No matter where you live in the county, if there is snow on the ground, there are places to cross-country ski or snowshoe. Some parks are for more advanced skiers, but if you can hike, you can snowshoe.
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Photo provided by Jane Daniels Harts Brook Park and Preserve, Hartsdale
Tucked away in Hartsdale is a small preserve with a pond and trees covered with snow.
Directions: From the Sprain Brook Parkway, take the Route 100B exit. At the end of the ramp, head east. At West Hartsdale Avenue (Route 100A), turn right and continue about 3.0 miles to Ridge Road. Turn right and follow Ridge Road for 0.3 mile to the entrance to the preserve.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY JANE DANIELSMohansic Golf Course, Yorktown Heights
New to snowshoeing or cross-country skiing? Then try a visit to Mohansic Golf Course. When snow covers a golf course, there is an entirely different feel to the place.
Directions: From the Taconic State Parkway, take the Baldwin Road exit and turn west. Just past the southbound exit from the parkway, turn right at the entrance sign to the golf course and drive to the top of the hill. Parking lots are plowed and you can start skiing right from your car.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY JANE DANIELSBlue Mountain Reservation, Peekskill
With enough snow, there is extensive cross-country skiing for experienced skiers along the woods roads and narrow hiking trails. If you are on snow shoes, explore the mountain bike trails, which wind through the park
Directions: From Route 9, take the Welcher Avenue exit and turn east away from the river. Follow Welcher Avenue to the park entrance. The park is accessible by train from Peekskill’s Metro North Station. Follow Hudson Street for 0.7 mile to Walnut Street and go through DePew Park.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY JANE DANIELSMountain Lakes Reservation, North Salem
When snow falls, Mountain Lakes Reservation is transformed. Ice covers the lakes and the woods sparkle under a layer of snow. The wide wooded road that circles the park is great for a novice skier. Snowshoers can explore the narrow trails that crisscross the park.
Directions: Take I-684 to Exit 6 (Route 35) and drive east on Route 35 for 4.4 miles from the northbound exit. Turn left where Route 121 leaves Route 35, and head north for 4.5 miles. At Hawley Road, turn right and continue 0.7 miles to parking adjacent to Hawley Road or 0.8 more miles to the park entrance to the left.
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Rockefeller Park Preserve, Pleasantville
The miles of carriage roads in Rockefeller Park Preserve make it a popular place to cross-country ski. But if you wish to have the hills to yourself, venture out onto the trails on the east side of Route 448.
Directions: To reach parking for the trails east of Route 448, take Route 9A to Route 117 and head west. Turn left into the second parking lot which is the larger of the two. Head to the south end of the parking lot for the trail that leads into the preserve.
Which trail is closest to you? Check out our interactive map.
For more trail tips, check out Jane Daniels’ book, Walkable Westchester, which she co-wrote with her husband Walt Daniels. The second edition of the book—released in 2014—features information on 200 parks with more than 600 miles of trails.
