With spring weather underway, we have been itching to get outside and try some new trails.

Anchor Diamond Park was easy to find on Google Maps.

It was nice to see plenty of parking there. Since the pandemic started, we often drive from trailhead to trailhead trying to find a spot. The parking lot at Anchor Diamond is huge! There was a decent amount of cars, but there was still ample parking, and surprisingly, we saw few people that day while hiking.

There is a lot of information at the trailhead kiosk, including maps, the history behind the park, and the natural history. I read online that the land was purchased by the town in 2015, and the park is relatively new.

In addition to the kiosk, there are maps in many locations throughout the park, so it is hard to get lost.

There are also arrows painted on many trees throughout, corresponding to the trail color.

There is a lot of history here, as this is the former Hawkwood property, and you can see the foundation remains of buildings.

This is a photo of the original Hawkwood mansion. It was interesting to learn some of the local history and see remains of the mansion as well as other things throughout the park. Check out this article to read more about the park history.

Photo credit: from town historian Rick Reynolds, circa 1900.

There are stone walls throughout the park, and I enjoyed how the trail meandered back and forth over the stream and wall.

There are several bridges and boardwalks over water and muddy areas, so despite spring rain, mud was not much of an issue.

There are many different trails at Anchor Diamond, so you can really tailor it to whatever distance you want to go. The main trail that goes down the center is 0.7 miles, so you could stick with that (it is not a loop, so in and back would be 1.4 miles), or add on other mileage.

I liked how the trails differ in scenery, from pine-cone littered forest to more open areas, a stream, etc.

We enjoyed seeing some spring wildflowers in bloom at the park (I believe this is a marsh marigold).

Trillium is another popular spring wildflower that we spotted along the trail.

You can find an Anchor Diamond Park trail map here.

Check out our posts on other Capital Region hikes here.

Marysa

About the Author: Marysa

Busy blogger and mom of two girls. We love traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure! If you have any travel questions, contact me! marysa@anationofmoms.com