Background
This Clermont Adventure will take you to the Clermont State Historic Site. Here you will find the original Clermont mansion built by Robert Livingston around 1740 on land inherited from his father.
The most famous member of the Livingston family was Chancellor Robert R. Livingston. He was New York’s first chancellor, the highest judge in the state under the original state constitution, The Chancellor was an active patriot during the war. He served on the Committee of Five to draft the Declaration of Independence, drafted the New York Constitution and served as the country’s first Secretary for Foreign Affairs. After the war he had the distinct honor of giving the presidential oath of office to George Washington in 1789. The Chancellor was also the lead negotiator of the Louisiana Purchase and the co-inventor of the first commercially viable steam boat.
Clermont has had many visitors over time. This included the British in 1777 during the Revolutionary War. Back then a small force of British soldiers dispatched from New York City arrived to offer whatever aid they could to the British army commanded by General John Burgoyne who had recently been defeated at the Battles of Saratoga.
The current site encompasses not only the mansion, rebuilt by Margaret Beekman Livingston and added onto by later generations, but over 500 acres of landscaped gardens, meadow and woodlands, preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.
In addition to the Clermont family home, the property houses five historic gardens restored to their early 20th century appearance and five marked trails for the outdoor enthusiast.
The Adventure
This is a 3-stage multi-cache. You will need to visit the first stage which has been provided to determine where the second stage is located, and visit the second stage to determine where the third (and final) stage is located. If you stick to the trails, no heavy bushwhacking is necessary.
Other Informaton
You may also find the parking and trailhead coordinates listed in the Additional Waypoints section of use too. For even more additional information and trail map (recommended) visit Clermont State Historic Site.
Permit Number: CL-2-2025