• Skiing -- Glide through meadows and forests on 18 kilometers of mapped trails. Gentle terrain for beginners and plenty of challenges for the more advanced skier. Machine groomed for ski skating and tracked for classic skiing. [ Trail Maps | Conditions | Photos | Names of trails | Park wildlife ]
• Snowshoeing -- Explore designated trails that wind by lakes, streams, stone walls and granite outcroppings.
• Warming Lodge -- Relax in our cozy Acorn Cafe or warm yourself at our outside wood fireplace. Food, beverages, restrooms and changing facilities are available.
• Equipment - Ski Accessories -- a good selection of sledding tubes, baby sleds, snowshoes, skis (both classic and skate), boots and poles are available on a first come, first served basis. XC ski accessories are available too. [ Rates ]

• Sledding -- Tube rentals on a first come, serve basis are available or bring your own tube or plastic sled. Wooden toboggans, steel runner sleds, and sit-a-top models, along with skis and snowboards are not permitted. There is no tow rope service, leg power required to climb back to the top of the hill.  Note that sledders ahead of you have the right of way. When coming to a stop, move out of the way for the next user and follow the designated walk-way back to the top of the hill.

Caution is always advised as tubing conditions an constantly vary due to weather, snow depth, and use on the hill.  If conditions warrant, the hill can be closed without notice. A pass is required to sled and can be purchased at the ski shop. Parents and guardians are responsible for supervising their children while using the hill. Sledding is not allowed outside of the designated area. 

• We have snow when other locations might not -- A north facing trail system with elevations of 1,100 ft. supports colder temperatures that encourages snow retention. Also it may be raining in NYC, while snowing at the Winter Park.
• Weather -- Storms and unseasonal temperatures affect our operating schedules. During warm spells we sometimes close for a few days to let the warm front pass by. When the snow surface is softened by these conditions, it is easy to damage the trails. Please do not ski or snowshoe on them when they are closed. After storms, we may delay opening to ensure that our staff arrive safely. Then we tackle our grooming and plowing tasks. Please call before traveling. [ Conditions ]
• On the trails -- A trail pass is required to ski and snowshoe on FWP's designated trails. While enjoying them, please stay in control while skiing. When stopping, do not obstruct the trail and make sure you are visible from above. People ahead of you have the right of way. If a hill is too steep for your ability or you are too tired to ski back to the lodge, walk to the farthest right edge of the trails as possible.  Depending on conditions, not all the trails may be open.

Snow depth on trails and surface conditions are affected by weather, the sun, wind, water, overhead trees, underlying trail surfaces. Some trail sections may have thinner cover than others, especially wind swept areas, under hemlock trees, down hills where snowplowing pushes snow off the descent, slopes that absorb sun during the day, and naturally occurring water sources like springs.

Undulating trail terrain, icy patches, exposed underlying rocks, roots and gravel can damage ski bases or throw skiers off balance, creating a chance for a fall.

Hard-packed granular and icy snow surfaces also pose challenges for all skill levels of skiers. Caution is advised when these trail conditions exist.

Observe posted signs. Please remember you might meet a grooming machine on the trail at any time.

• The Beginner Skier & Snowshoer -- Novice skiers and snowshoers should use terrain matching their skills and abilities. To assist in this choice, trails are marked according to difficulty. Follow all posted direction-of-travel, Do Not Enter, and Closed Trail signs.

Downhill descents, no matter the slope, can be difficult for inexperienced skiers. A packed icy snow surface creates fast and challenging runs for all. Beginner skiers should become adept at turning and stopping before attempting the more challenging downhill runs.

On two-way designated trails, ski to the right side of the trail. If you are ski skating, use the center of the trail.

• Snowshoeing Choices -- FWP has two designated snowshoe trails. Always follow the proper direction-of-travel designation. Depending on conditions, these trails pose different challenges. The Ojigwan is for beginning and intermediate users, while the Appalachian Way is a wilderness path with a “Most-Difficult” designation. It requires map-reading skills, ability to maneuver on up and down hills on hard packed snow and ice, and good physical strength and stamina.

