NY 361 was designated in April 1935 and removed from the state highway system and replaced with County Route 62 (CR 62) in 1980 as part of a large-scale highway maintenance swap between the New York State Department of Transportation and the Dutchess County highway department.

NY 361 began as a continuation of Connecticut's Route 361 adjacent to the bi-state water body of Indian Lake in the town of North East.

The route traveled northward on Sharon Road, paralleling the Webatuck Creek to Millerton, where it became South Maple Avenue and terminated at an intersection with US 44 (Main Street).

The road itself, however, continued northward to NY 22 in the hamlet of Mount Riga as North Maple Avenue and, outside the village, Rudd Pond Road, connecting Millerton to the Rudd Pond area of Taconic State Park.

[2] The route remained unchanged until April 1, 1980, when ownership and maintenance of the route was transferred to Dutchess County as part of a large scale highway maintenance swap.