Chester: Nature, Trails, and Local History

For a stay in Chester, nature, outdoor activities, and local history offer different points of focus. Goosepond Mountain State Park is characterized by an almost entirely forested open space; historical topics range from the Chester Local History Museum to Greycourt Rock Shelter. The Orange Heritage Trail, the Orange Heritage Trailway, and Sugar Loaf Arts and Crafts Village add to the choices. If you are looking for a hotel, these interests can help you plan your stay in Chester.

Nature and Trails

Goosepond Mountain State Park covers 1,558 acres and is almost entirely forested. As an open space, it is open to hikers and horseback riders. At the same time, the park is undeveloped and has only limited parking. Before your visit, it is a good idea to check the latest information about park and parking conditions.

The 9-mile Orange Heritage Trail is considered ideal for family bike rides. It is also suitable for inline skates and roller skates, wheelchairs, and walks with a stroller. If you are weighing these outdoor options, hiking or horseback riding are the main activities at the state park, while the trail is a specific option for family bike rides and other ways of getting around.

The Orange Heritage Trailway is accessible via the Chester Depot Museum on Winkler Place in Chester. The 14.5-mile rail trail in Orange County follows the former right-of-way of the Erie Railroad’s main line from Monroe to near Middletown.

Local History and Culture

The Chester Local History Museum is located in the 1915 Erie Railroad station at 19 Winkler Place in downtown Chester. The Chester Depot Museum is housed in a building dating from 1915 that was restored in 1999 and features exhibits of local and historical interest.

Another historical landmark is Greycourt Rock Shelter in Goosepond State Park. It has been in use for at least 5,000 years. The shelter is also considered to have been one of Claudius Smith’s hiding places during the American Revolutionary War. Thus, the park brings together a history stretching far back in time and a specific chapter from the Revolutionary War.

Sugar Loaf Arts and Crafts Village is located in the Town of Chester and is a community of creative craftspeople and artists. Restaurants, shops, and galleries are housed there in original 16th- and 17th-century buildings. The Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center is also part of the village. Crafts, galleries, and performing arts are different cultural aspects found side by side here.

The Village of Chester claims to be the birthplace of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. C. H. Green and Wm. A. Lawrence are also part of the local cream cheese story: they made and sold cream cheese in Chester as early as the 1870s. This story offers another perspective on the town, alongside its museums, historic buildings, and outdoor activities.

Discover more destinations: New Windsor, Newburgh, Highland Falls, West Point, Woodbury, Greenwood Lake, New Hampton, Goshen.

For the main travel overview: Orange.