It's no surprise that art connoisseurs regularly flock to New York for a fix of what's hot or just to revisit timeless classics -- the Big Apple is the definitive art capital of the United States. But beyond Fifth Avenue, Chelsea and Long Island City -- indeed, an hour north of the George Washington Bridge -- there are treasures to be found upstream.

Far from the city lights, in the rolling hills of the Hudson Valley, lie two bona fide sanctuaries of modern art. One is Storm King Art Center, a mecca of monumental sculpture spread out over 500 manicured acres, where you're just as likely to catch an exhibition of works by a mid-century great as that of an established sculptor of our time.

A half-hour east, across the river, is Dia:Beacon, the flagship exhibition space of the Dia Art Foundation. The museum is remarkable -- and not just for its must-see-before-you-die permanent collection. The serenity of the space, nurtured by natural light that radiates in through the roof, left me marveling that it was once a Nabisco packaging plant.

Leaving the cityscape, my husband and I were surprised at how quickly the peaceful upstate countryside came upon us. (Rejoice that the city isn't more car-friendly: Eight million weekenders on wheels would surely drown out the rustle of the forests.)

STORM KING

We headed for Storm King first, in Mountainville. Most of the drive north was along I-87, until our trusty GPS directed us onto the kinds of curvy county routes reserved for car commercials.

Off the interstate, it's typical New England; landscapes straight out of the region's better-known 19th century artistic heritage, the Hudson River School. Winding roads pass mailboxes marking the beginnings of long driveways hidden by dense, protective trees.

Also hidden from view was our turn for Storm King, which we nearly missed, had it not been for the insistent voice of our GPS. Then, one by one, some of the largest sculptures we had ever seen began revealing themselves along the grounds as we drove up to the hill-top gallery.

Upon reaching the elevated vantage point of the center's main gallery and admissions office -- the grounds' only indoor shelter -- the view morphed from surprising to astonishing. The surrounding hills and valleys are dotted with massive sculptures, more than 100 in all. Buffered by forests on all sides, we couldn't feel further from the ''civilization'' just an hour south. It was time to explore the art.

The seemingly endless expanse of the grounds requires enthusiasm, walking shoes and a few unencumbered hours. We weren't able to cover enough ground to examine each piece up close, but that's not the point; these pieces aren't meant to be analyzed with a microscope. This is art at its largest, and it strikes from a distance.

Indeed, many of the sculptures at Storm King really only make sense from afar, such as Israeli artist Menashe Kadishman's Suspended, which creates an optical illusion: One of the two steel blocks that make up the piece stands a few feet uphill, while the other half, on a lower plane, rests against it. The unbroken green groundcover makes the trick work, leaving the viewer to wondering if the higher portion is somehow suspended.

Works by Mark Di Suvero, whose studio fronts the East River in nearby Long Island City, are ubiquitous at the park -- and a natural fit. Peeking well above the foliage, his massive, sometimes complex, configurations of steel command the space around them.

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