by Rochelle Riservato
If you’re a part of the genus that just can’t seem to get enough of cold-weather sports, the Hudson Valley is perfectly carved out in a topographical Eden of enjoyment. From adventurous downhill skiing and snowboarding to daring descents on sleds and tubes, the Valley has it all. However, if your frigid-fun vocabulary doesn’t include the words "adventurous" or "daring," perhaps you might revere the all-invigorating sports of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Whatever your passion is for winter activities, you can easily discover where to find it on the map VISITVortex has put together. It’ll put you on a journey through the Hudson Valley’s finest locations for each.
Cross-Country Skiing
1.Belleayre Mountain,
Highmount. Belleayre has nine kilometers of free cross-country trails for beginners to experts. belleayre.com
2.Clermont State Park,
Germantown. In addition to the Clermont family home, the property houses five carriage road trails for the cross-country skiing enthusiast. stateparks.com/clermont.html
3.Fahnestock Winter Park,
Cold Spring. nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/147/details.aspx
4.Fahnestock Memorial State Park’s 10,000 acres of natural wonders offer 7.2 total miles of machine-groomed, tracked, and mapped trails.
"Skiing is a dance, and the mountain always leads."
– Unknown
5.Frost Valley YMCA,
Claryville. Set on 6,000 acres deep in the Catskill Mountains, Frost Valley YMCA offers great skiing for all ages and abilities. Frost Valley YMCA offers all kinds of winter fun like broomball, snowshoeing, tubing, cross-country skiing, and snow sculptures. frostvalley.org
6.Minnewaska State Park,
Kerhonkson. Experience trails like Awosting and Castle Point Trail Loop, a 9.2-mile total loop with an elevation of 1,650 feet. nysparks.com/parks/127
7.Mohonk Mountain House,
New Paltz. Mohonk Mountain House has 35 miles of trails groomed for skiing. Lessons are available. mohonk.com
8.Mohonk Preserve,
Gardiner. The Mohonk Preserve has a large network of trails for cross-country skiing through interesting cliffs, trees, and rocks. Two favorite areas are Spring Farm and the Trapps. mohonkpreserve.org
9.Mountain Trails Cross-Country Ski Center,
Tannersville. Mountain Trails offers 35 kilometers of quiet nature trails on 300 groomed acres. mttrails.com
Ice Climbing
10.Alpine Endeavors,
New Paltz. Instruction to ice climbers of all abilities, covering the most up-to-date techniques from basic climbing skills to top roping and leading; their guides will help you to access some of the most sought-after ice climbing classics in the Catskills. alpineendeavors.com
11.Mountain Skills,
New Paltz. Experience spectacular ice climbing in the Catskill Mountains, and gain a whole new perspective on what climbing has to offer. Discover cascading waterfalls, gullies, and steep runnels frozen with awe-inspiring ice formations made just for climbing. mountainskills.biz
Check out our video of Alpine Endeavors ice climbing lessons at visitvortex.com/Ice_Climbing_the_Catskills
"Up and down a hillside /
When the moon is bright /
Sledding is a tiptop wintertime delight."
– from "A Sledding Song" by Norman C. Schlichter
Sledding and Tubing
12.Burger Hill,
Rhinebeck.It’s part of the Scenic Hudson Park system with a 550-foot hill that rises up to swag and brag panoramic vistas of the Shawangunk Ridge, Catskill and Taconic Mountains, Stissing Mountain, and the Berkshires. scenichudson.org/parks/burgerhill
13.Hudson Valley Resort & Spa,
Kerhonkson. A snowmaking machine ensures more fun, more often, and a T-bar lift whisks riders right up to the top after each run. hudsonvalleyresort.com
14.Hunter Mountain,
Hunter. Hunter’s snow tubing park has nine chutes, each nearly 1,000 feet long, as well as two tube tows to haul you back to the top. huntermtn.com
15.Pine Grove Ranch,
Kerhonkson. Get a day pass at the ranch to enjoy tubing, ice skating, and skiing. pinegroveranch.com
16.Plattekill Mountain,
Roxbury. Family owned and operated, Plattekill offers a unique personal appeal and caters to what they know best: families. Snowtubing winter fun awaits at Plattekill Mountain. plattekill.com
17.Rocking Horse Ranch Resort,
Highland. You may bring your own sleds or snow tubes, or rent for the day. rockinghorseranch.com
18.Sawkill Family Ski Center,
Kingston. Sawkill Family Ski Center features a new snowmaking system and new snow tubing run. sawkillski.com
19.Staatsburgh State Historic Site,
Staatsburgh. Mills Mansion sits on a 192-acre estate, offering a snow-covered, sweeping, descending hill as its back lawn and providing an incredible view of the Hudson as you jettison down on a toboggan or sled. Note: sleds with metal runners are not permitted. staatsburgh.org
Snowshoeing
1.Belleayre Mountain,
Highmount. Enjoy beginner to difficult guided snowshoe tours at Belleayre, or hike independently through the mountains. belleayre.com/winter/snowshoe.htm
20.Catskill Forest Preserve,
