1-Tank Adventure: Where To See A Nearly 500-Year-Old Oak Tree

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Just feet from US 22, the grand oak tree in Bedford makes a striking impression, but only the motorists who stop for a closer look will ever know they have spied a living relic of natural history and the American story.

The tree, which predates the town it was later named after by more than two centuries, started life as an acorn circa 1550. Despite its proximity to a major North/South traffic artery and the growth and development of nearby New York, the Bedford Oak has recently received a clean bill of health.

When a branch occasionally falls off, the products of this Hudson Valley "giving tree" are put to good use. Kitchen cutting boards recently made from a branch that fell from the tree will be auctioned off by the Bedford Historical Society in the near future.

IF YOU GO:

• The ancient Quercus alba c. 1500 can be found at Hook Rd. and Old Bedford Rd. (Rt 22).
• The very special oak is best enjoyed from a distance — both for your safety and the tree's.
• Do not sit or picnic under the tree.
• Do not climb or sit on the limbs of the Bedford Oak.

SEE ALSO:

• 1-Tank Adventure: Bear Mountain State Park
• 1-Tank Adventure: The Armour-Stiner Octagon House
• 1-Tank Adventure: St. Paul's Church National Historic Site
• 1-Tank Adventure: Stone Barns Center For Food And Agriculture
• 1-Tank Adventure: Building Memories At Legoland
• 1-Tank Adventure: Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa
• 1-Tank Adventure: 'See For Miles' At This Hudson Valley Overlook
• 1-Tank Adventure: Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
• 1-Tank Adventure: The Wild Center
• 1-Tank Adventure: Marshland Conservancy