Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
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.
About 1.5 hours from New York and 1.5 hours from Hartford by car.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
While the entrance fee is free, visitors still need to have a ticket for the tour. Tickets are handed out on a first come, first served basis in the Stone Cottage Visitor Center.
Hours
| Val-Kill Cottage Tours | Varies by day ▾
|
| Park Grounds, Gardens, and Trails | Daily · 7:00AM - 5:00PM |
Val-Kill Cottage Tours: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow |
|
| Nov 1, 2026 to May 21, 2027Winter and Early Spring Closure | Closed |
Park Grounds, Gardens, and Trails: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hours | 7:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Oct 1 to Oct 31, 2026NowOctober 1 - October 31 | 7:00AM - 6:00PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Holiday Closure - Thanksgiving | Hours not published |
| Dec 25, 2026Holiday Closure - Christmas Day | Hours not published |
| Jan 1, 2027Holiday Closure - New Year's Day | Hours not published |
| Feb 1 to Feb 28, 2027February 1 - February 28 | 7:00AM - 6:00PM |
| Mar 1 to Mar 31, 2027March 1 - March 31 | 7:00AM - 7:00PM |
| Apr 1 to Aug 31, 2027April 1 - August 31 | 7:00AM - 8:00PM |
| Sep 1 to Sep 30, 2027September 1 - September 30 | 7:00AM - 7:00PM |
When to go
September draws the most visits here and February the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Stone Cottage Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
The Stone Cottage Visitor Center offers exhibits on the history of Val-Kill. Start your visit here, where park rangers and volunteers will help you plan your visit. Building hours and tour schedules change seasonally.
No campgrounds, no webcams or events in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Things to do
- Tour Val-Kill Cottage30 Minutes
Everything you need to know about access to Eleanor Roosevelt's home and how to obtain your tickets. Tour days and times change seasonally, so check here for more information on planning your visit.
Opens on the Park Service site - Top Cottage Trail1-2 Hours
This trail takes you to the highest point on the Hyde Park Trails. When you reach the summit, you will have made the same climb that kings and queens and a host of foreign leaders made during some of the most critical days of the 20th century.
Opens on the Park Service site - Stone Cottage Visitor Center30 Minutes
Stone Cottage Visitor Center and Exhibit
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore the FDR Presidential Library Exhibits1-3 Hours
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is independently operated and maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration, a federal agency.
Opens on the Park Service site - View the Park Film: Rendezvous with History20 Minutes
The park film runs daily at the Henry Wallace Visitor & Education Center. The 140-seat theater features a high-definition film written and produced by Tom Spain Productions.
Opens on the Park Service site - Close to Home20 Minutes
Eleanor Roosevelt: Close to Home is an overview of the inspirational life of Eleanor Roosevelt and highlights her dedication as champion of social justice and racial equality.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 8Hide
- Eleanor's Walk1 Hour
Get to know Eleanor Roosevelt—wife, mother, and grandmother; Hyde Park neighbor, activist, and diplomat—as you hike the paths she walked daily for recreation and quiet contemplation.
Opens on the Park Service site - Farm Lane Trail1-2 Hours
Roosevelt Farm Lane is part of the historic road network that connected the Roosevelt Home, Val-Kill, Top Cottage, the Home Farm, and FDR’s tree plantations.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the Mid-Atlantic
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 14× · Osprey 4× · Barred Owl 3× · Great Horned Owl 1× · Coyote 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 42 birds, 3 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsBald Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Red-tailed Hawk
Waterfowl & wadersCanada Goose · Great Blue Heron · Green Heron
Gamebirds & dovesMourning Dove
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-bellied Woodpecker
Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Goldfinch · American Redstart · American Robin · Baltimore Oriole · Barn Swallow · Blue Jay · Brown-headed Cowbird · Chipping Sparrow · Common Grackle · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Wood Pewee · Gray Catbird · Great Crested Flycatcher · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Mallard · Northern Cardinal · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Scarlet Tanager · Song Sparrow · Tree Swallow · Veery · Warbling Vireo · White-breasted Nuthatch · Willow Flycatcher · Wood Thrush
Small mammalsWhite-footed Deermouse · mole shrew · smokey shrew
Activities
Activity guides for this park Hiking in the national parks
Weather & climate
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.
Questions people ask
Does Eleanor Roosevelt charge an entrance fee?
No. Eleanor Roosevelt is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Eleanor Roosevelt?
Standard hours are 9:30AM - 4:00PM on Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and it is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Eleanor Roosevelt?
13,586 recreation visits in 2025, number 343 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Eleanor Roosevelt?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 5G. No reported coverage for T-Mobile. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Eleanor Roosevelt established?
1977.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Eleanor Roosevelt?
Spring: Temperatures usually range from 40°F to 70°F. Rain is not uncommon.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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