Lasdon Park
Park Acreage:
234 acres
Trail Miles:
4.5 miles
Trail Uses:
Hiking, X-C skiing, Accessible
GPS:
41.280073, -73.741452
TC maintained
Directions
From I-684, take Exit 6 (Route 35) west for 3.6 miles to the park entrance to the left.
No public transportation
Park Overview
Of all the beautiful parks in Westchester County, Lasdon Park may be the most beautiful. To decide for yourself, visit this well-manicured park in the spring when trees and ornamental plants are in bloom and the place is ablaze with color.
Trail Overview
A walk at Lasdon Park can be a special interest stroll through these collections or an easy hike along blazed woodland trails. A portion of the park is fenced to prevent marauding deer from devastating the major tree and plant collections, the formal gardens, and the plantings around the house. The shop, greenhouses, and a Veterans Museum are inside the enclosure because of their proximity to the house, which serves as the park office.
All the blazed woodland trails except for the green trail were part of the equestrian trail system at the Lasdon estate and are suitable for cross-country skiing. A detailed map is available at a pavilion at the upper parking lot.
Park Description
Located on the former estate of William and Mildred Lasdon, Lasdon Park has a massive lawn rolling up from Route 35 with a lone sugar maple standing sentinel beside the entrance road. In 1939, William and Mildred Lasdon purchased what was originally called Cobbling Rock Farm and used it as a summer residence. William Lasdon was a pharmaceutical company executive and philanthropist. Because of his interest in
horticulture, Lasdon imported many tree specimens found during his worldwide travels and had them planted here on his country retreat. As part of its efforts to obtain and preserve open space, Westchester County purchased the Lasdon estate in 1986 for $4.2 million.
Since its acquisition, the county has retained much of the design of the formal grounds and has embellished the collections. In the process the park has become the horticultural hub of Westchester County parks with offices for horticultural groups, display space for horticultural and botanical art, and a volunteer-run plant shop offering information and selling garden related items. The park contains special collections of trees, his azalea garden, magnolia grove, and dwarf conifer collection and memorials to the armed forces.