Sojourner Truth State Park: Kingston's Newest 508-Acre Gem on the Hudson

Kingston now has its own state park — and it's a big one. Sojourner Truth State Park spans 508 acres along the Hudson River, just north of the city, and it's unlike anything else in the area. Part waterfront retreat, part industrial ruin, part dense Catskill-foothill forest, the park is named for the abolitionist and suffragist who was born Isabella Baumfree right here in Ulster County in 1797.

 

Dedicated by Governor Kathy Hochul during Black History Month in February 2022, the park sits on land once used for cement production and brick making. Now, those layered histories — Indigenous, industrial, and ecological — are all on display across forested hills, wetlands, steep cliffs, and two former quarries known as Lost Lake and Quarry Lake.

 

What You Can Do Right Now

 

Even though the park is still being built out — the full trail network and a community event space are expected by 2027 — there's plenty to explore today. The paved Hudson River Brickyard Trail, part of the Empire State Trail, runs through the park and connects Kingston Point Beach with East Kingston. This is one of the few spots along the entire 750-mile Empire State Trail where the route meets the Hudson River directly.

 

Visitor highlights include:

 

Spectacular Hudson River views from the waterfront pavilion and overlooks

 

• Historic industrial ruins — remnants of brick-making kilns and quarrying operations scattered through the landscape
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• Diverse habitats to walk through: 260 acres of forested hills, 37 acres of wetlands, and dramatic cliff and ridge lines
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• Swimming facilities scheduled to open summer 2026
  
  

The park is open dawn to dusk. A heads-up: only a portion of the 508 acres is currently accessible, so check for any closures before you visit.

 

A Name With Deep Local Roots

 

Sojourner Truth escaped slavery in 1826 and became one of the most powerful voices of the 19th century — an abolitionist, a suffragist, and a preacher whose words helped shape the movements that redefined America. She spent her early years in Ulster County, and naming this park after her was a deliberate choice. Scenic Hudson, which conserved the land in 2019 and manages the park under a cooperative agreement with New York State, has made community engagement and inclusive interpretation central to the park's development.

 

The park also inaugurated Sojourner Truth Day on November 26, with the first celebration featuring a community food drive for the Kingston Community Action Food Pantry and a guided hike from the Steep Rocks Overlook.

 

What's Coming Next

 

The master plan, developed by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission in partnership with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, calls for an expanded trail network, a community event space, interpretive installations covering Indigenous history and the site's geology, and a new park entrance with improved roads and buildings. The swimming area is the headline addition for summer 2026.

 

Planning Your Visit

 

Location: North of Kingston, bounded by the Hudson River to the east and NY Route 32 to the west.
Hours: Dawn to dusk.
Trails: Paved Hudson River Brickyard Trail (Empire State Trail connection), plus unpaved routes through forest and wetlands.
Parking: Limited — arrive early on weekends.
More info: NYS Parks — Sojourner Truth State Park