Putnam County Government: Winter Fun In Putnam County

Press release from the Putnam County Government:

January 4, 2022

Think you need to drive hours to find great skiing, skating and winter fun? Think again.

Nearby Putnam County offers machine-groomed cross-country ski trails, snowshoeing, sledding, fast downhill slopes, skating and, for the true deep-freeze lovers, an ice-fishing paradise.
Fahnestock Winter Park in Carmel, part of the 16,000-acre Clarence Fahnestock State Park, offers miles of cross-country ski trails for skiers of every age and skill level, a network of blazed snowshoeing trails and a thrilling sledding hill. Trails range from family-friendly near the lodge to advanced trails that wind through wooded hillsides. When conditions are right, skiers can even glide across frozen Canopus Lake.
This year visitors can rent skis, snowshoes and sled tubes in the rental shop at the lodge, or bring their own.
“Our rental shop was closed last year but, still, we had our busiest year ever,” said Declan Hennelly, assistant park manager. “As with every sport that allowed people to socialize safely outdoors, people just went out and bought their own equipment. In the 2020-21 season, the winter park was open forty days, and we sold 6,754 tickets. With 20 km of trails, the park never feels crowded.”
The café will re-open this year for dining indoors and out. The outdoor fireplace makes an especially cozy place to rest with a cup of hot chocolate.
The winter park also offers outdoor ice skating, at no charge. When it freezes, park staff clear off the section of lower Canopus Lake near the boat launch for those who bring their own skates to take a spin.
For more information and to check the snow conditions, see: parks.ny.gov/parks/fahnestockwinterpark

Thunder Ridge Ski Area in Patterson is a destination for families throughout the region who know that every inch of the mountain offers a chance to have fun and create lasting memories.
Just an hour’s drive from New York City, or a quick shuttle-ride away from the Metro-North Ski Train, Thunder Ridge offers 22 trails, three chairlifts and four magic carpets.
While Thunder Ridge is a great place for beginning skiers and snowboarders, with gentle slopes and plenty of group and private lessons available, the mountain is also home to trails challenging enough for experienced skiers and snowboarders. There are even race teams for 8- to 19-year-olds.
Thunder Ridge has snow-making capacity, which gives it a long, extended season. The lodge offers food and drink, with great views from inside, and a big, wrap-around porch for outside dining.

The Brewster Ice Arena, just off I-684 in Brewster, is a destination for all styles of ice skaters. The arena offers four rinks – three indoor rinks that are open year-round and a fourth, seasonal outdoor rink.
With so much available ice, the Brewster Ice Arena has no shortage of public skate sessions daily, including sessions specifically for figure skaters or hockey players. It also hosts open hockey games most nights. Children as young as three can take hockey or figure skating lessons with USFSA-certified skating experts, and adults who want to learn new skills or refine their techniques can frequently be seen training at the arena. Of course, hockey programs for children of all ages are what make the ice arena a second home for area skaters.
If you are hungry or thirsty after all that skating, the ice arena has a popular bar and restaurant upstairs.

Ice fishing: Putnam County’s natural beauty stems, in part, from the many New York City reservoirs throughout the county. The reservoirs comprise miles of open space and are surrounded by protected land, and they offer some of the most beautiful vistas in the state. For most of the year, the reservoirs are only open to those with state fishing licenses and rowboats approved by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, which must be stored on reservoir property.
The winter, however, opens some reservoir access to fishermen and women brave enough to walk out on the ice, drill a hole and drop a line. While you don’t need a boat to enter some of the reservoirs in the winter, you do still need a state fishing license and an NYC watershed recreation pass.
The reservoirs and some local lakes where ice fishing is allowed are filled with brown trout, small- and largemouth bass, pickerel, panfish and more. But the catch is just a bonus for some. The real reason for ice fishing may be the solitude, the chance to breathe cold air, take in the Hudson Valley views, and, perhaps, the bragging rights earned by those willing to traverse uncharted ice to sit or stand in sub-freezing temperatures for hours on end.

This press release was produced by the Putnam County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.