotels to accommodate larger crowds, as well as many great restaurants and a vibrant night life.