Exploring Rockland: Kakiat Park

By Idy Perl

The well known Kakiat Park is a popular destination for hikers, seeking adventure and relaxation in the heart of nature. The 376-acre park features many hiking trails, the Mahwah River, and a large field with a picnic area. 

The most popular trail loops around the park and takes hikers to a lookout point with a view of the Manhattan skyline. 

Kakiat, like many parts of Rockland, has years of history. The original patent for the land was given by the King of England. In the late 1700’s it became known as the Kakiat Farm and was owned by the Blauvelt family for over 200 years. They grew apples, peaches, and cherries, and had a mill on the property as well. Across the road, where Route 202 and Grandview Avenue meet now, there was a lodge that was henceforth known as the Kakiat Lodge. 

The farm was inherited by several of the Blauvelt sons, one of whom was a veteran of the French and Indian War and a militia captain in the Revolution, and the second son who was a colonel in the War of 1812. 

In 1961 the National Recreation Association recommended that the county should buy the property, and in 1972 it became a park.