Drayton Grant Park at Burger Hill

Drayton Grant Park at Burger Hill is one of those places we wish we'd found sooner. It's a short climb up a mowed meadow to a bald summit, and at the top you get a huge slice of the southern Catskills. For about a mile of walking, it's hard to beat.

The park is in Rhinebeck, just a few minutes from Poets' Walk, and it pairs with it perfectly. Both are in the mid-Hudson Valley, a long way north of the Hudson Highlands. The terrain is totally different too: no rocky scrambles or steep ridges here, just wide grassy paths and rolling farmland.

The gravel lot is right off Route 9G and fits roughly a dozen cars, with no restrooms. There's a small pond near the lot, and from there the path heads straight up the hill. Most of the climb comes in the first half mile, but the grade is gentle and steady. We'd call it a stroll on an incline more than a hike. Total gain is around 190 feet, topping out near 550 feet.

The summit is the payoff. Three stone slabs up top double as seats and have the surrounding peaks etched into them, so you can sit there and match the outlines to the mountains in front of you. The views stretch across Hudson Valley farmland to the Catskills, and there's open grass for a picnic. A few benches sit at the tree line by an old stone wall if you want a bit of shade.

There's very little tree cover, so bring a hat and sunscreen in summer and a wind layer the rest of the year. It's at its best on a clear day, and sunset is the favorite time for a lot of people, so the lot can fill up. In winter, the hill turns into a popular sledding spot when there's snow.

Most people spend about 45 minutes here, but it's easy to stretch it into a longer visit with a picnic. Nothing about it is hard, so it works for kids, older folks, or a quick leg stretch on a road trip. Leashed dogs are welcome.