Operated by Saw Mill River Audubon
The park today
Brinton Brook is a 156-acre woodland sanctuary with more than four miles of hiking trails through a variety of habitats, including the pond near its center (Brinton Pond). The land sits in the Town of Cortlandt immediately north of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, bordered by the Amberlands development to the west and the Hudson National Golf Club to the east, with a Con Edison power-line corridor crossing the northeast corner.
Seven trails are shown on SMRA's official map: the yellow Pond Loop circles the heart of the sanctuary, with the blue Turkey Trail, red Split Rock Trail, yellow Laurel Rock Trail and green Coyote Trail branching off it. The white Highland Trail leaves the sanctuary's east side and continues on the village trail system toward the Jane E. Lytle Memorial Arboretum, so a longer walk can string the two preserves together. SMRA leads a free guided walk from the main parking area on the second Saturday of every month at 9:00 am. There are no restrooms or other public facilities.
History
Laura and Willard Brinton gave the original 112 acres of their land to the National Audubon Society to protect it permanently as a wildlife sanctuary. Saw Mill River Audubon (SMRA), the local Audubon chapter, managed Brinton Brook for National Audubon from 1958 until 1991, when full ownership of the original sanctuary lands was transferred to SMRA.
The sanctuary grew in stages. In 1975 the Brintons' niece, Ruth Brinton Perera, added 17 acres. In 1995 SMRA opened the Coyote Trail to link the sanctuary to the village trail network through a 27-acre parcel in the northeast corner; that parcel is owned by the Village of Croton-on-Hudson and managed by SMRA as part of the sanctuary. Today the sanctuary totals 156 acres, the largest of SMRA's eight sanctuaries.
Trails
From SMRA's official trail map: Pond Loop (yellow, 1.19 mi), Turkey Trail (blue, 0.47 mi), Split Rock Trail (red, 0.51 mi), Laurel Rock Trail (yellow, 0.43 mi), Coyote Trail (green, 0.39 mi), Highland Trail (white, 0.92 mi), Old Farm Road (unmarked, 0.20 mi). The Highland Trail connects to the Croton-on-Hudson village trail system and on to the Croton Arboretum.
Visiting
- Hours
- Sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.
- Parking
- Small parking areas at the end of the signed entrance driveway off Route 9A (Albany Post Road) at 1339 Albany Post Road; SMRA's map marks the main lot at N 41.22288, W 73.90504, with a second parking area farther along the drive. Parking is limited; groups of more than three vehicles should contact SMRA in advance.
- Getting there
- From the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, take Route 9A (Albany Post Road) north; the sanctuary's entrance drive is a small signed private-style drive on the east side, just north of the village. On foot, the sanctuary can also be reached via the Highland Trail from the end of Arrowcrest Road or from the Croton Arboretum.
- Rules
- Free and open to all. Dogs are permitted only on leash and with their owner; SMRA prohibits commercial dog walkers and allows at most two dogs per person. Groups larger than six people or three vehicles must contact the SMRA office in advance.
Accessibility
Natural-surface woodland hiking trails; not wheelchair accessible.
| Step-free access | No |
|---|---|
| Accessible parking | No |
| Accessible restroom | No |
| Surfaces | Unpaved dirt footpaths with rocks and roots; no restrooms or other public facilities. |
Links
Sources
- Saw Mill River Audubon — Brinton Brook Sanctuary — retrieved 2026-08-13
- SMRA Brinton Brook Sanctuary trail map (PDF) — retrieved 2026-08-13
- Saw Mill River Audubon — Sanctuaries Overview (hours, dog policy, group policy) — retrieved 2026-08-13
- Village of Croton-on-Hudson Parks Information and Trail Guide (2013) — retrieved 2026-08-13
Researched 2026-08-13.