Skip to content
The Green Adventures
Find my parkMapGreat Smoky MountainsZionYellowstoneSee all: ParksCaliforniaAlaskaUtahSee all: By stateNational monumentsSeashores and lakeshoresAll 412 Park Service sitesSee all: All sitesWhich park should I visit?Pass calculatorCampground finderSee all: Trip toolsAnnual pass 2026International visitorsFree days 2026See all: Fees and passes

National Historic Site · New York

Thomas Cole National Historic Site

National Historic Site in New York. No entrance fee. 1 hikes listed.

By The Green Adventures · Updated · How we check

TypeNational Historic Site
StateNew York
Entrance feeNo entrance fee
CampgroundsNone
Nearest national parkAcadia (320 mi)
Closest airportALB (36 mi)

Thomas Cole National Historic Site is a national historic site run by the National Park Service in New York.

In the park service’s words

In 1825, America was still a new nation, just forming its own unique identity and traditions. Thomas Cole invented a new style of art, one that Americans could call their own. His landscape paintings launched the art movement known as the Hudson River School. His groundbreaking achievements took place here in Catskill, New York -- in the "peaceful shades" of his beloved home, Cedar Grove.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

  • Hudson River Art Trail: The Hudson River School Art Trail connects you with the places in nature that Thomas Cole and the Hudson River School artists made famous in their 19th-century landscape paintings. Cole founded this nation’s first major art movement, now known as the Hudson River School, and advocated for the preservation of the Americ

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee.

Hours: Open 24 hours, every day. For the Hours of Operation, please visit https://thomascole.org

Getting there

The Thomas Cole National Historic Site is located at 218 Spring Street, near the western entrance to the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, in the village of Catskill, New York, at the foot of the Catskill Mountains in the Hudson Valley.

Airport City Drive to the park Straight-line miles Type
Albany International Airport (ALB) Albany, NY No road route 36 Large hub
New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) Newburgh, NY No road route 51 Regional
Bradley International Airport (BDL) Hartford, CT No road route 63 Large hub

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

Weather

For details and information, visit, http://www.thomascole.org/.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Acadia, about 320 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee at Thomas Cole National Historic Site?

No entrance fee.

Where is Thomas Cole National Historic Site?

In New York. The closest airport with scheduled flights is Albany International Airport, about 36 miles away.

More sites nearby

African Burial Ground Memorial National monumentsAfrican Burial Ground National Monument National Monument in New York. No entrance fee. Engine House and tavern Historic sitesAllegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site National Historic Site in Pennsylvania. No entrance fee. 5 hikes listed. A water tower on the horizon next to trees Historic sitesAmache National Historic Site National Historic Site in Colorado. No entrance fee. A cannon sits out in front of a replica of part of the wooden stockade walls once at Andersonville Historic sitesAndersonville National Historic Site National Historic Site in Georgia. No entrance fee. Andrew Johnson Homestead with snow Historic sitesAndrew Johnson National Historic Site National Historic Site in Tennessee. No entrance fee. TrailsAppalachian National Scenic Trail National Scenic Trail in 14 states. No entrance fee. 1 hikes listed.