If you need to use a ski trail to return to the lodge, please keep skiers in mind; they have less maneuverability, especially on down hills. Do not walk in the cross-country ski tracks. Single file travel is recommended whenever there are other trail users in the vicinity. When stopping for a rest or socializing, please step off the trail so you do not interfere with others.

• Winter Trail Hiking & Walking -- Hiking and walking on groomed ski trails damages the ski surface, so these activities are not allowed on FWP designated ski trails. For those who want to enjoy a walk on a winter day, Fahnestock has 30 plus miles of hiking paths. These marked trails are highlighted on the New York-New Jersey East Trail Maps. This map is available at most outdoor specialty stores in the metro region or can be found at the Acorn Café at the Winter Park.
• Fat Bike -- Due to trail use considerations, packed trail surface requirements and variable temperature ranges that regularly soften and freeze the parks snow base, fat bikes are not permitted on FWP groomed ski or snowshoe trails.
• An easy drive -- Conveniently located in Putnam County near Cold Spring, NY. One hour drive from New York City, Poughkeepsie, Middletown, and Danbury CT. To use a GPS travel program - the address to download for directions is 1570 Rte 301 Carmel, NY 10512.  Accessible by Metro North trains from NYC [ How to get here ]

Information - Ski - Weather conditions

(845) 225-3998 (ski center)
(845) 265-3773 (administrative office) 

Sorry, no pets on FWP's designated trails.

A friendly reminder - hiking, walking, and fat biking are not allowed on groomed ski trails.

Ski conditions report

(if that does not work, try search Snocountry xc ski -- or try Cross-Country Ski Areas Assoc)

Snow Alerts for Fahnestock on the Web, or on

Twitter, or  

Receive Snow Alerts in mail:  

Sign up by sending a blank email to
fwp-conditions-subscribe@yahoogroups.com 
This way of receiving public FWP reports is provided by the Yahoo! Groups service.  If you choose to receive public FWP reports sent to this service, your use is subject to the Yahoo Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and Yahoo adds advertising to each message. 

Current Weather -- WUnderground | Natl WS | Weather.com

Email to FWP:  paul.kuznia@parks.ny.gov

Where to stay

Choose from a variety of lodging options -- see Lodging + Food.  Motels, hotels and bed & breakfasts are close by.  Clubsor groups of 35 or more looking for more rustic experience can find cabin accommodations with hearty meals located in the park.

2017 Rate Information

Trail fees

Ski Rentals

Baby Sled

Snowshoes

Sledding Inner Tubes

Important Rate & Rental Guidelines

Getting Here

Fahnestock Winter Park -- Right in Your Backyard

We are within an hour drive from Manhattan or Poughkeepsie - right off the Taconic State Parkway.  There is parking for cars and buses. 

Directions to Fahnestock Winter Park

By car:  Taconic State Parkway -- Exit Route 301 West (Cold Spring/Fahnestock State Park).  Go west on Route 301 for 0.2 miles and park is on your right. 

from Route 9 -- travel East on Route 301 for about 5.5 miles.  Park is on your left. 

To use a GPS travel program - the address to download for directions is 1570 Rte 301 Carmel, NY 10512

approx latitude/longitude = 41.46968,-73.82418 = N41.46968 W73.82418

By train:  Metro North (Hudson line) trains go to Cold Spring station from Grand Central Terminal in New York City and from other stations (see Metro North schedules).  From Cold Spring station, a taxi could take you to the Park, but it's good to get the phone numbers of one or more taxi companies and check with them about arrangements beforehand -- some we've heard of are 845-265-8294 and 845-590-5087.

[ view Larger Map | Lodging + Food ]

This page is not an official web site of Fahnestock State Park or any agency of the State of New York. The information on this page was prepared from park brochures and conversations with park staff. 

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Contact | Conditions | Getting Here | Photos | Trail Maps | Names trails | Wildlife

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Homepage is www.roberts-1.com/fwp