Scenic hikes in New York are great. Whether you’re a novice hiker or experienced, just about everyone loves hikes that include waterfalls, mountains, or beautiful overlooks. But there’s also something to be said for hikes that are a little, well, creepier. Haunted places tend to be most popular to visit in the fall, but the nice thing about spooky trails is that they can be enjoyed any time of year. The eerie ambiance of hiking through the woods and coming across a ghost town or cemetery can give you chills and remind you of the Empire State’s history. One hike in New York that manages to be both scenic and creepy is the trek to Letchworth Village in Thiells. This trail will take you right to the abandoned remains of an insane asylum. Are you brave enough to explore this place?
Letchworth Village once housed hundreds of mentally and physically disabled individuals of all ages. The facility was considered one of the top institutions of its day when it opened in 1911.
Darryl Moran/Flickr
Unfortunately, much of the 20th-century was a time when the disabled were thought of as inhuman. Letchworth Village was one of many asylums throughout the country that spawned terrible rumors of patient mistreatment.
podrozniczka60/Tripadvisor
Many of the patients at the asylum were young children. For decades, patients there were forced to work physically demanding jobs.
Matthew Hester/Flickr
Photographs from the asylum show neglected, dirty patients that were a far cry from the utopia that was advertised. Letchworth Village was shut down in 1996 and the patients were moved to more modern facilities where treatment was more humane.
podrozniczka60/Tripadvisor
Today, the buildings at Letchworth Village remain abandoned. Every few years, rumors of redevelopment surface, but the buildings are still empty today.
Ashley Graham/Google Maps
Hiking around the property will take around an hour or so. It’s unsafe (and illegal) to enter any of the buildings, but there are plenty of paved areas where it’s perfectly safe to stroll.
J R/Tripadvisor
This is such a unique place with such a horrible history. Walking through the remains of Letchworth Village, you’ll see old buildings and even a patient cemetery where unmarked graves remain.
podrozniczka60/Tripadvisor
This is certainly one of the creepiest hikes in New York! If you’re a fan of scary places in the Empire State, make sure to check out these seven creepy asylums in New York.
Scenic hikes in New York are great. Whether you’re a novice hiker or experienced, just about everyone loves hikes that include waterfalls, mountains, or beautiful overlooks. But there’s also something to be said for hikes that are a little, well, creepier. Haunted places tend to be most popular to visit in the fall, but the nice thing about spooky trails is that they can be enjoyed any time of year. The eerie ambiance of hiking through the woods and coming across a ghost town or cemetery can give you chills and remind you of the Empire State’s history. One hike in New York that manages to be both scenic and creepy is the trek to Letchworth Village in Thiells. This trail will take you right to the abandoned remains of an insane asylum. Are you brave enough to explore this place?
Scenic hikes in New York are great. Whether you’re a novice hiker or experienced, just about everyone loves hikes that include waterfalls, mountains, or beautiful overlooks. But there’s also something to be said for hikes that are a little, well, creepier. Haunted places tend to be most popular to visit in the fall, but the nice thing about spooky trails is that they can be enjoyed any time of year. The eerie ambiance of hiking through the woods and coming across a ghost town or cemetery can give you chills and remind you of the Empire State’s history. One hike in New York that manages to be both scenic and creepy is the trek to Letchworth Village in Thiells. This trail will take you right to the abandoned remains of an insane asylum. Are you brave enough to explore this place?
Darryl Moran/Flickr
podrozniczka60/Tripadvisor
Matthew Hester/Flickr
Ashley Graham/Google Maps
J R/Tripadvisor
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Address: Letchworth Village Road, Letchworth Village Rd, Thiells, NY, USA
