Troy

Burden Pond Preserve

Date visited: 6/4/2023

We escaped damp, cold, and dreary weather in Connecticut by going to Troy, NY, where it was less cold, damp and dreary. The sun was actually out for a bit. The trail here is a fun hike. It starts out behind the parking lot that it shares with a laundromat. There is a picnic area with views of the man made waterfall. The actual trail is a short distance away on the other side of the pond, and can be accessed via the sidewalk along the street. There are nice views of the marshy area around the pond. The trail follows the river which includes three different waterfalls. They are small and may even be classified as cascades, and not full fledged waterfalls. It was hard to photograph the waterfalls with the fully leaved trees blocking the view, and no real safe way to get down closer to the falls. Beyond the falls, the trail continues through the woods and patches of wildflowers. This section was slightly overgrown, but nothing we couldn't handle. There is a bench and a sign at the end of the trail, near the intersection of Project Road and Campbell Avenue. We then turned around and headed back, walking just shy of three miles total.

More Images

Prospect Park

Date visited: 7/2/2025

This is a pretty nice city park with a lot of open grassy areas. There are athletic fields and playgrounds as well, and a disc golf course. The park is situated on a large hill, and there are some scenic views of the city below. I took the opportunity to walk Mandy and Lexi through the sprinkler when no kids were using it. Normally they would hate that, but I think with the heat and humidity they enjoyed it today!

More Images

Rensselear Polytechnic Institute

Date visited: 7/2/2025

We walked a two mile loop around this campus. The buildings are a mixture of modern architecture, as well as some older buildings built between 1900 and 1930 in a "Colonial Revival" style. Like other campuses we visited, there is a variety of courtyards and a few art exhibits. This is primarily a technological college, so not as much art as other campuses. There are plenty of shady benches around the campus to find spots to rest for a few minutes on a warm evening. As the campus is situated on a hilltop, there are spots with nice views of the city below. This was a pretty fun walk.