Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

There’s something special about this place. It’s hard to find a park where you have a mix of busy and low traffic trails but this is it. It’s a pretty large park and varied enough for all skill levels. The numerous streams and bridges are nice additions. For those that don’t like to pay to park… $ 10 (the price of ONE lunch) is worth it to support keeping these kinds of places available to the public. I will be back to camp. The lean-to’s I saw were nice and large enough to fit a small tent

If you are looking for extensive, well-​marked hiking trails, some challenging and some not so much, as well as wild life, camping and more — this park is it.
The 4,315-acre park makes Ward Pound Ridge Reservation the county’s largest park
$ 10 without a Westchester County Park Pass and $ 5 with the pass. Open seven days a week, 8 a.m. to dusk, year-​round
The park is also home to a museum (we did not stop in) which hosts weekend nature interpretive programs in every season. The park’s administrative building houses the Gallery in the park, where exhibitions of work by accomplished regional artists are held throughout the year. Situated near the park’s entrance is the W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration) Gallery. This gallery exhibits changing exhibits of paintings, photographs and other works by established, up-​and-​coming, local and regional artists.
Get out and enjoy!

Great hiking spot. There are several different lots that you can start from, but all give you a perfect starting point for hikes. Definitely take a map from the front gate, it is incredibly useful if you want to explore a bit. The trails are very well marked so you can have a nice, easy hike. The 10 dollar fee to get in is well worth it!

I really like this place. It’s definitely a good introduction to hiking, especially for those of you with young families or heavy and out of shape friends.
The trails are easy to follow and just the right amount of rigorous.

I’ve lived in Ny for over twenty years and never knew about this quite secluded spot! You can camp out over night and or just come for the day for a family BBQ!
While we were there (July 4^th) the park police stopped by our shelter and notified us that the night (6:30pm) before there was a black bear spotted at our shelter! The City girl in me no longer wanted to walk the dog through the trails!
Pros: Great place to enjoy the outdoors! Don’t forget to bring your dog! Be sure to call to book your own personal shelter reservation.
Cons: Be ready for natures animals! Black Bears spotted!

Great place to hike for beginners. It’s the largest park in Westchester! Get there before 9 AM to avoid paying the parking/​entrance fee.

My summer adventure for this year was a barbecue deep in the mountains of Westchester. Pound Ridge is definitely a trek from the city and I wouldn’t even begin to dream of coming here without a car. My friends have cars and clean licenses, so I was lucky enough for them to invite me to their barbecue.
Pound Ridge is a beautiful park. It’s clean, gigantic, and has a bunch of cool streams and parts to explore. They have camping available, but I don’t know about all that!
Because of its size, it’s a great spot for when you don’t want to be bothered by people. The chances of you getting overcrowded by other groups is very slim, compared to parks further south near the big cities.
Brotip: You’re allowed to visit this park if you’re not a Westchester resident! You just have to pay more for parking, $ 10 I believe.

4,315 acres making this the largest park in the county. The terrain is diverse and the landscape appealing, especially since there are miles of hiking trails. For those less ambitious there are areas for picnicking, lean-​to camping, and fishing as well. Cross-​country skiing is top notch here in the Winter! Open seven days a week from 8 AM until dusk. Parking fees: $ 5 with Park Pass, $ 10 without Park Pass.