Our Alpaca Hike at Clover Brooke Farm: A Walk That Might Talk You Into Buying Land

I was so excited when my sister told me about a Llama and Alpaca hike at Clover Brooke Farm in Pawling that she wanted to get tickets for. This is the only activity I knew about in advance. Truth be, that she was hoping to do the Baby Goat hike, but this is the one that fit into the small window of when I’d be visiting, and it still proved to be a unique experience that I was happy I got to share with them.

This was one stop on our larger 3.5-day Capital Region family road trip, but between the animals, the setting, and the surprisingly strong opinions I formed about tour etiquette, it earned its own post.

Where We Went

Clover Brooke Farm sits on 45 pastoral acres in Hyde Park, NY, built around an 1850 farmhouse. It’s a working fiber farm — llamas, alpacas, goats, sheep, and a rotating cast of barn cats — that’s built a genuinely impressive reputation for its guided hikes; the farm has been featured on the Today Show, Rachael Ray, and Fox News, among others, and it’s run by Andrea Parent-Tibbetts, who farms full-time and also serves on the advisory council for Annie’s Project, a national network supporting women in agriculture.

A quick heads-up if you’re planning your own visit: everything here is by appointment only. No walk-ins — you book online in advance, and there’s a minimum age of 8 for participants, with anyone under 16 needing an accompanying adult who’s also booked a ticket.

Meeting the Herd

Our group was about a dozen people, mostly adults. Our guide started us off with some background on the farm and how it came to be, then walked us to a fenced side area to meet — and pet — some of the animals up close before the hike itself. This is also where we got to say hello to the smaller residents: a few Pygoras goats, some sheep, and the barn cats, who are apparently very much part of the experience and fully expect to be petted.

Then came the main event. Still brutally hot that day, our guide brought the llamas and alpacas out one at a time, and people paired off with whichever animal came up to them first — no assigned matches, just whoever you ended up standing next to. We got the last three. Once we had them on lead and had a quick lesson in how to hold and direct them, we set off.

Quick primer, since I couldn’t have told you the difference before this trip either: llamas are the bigger of the two, with a longer face and neck and tall, wide-set “banana” ears. Alpacas are smaller and more compact, with a shorter face and smaller, straighter ears set closer together — and generally fluffier fleece. I’d had my heart set on one of the llamas, honestly, but by the time it was our turn, the taller one was already claimed — all three of us ended up with alpacas instead. No complaints, though; ours were just as sweet, just a little shorter and a lot fluffier than what I’d pictured.

Once we had our animals on lead and had a quick lesson in how to hold and direct them, we set off.

The Alpaca Hike at Clover Brooke Farm

The route is a little over a mile, winding through paddocks, meadows, past a bass pond, and up to a scenic overlook — the farm recommends stopping there for photos, and we absolutely did. It’s shaded in parts, which we were grateful for given the heat, and well-kept enough that it never felt rugged, just genuinely pretty. (Worth noting: it does involve two fairly steep hills, which is why strollers, wheelchairs, and crutches aren’t permitted on this particular hike.)

My animal had one very specific hobby: rolling around in every patch of thicket we passed, front legs and all, like it had personally waited all week for this. It was funny every single time.

We took a ridiculous number of photos, and genuinely had a great time out on the trail — the animals are curious, calm, and clearly well cared for, which makes a big difference in how comfortable the whole experience feels.

The One Thing I’d Flag

Here’s my honest note, and it has nothing to do with the farm itself: some of the other adults on our tour were surprisingly pushy. Everyone wants their photo, which is completely understandable, but a few people crowded in, didn’t make room for others, and seemed to hog certain animals without giving anyone else a turn. It was a small thing, but it stuck with me. On a small group tour like this, giving everyone a fair shot goes a long way, and it’s worth keeping in mind if you go with a mixed group of strangers — patience makes the whole thing better for everybody.

The Verdict

This was hands-down one of the most unique things we did on the whole trip, and it’s easy to see why the farm has built such a loyal following. Between the setting, the animals, and the obvious care that goes into how it’s run, it felt less like a tourist attraction and more like getting a genuine peek into someone’s working farm life for a morning.

And honestly — after this experience, I think most people walk away saying, “I want to start a small farm.”

They have a variety of other classes and experiences — so I think we’ll be back!

If You Go

Address: 175 Ruskey Lane, Hyde Park, NY 12538
Phone: 845-444-6066
Booking: Appointment only, no walk-ins — book online in advance
Requirements: Minimum age 8; anyone under 16 needs an accompanying, ticketed adult. Not accessible for strollers, wheelchairs, or crutches due to terrain and two steep hills.
Length: About a mile, roughly two hours total including the intro and animal meet-and-greet
Good to know: There’s a farm store on-site with naturally dyed yarn, handcrafted soaps, and llama/alpaca-themed gifts if you want to take a little of the farm home with you.

More info: cloverbrookefarm.com

Read more about this trip: