Welcome to The Walkway!

Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park is the World's Longest Elevated Pedestrian Bridge, spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie and Highland, New York in the beautiful Hudson Valley. Originally opened in 1889 as the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge, the Walkway was a thoroughfare for trains until 1974, when a great fire twisted the tracks and ended its service as a rail line.  From 1974 until the mid-2000s, the bridge sat dormant until the completion of a grassroots community campaign to adapt the structure into a pedestrian park led to the opening of Walkway Over the Hudson in 2009. To date, more than seven million people have visited to walk, run, bike, skate, stroll, and take in breathtaking, unobstructed 360-degree views of the Hudson River and its scenic surroundings.

Walkway Over the Hudson stands 212 feet above the Hudson River. It is 1.28 miles long from gate to gate and a key connector between the William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail, Hudson Valley Rail Trail, and Empire State Trail. The entire span is lined with a substantial, chest-high safety railing.

Access to the Walkway is free during regular operating hours.

Getting to the Walkway

Substantial on-street parking and a number of parking areas are open near the Walkway.  Please follow posted signage for information about metering and parking availability.

Walkway West (Highland)

Parking lot address: 87 Haviland Road, Highland, NY, 12528

Walkway East (Poughkeepsie)

Parking lot address: 61 Parker Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601

This lot is managed by New York State Parks and accepts the New York State Parks Empire Pass.

Washington Street Stairs (Poughkeepsie)

A staircase located at 131 Washington Street in Poughkeepsie offers entrance to the park directly at the East Gate Plaza. The Washington Street Stairs are 0.7 miles from the train station and accessible by a short walk or car ride.

Upper Landing Park (Elevator Entrance):

A Dutchess County Park located on the banks of the Hudson River on Water Street in Poughkeepsie, Upper Landing Park offers visitors a beautiful setting to stroll through 300 years of history, relax, picnic, and access the Walkway's elevator (open seasonally, operating hours at right).

Parking is available at the Poughkeepsie Train Station - 83 N. Water St., Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601.

Elevator at Upper Landing Park: The 21-story, glass-enclosed ADA-compliant elevator on the Poughkeepsie waterfront at Upper Landing Park operates seasonally from 9 a.m, until 90 minutes prior to park closing, unless closed for maintenance. The elevator is attended by staff and the ride is approximately 90 seconds. Like the Walkway, the elevator is open weather permitting and may close for thunder, lightning, and high winds. 

To confirm if the elevator is running, call the Elevator Status Hotline: 845-834-3641

Take the Train to the Walkway

The Walkway is easily accessible by Amtrak or Metro-North Railroad. The Washington Street Stairs (131 Washington Street, Poughkeepsie) are a short 0.7 mile walk or car ride from the Poughkeepsie Train Station.

• Amtrak: Poughkeepsie Station 800-872-7245
• Metro-North: Poughkeepsie Station 212-532-4900
• Dutchess Transit: Public transportation bus options in Poughkeepsie
  
  

Tour The Walkway

Visitors are invited to learn about the history of the Walkway, the past and present of the Hudson Valley, and the ecology of the Hudson River in several engaging ways.  QR-coded signage along the Walkway's railings links to a mobile audio tour available in English, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin Chinese. A guided, GPS-based audio tour is available via TravelStorys. For the best performance, download the free TravelStorys app on your smartphone.

Group tours are available for parties large and small and perfect for functions attended by people of all ages. Led by trained Walkway Ambassadors, a guided tour is the perfect way to experience Walkway Over the Hudson.  A Walkway tour is great for any occasion, inlcuding teambuilding, birthday parties, family reunions, and more. Walkway Over the Hudson is equipped to handle coach buses traveling in the region.

Accessibility

Flat, paved, and with no stairs required, Walkway Over the Hudson is one of the most accessible destinations in America. The entrances at 87 Haviland Road (Highland) and 61 Parker Avenue (Poughkeepsie) and the elevator entrance at Upper Landing Park (Poughkeepsie) are ADA-compliant.

To assist seniors, veterans, people with mobility challenges, and those with a fear of heights, the Friends of the Walkway's all-electric 12-passenger, wheelchair accessible tram is in service during select hours. Lean more on the tram webpage.

A limited number of handicapped parking spaces are available on both entrances to the bridge.

Wheelchair rentals are available from loan closets in Dutchess County (Poughkeepsie entrance) and Ulster County (Highland entrance).

Please note: Embedded in the surface of the bridge are expansion joints (separations designed to relieve stress on construction materials) which are not ADA compliant. Please use caution while traversing.

About The Walkway

Walkway Over the Hudson is a New York State Park and part of the Taconic Region.  As a bridge, it is continuously inspected and maintained by the New York State Bridge Authority.  The Friends of the Walkway nonprofit organization raises funds to bring new amenities to the park, host engaging community events, support the volunteer Walkway Ambassadors, create employment opportunities for local youth, preserve the history of the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge, and more.  To make a donation and support the future of Walkway Over the Hudson, visit walkway.org/donate.

The Friends of the Walkway offices are located a short walk from the Walkway in Poughkeepsie and open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. To get in touch, email walkway@walkway.org or call 845-454-9649.