Half Moon Bay Esplanade

The park today

The esplanade is a level waterfront promenade running along the Hudson in front of the Half Moon Bay condominiums and marina, with open water views toward Croton Point and the Hudson Highlands. Walking north from the Croton Point Avenue/Croton-Harmon station area, the route passes the marina and condominium waterfront, continues past the Croton Sailing School and Senasqua Park, then follows the Elliott Way boardwalk — an 8.5-foot-wide concrete-plank walkway raised over the shoreline — to Croton Landing Park. It is a walking and cycling corridor rather than a destination park: there are benches and river overlooks but no fields, playgrounds or restrooms on the esplanade itself (the nearest public restrooms are at Senasqua and Croton Landing in season). Because the southern stretch crosses Half Moon Bay condominium property under a public-access arrangement, walkers should keep to the shoreline path.

History

The esplanade owes its existence to waterfront redevelopment. The Half Moon Bay condominium community, with an adjacent 173-slip marina, was built on Croton's Hudson riverfront near the mouth of the Croton River in phases spanning the late 1980s through the early 2000s (the later, adjoining Discovery Cove phase was developed by Spectrum Skanska). When the project was first approved, the site plan required a waterfront esplanade for pedestrians to preserve public access to the Hudson River shoreline — a condition consistent with the village's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program — though that access was initially framed as being for Croton residents.

To carry public access along the entire riverfront, the village, the developer, Metro-North and Westchester County later worked out a connecting route: a bicycle/pedestrian trail funded by Spectrum Skanska on a Metro-North easement linking toward Croton Point, and the esplanade-and-Elliott Way corridor running north to Senasqua Park. The route became part of Westchester County's RiverWalk, a planned 51.5-mile trail along the Hudson.

The last dangerous gap was Elliott Way itself, a narrow riverfront road that pedestrians and cyclists had to share with vehicle traffic between Senasqua Park and Croton Landing. In June 2017 the village completed a 351-foot elevated concrete boardwalk cantilevered over the riprap on the river side of Elliott Way (designed by Site Design Consultants, built by Con-Tech Construction), creating an uninterrupted off-road connection between the two parks and completing the walkable chain from the Croton-Harmon station area to Croton Landing's northern shoreline.

Visiting

Hours

No formally published hours were found. The walkway is generally used during daylight; per the Croton Rotary trail guide, the section on Half Moon Bay property is open at all times to Half Moon Bay residents and to village residents during certain hours.

Fees

Free.

Parking

No dedicated public lot on the esplanade. Nearest public parking is at Senasqua Park and Croton Landing on Elliott Way; metered/permit parking near the Croton-Harmon station lies at the south end.

Getting there

From Croton-Harmon station or Croton Point Avenue, head to the riverfront and follow the walkway north past the Half Moon Bay marina; the route continues past Senasqua Park and over the Elliott Way boardwalk to Croton Landing.

Rules

The southern stretch crosses private condominium property with public access; observe posted signs. Village code bars dogs from village parks except Black Rock Dog Park and Croton Landing Park (leashed, paved path only) — the esplanade's own dog policy is not published. Public consumption of alcohol is prohibited by village code.

Accessibility

Links

• Half Moon Bay Trail (Village of Croton-on-Hudson slideshow page)
• PermaTrak project profile — Elliott Way Boardwalk
• Croton-on-Hudson LWRP (NY Dept. of State)