Town of the Week: Esopus

  |  May 7, 2012

Esopus Lighthouse

The town of Esopus, located in Ulster County just south of Kingston, is a Hudson Riverfront town, but it often gets overlooked for its more high-profile neighbors to the north and south. Perhaps it’s due in part to the fact that the town consists of a number of hamlets but only one that has a village feel, and that’s Port Ewen. It’s also next door neighbors to the Rondout Creek in Kingston, which is a pretty bustling area itself.

Nonetheless, it’s pretty. Route 9W will take you there, through Port Ewen and into Ulster Park, West Park, and the hamlet of Esopus. All of these places have a sleepy feel to them, with lots of outdoor recreational opportunities around. Five Scenic Hudson parks lie within the town’s borders: Black Creek Preserve, Shaupeneak Ridge, Esopus Meadows, Lighthouse Park and Sleightsburgh Park. They are all spectacular (yes, we’ve been to all of them). Esopus is also home to Slabsides, Hudson Valley naturalist John Burroughs’ cabin. There’s even the Klyne Esopus museum, dedicated to the history of Esopus and famous “Esopians” like Burroughs and Sojourner Truth.

This week, we’re expanding our real estate listings to include all of the hamlets in Esopus, and there are quite a few waterfront properties for sale. The house prices reflect their proximity to the water, and the taxes are wide-ranging. We saw low further inland, high near the water (nearly $20,000/year) and just about everything in between.

Town of Esopus Official Website.

About Kandy Harris

Kandy is a writer and musician/music teacher living in Saugerties, NY.

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