After visiting the Clermont State Historic Site I can say this. It is the easiest to access and best public location for sunset in the hudson valley. What makes it so great is that you can get to the view by car so you can easily get a great view with low physical effort. Which is perfect if you want to avoid a lengthy mountain hike to see a sunset or if you want to watch a great sunset daily.
Location: 1 Clermont Ave, German town NY
Once you enter the park by car, follow the long winding road to its end to find the right spot.
Pieces of Clermont Estate
When you see the parking lot, you’ll see the inviting view. There is a house on the property that can be visited, but we skipped it opting to instead just enjoy being outside. The best thing about this sunset view is that the parking lot goes right up against a downward sloping hill giving you an excellent view of the sun setting from your vehicle. Being inside your vehicle is especially helpful in those hot summer evenings or cold winter nights. On the lawn there are a few picnic tables alongside lots of open places where you could just lay on a towel to enjoy the moment.
The view from Clermont’s parking lot
There is no park entrance fee and the downward slope means that there will be nobody blocking your view. From the park, the curated lawn has a sunset facing view which combines trees, the water from the Hudson river and the distant hills and mountains on the other river bank. We were there on Labor day weekend, and it was pretty empty at sunset, allowing people to spread out. Providing you with that feeling of privacy despite being in a public area.
There are no hikes to be had. There is free parking throughout the summer with an immediate view from the parking lot. While you could watch the sunset from your car, walking 10 paces into the park will give you a bit of a better spot to enjoy your sunset.
So go on. Get in your car, grab a drink or two and watch the sunset from this amazingly convenient location.
