Recreation and Tourism

 

Welcome to the
Heart of the Highlands!

Putnam County is a very beautiful place. With more than 20,000 acres reserved as permenantly preserved open spaces by a wide cross section of land owners our lives are made better by the very fact that we have room to breathe. But will these lands be allowed to grow old?

Townsend Family Root Cellar - Copyright 2001 Jeff Green
Birding at Green Chimney's
with Jim Utter of FrOGS
 
Points of elevation greater than 700'

Great Hikes in the Highlands

Other Places to go:


Hiking
 
Hunting
 
X-Country Skiing
 
Picnic
 
Mountain Biking
 
Fishing
 

  Name NRI Map Acres Notes
  State Parks

Clarence Fahnestock
State Park
-
Route 301

  16000   Pelton Pond Bow Hunting Only in Posted Areas On posted trails only Ski Lodge No Motors Row Boats, Canteen, Conference Center, Beach, Nordic Skiing, Appalachian Trail. There are two significant multi-use trails in the park Maps are available at the Ranger Station across from the Pelton Pond parking lot.
      1.2 miles each way Gazebo at Summit         Recent Addition to Fahmestock SP - Access from West Shore Road at Lake Oscawana - Great view over Lake Oscawana and Belle Hollow
      1.1 miles each way Old camp chimney at summit         Access on HIghland Road across from Garrison Hunt club.
Easy 45 minute hike to excellent view over the Hudson Valley from Bear Mt. to the Gap and the Fishkill Ridge - A Popular Spot
 
  • Hubbard Perkin's Fields
    1.4 miles each way Rock at end of hike         Access from Route 301 (look for red flag along north side of road.) Excellent farm view at middle of trail. Watch for cows on trail.
 
  • Shenandoah Mountain (AT)
    0.4 miles each way 360° view         Short, steep AT hike to 360° view. Access from Long Hill Road in extreme western Kent.
Wiccoppee Reservoir
Fhanestock SP Unit
  507     Bow Hunting Only in Posted Areas     No Boats Undeveloped
  Wonder Lake State Park - Ludingtonville Road


~1000 5 mile loop         No Motors Undeveloped
  Hudson Highlands State Park   5000       On posted trails only   Hudson River  
 
  Name NRI Map Acres Notes
  DEC Lands
  Find DEC Camping regulations here
  Fishkill Ridge Conservation Area 1030             Fishkill Ridge Caretakers
  Mount Nimham State Forest - Gipsy Trail Road just above the County Park 1023       On posted trails only     Hunting, Horseback riding
  Mount Nimham Fire Tower - .75 miles from PA to tower At Base of firetower   Dirt Road to Summit     At 90' this is the tallest Fire Tower in NY State. Extensive views from NYC to the Berkshires on a clear day.
  California Hill MUA - Gordon Road just north of Peekskill Hollow Road   296        Old Town Road through facility     Abandoned Farm fields, old roads, deer and small game hunting, hiking.
  Pudding Street MUA - Pudding Street just east of the Taconic parkway   74            No Motors Deer, small game hunting, fishing
  Cranberry Mountain WMA- Stage Coach Road, Patterson 463   Campsite on ridge         Big hunting area - use extreme caution!
White Pond MUA - On White Pond Road just north of Farmer's Mills 273   Dam near parking area       No Motors Swimming, Fishing, Boating (no motors), Ice Fishing, Handicapped accessible fishing pier.
  Big Buck MUA - On Ressique Street just north of Farmer's Mills Road 146             Overgrown Fields, deer, pheseant, grouse hunting.
 
  Name NRI Map Acres Notes
  NYC DEP Lands   Private Lands - Access with free DEP Permit
  East Fishkill Unit   581             Access from Route 52south of Leetown Road or Dean/Leetown Road about 1 mile north of Farmer's Mills Road
  Lockwood Unit   452             Access from Dixon Road
  Richardsville Unit   193             Access from Route 301 or Richardsville Road
  West Branch Headwaters   561             Access from Route 301 - NOT for the casual hiker.
 
  Name NRI Map Acres Notes
  County Facilities
Putnam County Park - Gipsy Trail Road   220            No Motors Picnic Grounds, Veterans Memorial, 4H Fairgrounds, miles of foot trails, swimming, fishing (under 16 only)
  Michael Cioiola Conservation Area 592             The George C Cain bike trail leaves from Stagecoach Road
Chuang Yen Monastery - Route 301 east of the Taconic Parkway   ~100             Largest indoor statue of the Buddha in the western hempsiphere inside a building designed by I.M. Pei. A Vegetarian Lunch is served on Sundays at Noon for a $5 donation - open to the Public everyday.
Farmer's Mills Park - on Farmer's Mills Road east of the junction with 301     95             Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, Children's Playground
 
  Name NRI Map Acres Notes
  Other Open Space Areas
  Kent Historical Society - on Farmer's Mills Road west of the intersection with White Pond Road     1/2             Original Farmer's Mills Schoolhouse with historical artifacts from early Kent.
Ryan's Field - Lake Carmel                   Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, Children's Playground
Kent Trails                   Various back roads and woods roads through town (contact)
           

Remember, the woods belong to those who
live there!

"Certainly, one option should always be, what happens if we just let it alone and let it resort to its fully natural state? A forest left alone and allowed over time to become something approximating what was here before settlement is the best of all possible worlds." - Bob Irwin, Conservation Director, World Wildlife Fund
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Friday, June 27, 2008 © planputnam.org
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