The Walk to Tenafly - Part Two

Thanks for holding on there folks - I knew I would get back to telling you the tale to Tenafly in more detail. So, thanks for your patience.

You must realize: it's only a 25 minute walk across the George Washington Bridge, even with stopping to take a few pictures. And what's that? Oh, maybe a 20 block walk downtown; a walk across Central Park and down to the Metropolitan Museum, perhaps. It's not far, people, you can do it!

And once you have - well, after you've walk down a little, and under the highway and up a flight of steps, you're at the doorway (to adventure!):
Yes, the gateway to a new world - or the escape-way from your old, familiar one! Let's take just a few steps up.

Hmm. A sign: we're going on to the Long Path, eh? Carpenter's Trail ... Allison Park (that looks interesting), and Dyckman Hill Trail - wait! Is that the same Dyckman we know from uptown? From the Farm House at 204th and Broadway?

In fact, that's at least one of the places where the ferry from Dyckman Street would land in New Jersey. I wonder if we'll ever get that again? Because I know there used to be a ferry from over in Jersey that one of my childhood neighbors, when she was a student at Barnard in the 20's, used to take the ferry from her over to 125th Street and walk up the hill of Broadway to class. Ahh, yes, those were the days my friends ....

But I don't think I'll be going all the way to the Dyckman Hill Trail. But Allison Park, yes. We shall see that. So, I walk a bit to the left and, ahh...
This is why I came across the bridge! I'll take that path!

And it was true that at that time I didn't really care where it went! I could walk it, and easily. Such fun.

Just to stroll down with a purposeful stride. As if I knew where I was going - because that wasn't important! I was out and about, and I was on my way.




I knew there were to be some fantastic views ahead, and maybe even some more adventurers out to see the sights of late autumn over the river. But first I had to look back, as I got closer to the edge of the Palisades -
I've come all that way - and farther, it seems.

I spot a family by a lookout, and one who was new to the site. Very closeby was a fork in the path. "Where do we go Dad?" one of the boys asked. "Hmm..." he murmered. My cue: "Take the left path. It goes along the top - and there are restrooms not far!"

Oh, such an authority, I am I am! They exclaimed "Yay!" as I continued my walk.

Well! Who was here? Who have we to imagine lost these - eyes?! No, earrings. They looked rather nice - but I certainly left them there to startle the group now following me - I wonder if they left them there? I hope so, unless they knew who lost them - which I doubt.

The wonders of the woods: "Whose woods are these? I think I know," but he lives in the village below?

Onward!


A bridge! And not the George - such a change. This path is seeming to get somewhere ....

I cross a running brook, although I didn't see any frogs at first glance. Actually, come to think of it, I was so unlike myself when I was a kid growing up. I didn't stop to search for any wildlife! Hmm. Next time ....




This path seems to be arriving somewhere - and yes, this is Allison Park.

So, naturally, and you know me by now, I wonder who is Allison? As the website for the Palisades Park Conservancy informed me:

"William O. Allison (1849-1924), [...] had an estate at this location. Allison had been born in the "Undercliff" settlements, the son of fishermen and quarry workers. As a child he was made a ward of the Dana family, who owned a large estate on top of the cliffs. He succeeded in business and became one of the largest land owners along the Palisades, and was the principal owner of the Palisades Mountain House, also at this site, until it burned down in 1884."

What was the Palisades Mountain House? I had never heard of it:

And you could drive your rig along the Hudson River on the Hudson River Drive from Edgewater to Fort Lee, and up to the top of the cliffs and to the hotel. Many people did - even Calvert Vaux, one half of the team that designed Central Park, in the summer of 1880.

But today, all we have is Allison Park ... and the remnants of a few foundation elements ... and maybe this?
I have to check this out ....







Many of you have probably driven on Route 9W many times, passing all those spandexed bicyclists in the technicolor crouch of their preferred exercise, and maybe you've seen all the woods and wondered what may lie behind those trees.

I walk on to discover just what's around that corner. A nice stone cabin, filled with building
supplies, but with a wonderful view. I can't help but imagine the wonderful afternoon spend sipping wine and talking with close friends. All quiet, secluded, on the cliff and behind the trees. So close, and so far away.


I fear I'm ending my woods walk soon, but I go out into the clearing of the park - of Allison Park, to catch one of the great views of the river.
The great George Washington Bridge, over a mile away, as I walk on the Palisades, near where the great Palisades Mountain House stood until that terrible fire in 1884.

But now I seem to be heading out, and indeed there's a sign - and I think I'm on - oh no! - I'm on my way to the road!





And down at the end of the road is St. Peter's College, which will not be covered on this blog, at least in these installments - but I'm at the end of my sylvan wanderings - and due to walk for a short street on Sylvan Avenue, also known as Route 9W, into Englewood Cliffs, Englewood, and finally Tenafly. The Next Installment!