Lenoir Preserve

Wow, this place is pretty great! A must see if you love nature, minutes from the city. Real hiking trails!
The kids loved exploring the property & the only drawback is that the mansion is in disrepair.
Hot tip: bring your own drinking water, there is none available

If the city is paying to maintain the place, then they should fire the workers. Weeds were 5′ tall. Could be very pretty and relaxing.
Nice for a little walk. Not for bikes or running

Great place to take a walk, relax, & to enjoy nature. It’s so peaceful here. We were here on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon & barely anybody here. The mansion is beautiful, unfortunately it is not open for public. The views are spectacular! There is a nature center & butterfly garden inside. The nature center isn’t open daily but you can always use the ground daily from dawn to dusk all year long. Admission is free & it is located minutes away from the Saw Mill Parkway.
If you want to get away from the busy city life or if you love to enjoy nature, this place is definitely worth visiting. It’s only about half an hour to 45 minutes drive from Manhattan.

I consider this place the closet thing to a backyard. It is really the only place nearby that my rescue dog and I can run around on some grass in front of the mansion and walk the trails. Almost daily we see a doe and her 2 fawns.
Fyi, there are no water fountains and the Nature Center isn’t always open so make sure you bring your own water.

Lenoir Nature Preserve is a beautiful, small park near the Hudson River. The views of the Palisades are spectacular, the walkways easy and paved. This is the former estate of Samuel Tilden. The mansion is now empty, a victim of mismanagement and budget cuts. Its exterior has been used a set in «A Beautiful Mind» and in a «Sex in the City» episode.
You can enjoy the grounds as if you were as rich as Tilden was — and he was one of the richest men in New York. He was also the 19^th century’s Al Gore, winning the popular vote but losing the Electoral College vote.
Lenoir is a Westchester County nature preserve. It’s also the home base of the Hudson River Audubon Society. They’ve established a butterfly garden where hummingbirds are frequent visitors. Birds and deer are abundant. Hawk watches and feeder watches are sponsored in the fall and winter. You can find out more about the programs the Hudson River Audubon Society sponsors by going to
Admission to all programs as well as the preserve is free.

Beautiful mansion along with landscape! Would deff recommend this place for a nice walk with a friend or significant other on a beautiful afternoon. One of my favorite places to go to when I need to walk and just clear my head.

Hidden, but reachable location near the Hudson River, the Lenoir Preserve is a hidden paradise. There is a monarch butterfly garden that is teeming with them. It’s very pleasantly surprising. There are also hummingbirds that forage on the flowers as well as woodpeckers and nocturnal animals. The meadow is great for relaxing and for taking nature walks. There’s also a dragonfly pond– who knew? Definitely a place for thinkers, poets, the science wiz, and families with children.
I would love to check out the hawk migration in the spring or fall. And cross-​country skiing in the winter.
You don’t need a Westchester County Park Pass for admission either.