Big Indian. Rochester Hollow Trail is a total of 5.6 miles and one of the few easier ski/snowshoe trails in the vicinity of Slide Mountain (the Catskill’s highest peak). dec.ny.gov/lands/5265.html
3.Fahnestock Winter Park,
Cold Spring.Rent either running or recreational snowshoes, and hike around two dedicated snowshoe trails. nysparks.com/parks/147
5.Frost Valley YMCA,
Claryville. Frost Valley offers family-fun snowshoe rentals deep in the heart of the Catskills. frostvalley.org
21.Hyde Park Trails,
Hyde Park. Hyde Park Trails offers over 10 miles of trails and five informational trail-related audio podcasts online, so hikers can access trail information and history on the go. hydeparkny.us/Recreation/Trails/
7.Mohonk Mountain House,
New Paltz. Take in spectacular views from a variety of cross-country trails that are perfect for snowshoeing too. mohonk.com
8.Mohonk Preserve,
Gardiner. The Preserve offers easy and moderate trails for snowshoe enthusiasts. There are no rentals on site, so pick up snowshoes in town. mohonkpreserve.org
22.The Ogden Mills, Ruth Livingston Mills Memorial State Park and Margaret Lewis Norrie State Parks
The combined 1,000 acres of these adjoining parks are ideal for fabulous cross-country skiing and snowshoeing with a backdrop of the Hudson River. Staatsburgh; nysparks.com/parks/33/details.aspx
16.Plattekill Mountain,
Roxbury. Don’t miss out on a snowshoe adventure at this family-owned winter mountain escape, where they are known for "keeping it real." plattekill.com
23.Stony Kill Farm Environmental Center,
Fishkill. Weather permitting, seasonal winter hikes become snowshoe hikes on Saturday afternoons. dec.ny.gov/education/1833.html
Ice Skating
24.Bear Mountain State Park,
Bear Mountain. Bear Mountain boasts a beautiful outdoor rink with rentals at the base of the mountain. nysparks.com/parks/13/details.aspx
25.Cantine Veterans Sport Complex,
Saugerties. Offers an Olympic-sized, fully enclosed ice arena. village.saugerties.ny.us/content/Parks/View/6
26.Fancher-Davidge Park,
Middletown. Ice skate under the lights at night in this quaint city park for a whole new dimension on the ice. middletown-ny.com/parks-rec.htm
27.Ice Time Sports Complex,
Newburgh. This Newburgh venue hosts a figure skating club, public skating, and hockey games. icetimesports.com
28.McCann Ice Arena,
Poughkeepsie. McCann can be rented for private use and offers figure skating, hockey, and public sessions all year. midhudsonciviccenter.org
7.Mohonk Mountain House,
New Paltz. Enjoy skating, or just hang out watching the skaters in this nostalgic setting with its gorgeous wooden-beam pavilion, stone columns, and huge stone fireplace. mohonk.com/recreation/ice_skating.cfm
29.Taconic State Park,
Millerton. Located along 16 miles of the Taconic Mountain Range, the Rudd Pond area is one of the two developed areas offering ice skating and spectacular views. nysparks.com/parks/141/details.aspx
30.Windham Mountain Adventure Park,
Windham. Windham has a classic skating area complete with a warming fire pit. Also, enjoy the 650-foot snow-covered slopes for snow tubing. windhammountain.com
Downhill Skiing & Snowboarding
1.Belleayre Mountain,
Highmount. Belleayre is part of the Catskill State Park with 47 trails and 8 lifts. Check out their family friendly programming, snowboard terrain park, progression parks, and new high-speed quad. belleayre.com
14.Hunter Mountain,
Hunter. Hunter Mountain has over 50 trails and 11 lifts. Three separate mountains offer a large diversity of trail terrain. Hunter has great spacious learning terrain and some amazing expert slopes with jumps and bumps for the seasoned skier. huntermtn.com
16.Plattekill Mountain,
Roxbury. Best known for 38 exciting trails and a mountain that's 'keeping it real,' Plattekill offers a laid-back family atmosphere and unique vibe that somehow makes them just different. Big Mountain Terrain and Small Mountain Charm is who they are, with a 3,500 elevation and 175" average annual snowfall. plattekill.com
30.Windham Mountain,
Windham. Windham Mountain has 46 trails and 9 lifts, a 600-foot half-pipe, and five terrain parks, complete with rails, bumps, boxes, jibs, and tabletops. windhammountain.com
From daring downhill skiing and
snowboarding to a dramatic descent
down mammoth hills on sleds
and tubes, the Valley has it all.
Zipline Adventure
14.Hunter Mountain,
Hunter. Hunter Mountain is home to New York Zipline Adventure Tour’s SkyRider Tour, offering four seasons of a zipline escapade. Imagine letting gravity pull you down the mountain nearly 600 feet above the ground at 50 miles per hour while watching the winter scenery below. huntermtn.com
Disc Golf
7.Mohonk Mountain House,
New Paltz. Mohonk Mountain House has created a whole new mountaintop game called 19-Hole Disc Golf. It scores like golf but uses discs as balls and baskets as the holes. All you need are snowshoes—forget the clubs and balls. It’s a way to get the "golfing" competition out of your system throughout winter. A fun time for every age. mohonk.com
