Posted in New York
August 29, 2016
We Dare You To Take This Road Trip To New York’s Most Abandoned Places
It’s time to hit the road again! Many of us have managed to store away our vacation time until the end of summer, ready to get out and explore someplace new and away from home. While we’ve recently taken you on trips through our most picturesque small towns and even mapped out weekend getaways, today we have a road trip in store for you that’s a bit off the beaten path.
Urban explorers, grab your cameras. It’s time to test your bravery on New York’s ultimate abandoned places road trip!
Note: For the sake of this trip, I focused on the abandoned places in our lower regions of New York. To keep the driving time realistic, I avoided putting certain spots that would drag you out towards the Finger Lakes, up to the Thousands Islands and onward to the Adirondacks. If you’d like to see another abandoned places road trip focusing on other areas of the state, don’t be shy!
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. If you know of a local business that could use some extra support during these times, please nominate them here: onlyinyourstate.com/nominate
To view this mapped out road trip on Google Maps, click here!
Thanks to footage captured by America's Forgotten Places, you can see below what the ruins of the Catskill Game Farm look like today. If you aren't familiar what has become of this abandoned zoo, you can click here to read about the new owners and their future plans for the property.
So, how do you see this place today? If you go to the Old Game Farm website, you'll see there are a couple of different ways you can view the abandoned zoo. You can schedule your own visit ahead of time with the new owners, or join one of the photography workshops that are offered here!
So, how do you see this place today? If you go to the Old Game Farm website, you'll see there are a couple of different ways you can view the abandoned zoo. You can schedule your own visit ahead of time with the new owners, or join one of the photography workshops that are offered here!
A unique stop on our road trip, to see these abandoned ruins you'll actually have to hike up one of our Catskill Mountains! Never a bad place to add to any road trip, Woodstock is hiding this unique trail that is home to the ruins of an old hotel.
The hike is considered quite strenuous, but makes for an unforgettable trip. Overall the hike is 4.6 miles long, out and back. Want some good news? The ruins are only about halfway up the mountain, so if you're only here to see the ruins and not the summit, you'll have an easier adventure.
The ruins make for a great resting stop on the way to the top of the mountain, and also are quite fascinating to see. A great deal of the building still stands even though it was the victim of several fires. A large hotel that was in the heart of a popular vacation getaway, you'll want to see these ruins at least once.
The hike is considered quite strenuous, but makes for an unforgettable trip. Overall the hike is 4.6 miles long, out and back. Want some good news? The ruins are only about halfway up the mountain, so if you're only here to see the ruins and not the summit, you'll have an easier adventure.
The ruins make for a great resting stop on the way to the top of the mountain, and also are quite fascinating to see. A great deal of the building still stands even though it was the victim of several fires. A large hotel that was in the heart of a popular vacation getaway, you'll want to see these ruins at least once.
A castle many recognize from riding the Metro-North Railroad, Bannerman's Island can be spotted from several places in New York. Right on the Hudson River, the structures you see today once served as storage facility for military weapons.
Over the years, the castles on the island have crumbled quite a bit from natural causes, also experiencing vandalism. Today, you can view the castle from out on the water with many local cruise ships or even your own kayak.
Want to get a closer look at the island for this road trip? Click here, to check out the Bannerman Castle website to see when tours are offered.
Over the years, the castles on the island have crumbled quite a bit from natural causes, also experiencing vandalism. Today, you can view the castle from out on the water with many local cruise ships or even your own kayak.
Want to get a closer look at the island for this road trip? Click here, to check out the Bannerman Castle website to see when tours are offered.
A location on our list that has become quite popular in recent years, the abandoned Rockland Psychiatric Center has served as the set for the Netflix hit Orange Is The New Black. The building was once known as the Rockland State Hospital and has long had a history of creepy tales.
Opening in the 1930's, many psychiatric hospitals like these that were up and running during this time period are now said to be haunted by the tortured patients who died here. Those who have dared to go here will tell you they've seen ghosts and claim the abandoned buildings are very, very haunted.
Opening in the 1930's, many psychiatric hospitals like these that were up and running during this time period are now said to be haunted by the tortured patients who died here. Those who have dared to go here will tell you they've seen ghosts and claim the abandoned buildings are very, very haunted.
Bringing you by the water, visitors will either find this place fascinating or repulsive. A beach now covered in fish and horse bones, vintage glass bottles and an assortment of other unimaginable items, Dead Horse Bay was once home to horse-rendering plants and was even used as a landfill.
Today, the beach attracts crafters and curious explorers. You'll find many of the visitors are artists who use items like the vintage glass bottles and other unique finds to create works of art that you'd never expect came from a place like this. Others find this place to be an eyesore, a puzzling place that many are often surprised to see hasn't been cleaned up over the years.
Today, the beach attracts crafters and curious explorers. You'll find many of the visitors are artists who use items like the vintage glass bottles and other unique finds to create works of art that you'd never expect came from a place like this. Others find this place to be an eyesore, a puzzling place that many are often surprised to see hasn't been cleaned up over the years.
Is there any better way to end a road trip then putting you on the beach? Not for us! This may not be a swimming beach, but you can fish here. The abandoned military post was established in the early 1900's and was used during World War I, World War II and the Cold War.
Today, most of the buildings still stand and are abandoned. Hidden amongst the sand and dunes of New York, this location has made its way onto the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, most of the buildings still stand and are abandoned. Hidden amongst the sand and dunes of New York, this location has made its way onto the National Register of Historic Places.
One of the most beautiful places to explore on this entire road trip, we saved the best for last. 550 acres of beautiful land to explore, filled with wooded areas, hiking trails, wildflowers, ponds and more, Muttontown is Nassua County's largest nature preserve.
The Muttontown Mystery Trail will take you to the ruins of King Zog's castle-like palace, a 2.9 mile loop in the preserve. So, who is King Zog you might ask? Just a king from Albania who purchased the property in 1951 but never quite got the chance to move in. Stories around town began to swirl from ear to ear, with claims that King Zog had actually paid for the property in diamonds and other gems and even had treasures already in the castle. Before he could move in looters would ransack the place, never to become a home for anyone ever again.
While most of the structures on the property were demolished throughout the years, today areas of the gardens and some of the home's bones still remain. Exploring this place may sound creepy, but it's almost quite magical!
The Muttontown Mystery Trail will take you to the ruins of King Zog's castle-like palace, a 2.9 mile loop in the preserve. So, who is King Zog you might ask? Just a king from Albania who purchased the property in 1951 but never quite got the chance to move in. Stories around town began to swirl from ear to ear, with claims that King Zog had actually paid for the property in diamonds and other gems and even had treasures already in the castle. Before he could move in looters would ransack the place, never to become a home for anyone ever again.
While most of the structures on the property were demolished throughout the years, today areas of the gardens and some of the home's bones still remain. Exploring this place may sound creepy, but it's almost quite magical!
So, would you ever take this road trip? Which stop on the road are you most excited to explore? To see one of the abandoned places we wished we could’ve included in this trip, read about the one Abandoned Summer Camp In New York That’s Like Something Out Of A Horror Film!
