Hiking at the New Croton Dam
If you’re going to go to Pizzeria Baci, make sure to visit the New Croton Dam as well. We got in the car a little later than usual and set off for the one hour drive. Someone wanted to try the Baci pizza and since it opens at four, we were not in a rush to leave. Before visiting the dam we walked around the water by the railroad, while waiting for our friend. Once he came, we got in the car and drove to the dam.
Old vs New Croton Dam
New Croton Dam is an upgrade from the original Old Croton Dam. The original dam was built from 1837 and 1842, proving NYC with ample supply of water. By 1881 the dam was repaired and was able to supply 90 million gallons of fresh water to the city, on a daily basis! It’s insane to me how much water we used then, forget about today. According to my research, NYC uses 1 billion gallons of water each day! Without our dams and reservoirs, where would the city be?
When we finally came to the parking lot for the New Croton Dam, it was closed. We drove just a short distance up the road and were able to park our car at the top of the dam. This impressive dam is truly breathtaking, standing at over 200 feet in Westchester County, New York. While it was a cold, winter day, I can still imagine the sheer pressure and wind you would get in the summer days walking over this massive structure. We walked over the bridge to the other side. There was a car parked on the other side of the bridge so I assume there is another way to get to the dam. The woman and her two dogs were coming back from their walk while we were walking down. This area has beautiful trails that you can explore before you step down and enjoy the dam. Since the boys were hungry and cold, and our feet were stepping into wet puddled covered with snow, our hike here was short.
As we stood down by the dam admiring the view, two men were fishing. The 2,182 acre reservoir provides great fishing for anglers. You can catch a wide variety of fish such as yellow perch, smallmouth bass, sunfish, and brown bullhead. So if you want to come here and fish, you can. Be sure to have your fishing license on you. In the spring and summer or once the snow melts, enjoy the 22 miles of paved trails that go through this park towards the city.
