Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

All clear. The managing agency, the National Weather Service and wildfire reporting show no current alerts.

Overview

Visit the home of Eleanor Roosevelt. Here, Franklin and Eleanor entertained friends, the press, activists, and official state visitors in the relaxed atmosphere of Val-Kill. Explore the Roosevelt saga in the homes of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, the exhibits at the nation’s first Presidential Library, and over a thousand acres of gardens and trails.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Guided Tours
  • Hands-On
  • Citizen Science
  • Hiking
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Val-Kill Cottage Tours: Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill Cottage is open in the summer and fall months by guided tour only. Tickets for tours are FREE, but tour spaces are limited and distributed in-person on a first come, first served basis due to the intimate size of Eleanor's home. The first tour starts at 9:30 AM. The last tour starts at 4:00 PM. Tours begin at the Stone Cottage Visitor Center. Tour times can vary depending on the season, special groups, or unforeseen circumstances.

Park Grounds, Gardens, and Trails: Park hours vary by season. The grounds are open daily, except for New Years Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Tour times of Eleanor's cottage are different than general park hours. Please look under "Val-Kill Cottage Tours" for current tour hours.

Getting there

Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (Val-Kill) is located in the town of Hyde Park, NY, approximately 5 miles north of Poughkeepsie along Route 9G, midway between New York City and Albany, about a 1.5 hour drive from either direction. Located on the east bank of the Hudson River, the park is easily reached by either the Taconic State Parkway or Route 9, and the New York State Thruway west of the Hudson River.

Visitor centers

Weather

Spring: Temperatures usually range from 40°F to 70°F. Rain is not uncommon. Summer: Temperatures usually range from 70° F to 100° F. Humidity can be high throughout the summer months with periods of rain. Fall: Temperatures usually range from 40° F to 70° F. Peak leaf season is mid-October. Rain is not uncommon. Winter: Temperatures usually range from 30° F to 50°F. Ice, Freezing Rain and Snow are not uncommon.

Phone: 845-229-9422

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

A small fieldstone cottage on a lush lawn with flowering shrubs.
Stone Cottage at Val-Kill · NPS Photo / Frank Futral
A winding road through green fields and shade trees.
Val-Kill Park Road · NPS Photo / Frank Futral
A paneled room with comfortable furniture and a baby grand piano.
Living Room at Val-Kill · NPS Photo
A stone fireplace enclosed by a screend porch.
The Screened Porch · NPS Photo
A bedroom with walls covered in framed photographs.
Eleanor Roosevelt's Room at Val-Kill · NPS Photo
A pond with meadow in the background.
The Pond · NPS Photo

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