Goshen: Trails, Harness Racing, and History

Goshen combines outdoor experiences on the Heritage Trail with a historic streetscape and a distinctive harness racing history. When choosing a vacation rental for your stay, you can first consider which of these interests you want to shape your time in Goshen.

Activities on the Heritage Trail

The 19.5-mile Heritage Trail has an access point on Hartley Road in Goshen and runs through the Town of Goshen. The trail is open to hikers, cyclists, and inline skaters. These different ways to get around suit different preferences: you can plan a hike, ride a bike, or skate along the route. The trail’s length is a concrete reference point for planning, but by itself it does not indicate how much time you should allow for your activity.

Nature watching is another possible activity on the Heritage Trail. When snow conditions are suitable, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also options. This means you can use the trail for exercise or nature watching, depending on your interests.

Architecture and Harness Racing

The Church Park Historic District includes the village center and residential areas with large Victorian houses on South Church Street and South Street. If you are interested in architecture and historic streetscapes, this offers a different way to experience Goshen than the Heritage Trail: the focus here is on the buildings and layout of the village center rather than outdoor exercise. The named streets help identify the district’s architectural focus.

The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame offers another cultural perspective. Its exhibits explore the breeding and training of harness racing horses and also include a 3D simulation. The museum also preserves the history and traditions of the Standardbred industry and harness racing. In its school programs, the American Standardbred horse and harness racing are used to teach students mathematics, history, science, and language arts. The school programs and exhibits have different emphases: one connects horse racing with several school subjects, while the other covers breeding and training.

The Goshen Historic Track is also part of harness racing and is considered the oldest harness racing track in the world. It serves as a training facility for harness racing horses and is associated with special events and seasonal horse races. Together, the museum and racetrack shed light on different aspects of the subject: history and traditions, horse training, and racing. If horse racing is an important reason for your trip, these experiences can shape your stay differently than a trip focused mainly on nature watching and outdoor activities.

Discover Local Products

The Goshen Farmers Market provides local farmers, artists, and craftspeople with a platform to showcase their goods and products. This adds a look at local agriculture, art, and crafts to the town’s nature and cultural offerings. A visit to the market can be especially interesting if you are also interested in regional products and the work of local vendors during your trip. Goshen’s range of themes gives you several ways to decide which experiences you want to make the focus of your stay.

If you would like to explore more places: Fort Montgomery, Slate Hill, Newburgh, Woodbury, Montgomery, Unionville, Orange Lake and Port Jervis.

For the broader travel overview: Orange.