Franny Reese State Park, State park in Highland, Ulster County, US

Franny Reese State Park is a state park covering about 250 acres along forested bluffs overlooking the Hudson River. The landscape is crisscrossed with roughly 7 kilometers of trails that offer views of the river and the Mid-Hudson Bridge.

The land was the Cedar Glen estate, built in the mid-19th century by painless dentistry pioneer Charles H. Roberts. After Roberts died, his heirs fought over ownership and the estate fell into disrepair. Scenic Hudson bought the property in 2003 and transferred it to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; it opened as a state park in 2009.

The park is named after Frances Reese, an environmental advocate who dedicated herself to protecting natural lands throughout the Hudson Valley. You can sense her legacy in how the woodlands are cared for and the trails are maintained today.

The park is open from sunrise to sunset year-round, offering trails suitable for different experience levels. In winter, the hiking routes become cross-country skiing paths, making outdoor activities possible throughout the year.

The mansion at Cedar Glen was built in the mid-19th century by Charles H. Roberts, a pioneer of painless dentistry. After his death his heirs fought over the estate and it fell into disrepair, so the ruins now visible among the trees are the remains of that disputed property, bought by Scenic Hudson in 2003.