Iona Island (New York)

Iona Island
View of Iona Island from atop Bear Mountain
Iona Island is located in New York
Iona Island
Iona Island
Location of Iona Island in New York State
Geography
LocationHudson River
Coordinates41°18′14″N 73°58′38″W / 41.30389°N 73.97722°W / 41.30389; -73.97722
Area556 acres (225 ha)
Highest elevation72 ft (21.9 m)[1]
Administration
StateNew York
CountyRockland County
TownStony Point
Owner
Designated1974

Iona Island is a 556-acre (2.25 km2) island of the Hudson River in the town of Stony Point, New York, on its west bank. The island is located approximately one mile (1.6 km) south of the Bear Mountain Bridge and is separated from the Hudson's western shore by mudflats and freshwater tidal marshes. It is part of Bear Mountain State Park, although it is occasionally listed separately as Iona Island State Park.[2] From 1899 to 1947 the island was used as the Naval Ammunition Depot Iona Island.

The island and its adjacent marsh were designated a National Natural Landmark in May 1974,[3] and it is part of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve.[4][5] It serves mainly as a bird sanctuary, particularly known as a winter nesting place for bald eagles.[6]

  1. ^ "Iona Island". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  2. ^ "Section O: Environmental Conservation and Recreation, Table O-9". 2014 New York State Statistical Yearbook (PDF). The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. 2014. p. 672. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  3. ^ "National Natural Landmarks - National Natural Landmarks (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2019-04-15. Year designated: 1974
  4. ^ "Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve". NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  5. ^ "Iona Island". NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  6. ^ "Iona Island". Rockland Audubon Society. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2016.