Best Places to Snowshoe in New York
Posted by Crescent Moon on Dec 3rd 2021
From the Adirondacks to the Lower Hudson Valley and the Northern Catskills—New York has some of the best snowshoeing opportunities in the US. You can also find snowshoe trails all over the western part of the state at Allegany, Artpark, Devil’s Hole, Lake Erie, and other state parks. So, where should your snowshoeing adventures start? Let this vacation itinerary support your dreams as you consider which of the thousands of snowshoe trails you will take this winter in New York.
Finding the Right New York Trails for Snowshoeing
In New York, there are the perfect conditions for snowshoes—deep winter snowfall, grand valleys in mountainous regions, and snowshoeing trails. The benefit of a snowshoe trail is everyone on the course will also be outfitted in snowshoes. You eliminate the risk of getting run over by someone on a snowmobile or while snowboarding.
Also, if the snowshoe trail has been maintained and utilized regularly during the season, you get the perfect snowpack for trampling over in snowshoes. This makes a ton of difference, especially when snowshoeing over longer distances.
Please keep in mind, it only snows in New York during the winter season. For travelers from abroad, this may be important to know. Those winter months when it is most likely to snow enough for snowshoeing in New York are October through March.
To help make the trip planning easier, please check out the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The DEC provides guidelines, maps, and resources, especially for snowshoeing. The outdoor regions where snowshoeing in New York is monitored by the DEC are the following:
- Eastern Adirondacks
- Lake Champlain
- Capital Region
- Northern Catskills
- Western Adirondacks
- Upper Mohawk Valley
- Eastern Lake Ontario
- Central New York
- Western New York
- Rochester
- Western Finger Lakes
- Lower Hudson Valley
Easiest Snowshoeing in New York
The Hudson Valley Greenway along Manhattan and its picturesque waterfront are possibly the most convenient snowshoeing for most New Yorkers. If you live in New York City or are traveling to the city for a vacation, there is a snowshoeing path at the Old Erie Canal State Park. You will need to travel from Manhattan to Stamford, about 40 miles north and an hour's drive. This brings you to the Central and Finger Lakes regions of the state and a35-mile trail that is easy enough for beginners with a set of foam snowshoes.
Trails in state parks are also free in most cases unless you are paying for snowshoe rentals, which you can avoid by buying your own Crescent Moon snowshoes. For example, at the Allegany State Park in the Quaker Area, you have free trail access along with a warming hut, 50 total trails, snow tubing, and snowmobiling. This is another great place to visit and snowshoe in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region.
More Adventurous NY Snowshoeing Trails
Once you have gained confidence in using snowshoes, it is time to find a trail with a ski lift. Here you are in luck! There are so many ski resorts featuring snowshoe trails in New York. These ski resorts are expected to open on November 6, 2021, according toI LOVE NY. Each of these cities has more than one ski resort in New York:
- Warrensburg
- Queensbury
- North Creek
- Lake Placid
- Lake George
- Bolton Landing
Additionally, more than a dozen cities have one ski resort, including Alder Creek, Burlington Flats, Jamestown, and Troy. Highly recommended ski resorts for snowshoeing this winter in New York include:
- Mohonk Mountain House in the Hudson Valley
- Gore Mountain in the Adirondacks
- Plattekill Ski Mountain in the Catskills
- Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center in the Adirondacks
Here you should expect access to well-maintained trails solely for snowshoeing, along with lift access to higher points in mountain areas. Ski resorts also provide overnight accommodation and in-house dining, allowing you to have a more luxurious snowshoeing adventure.
Buying Snowshoes for New York Trails
Whatever New York snowshoeing trails you tear up this season, we want you to go out there with the best snowshoes on the market. Check out our lightweight foam snowshoes and scout out the perfect pair for you and your whole family this holiday season. Just check out our foam snowshoes made to fit your entire family, we even have kids foam snowshoes so they can join in on the fun.