Black Rock Forest
Managed by Black Rock Forest Consortium
2,003 acres20.2 mi of trail
Stillman TrailScenic TrailSackett TrailWhite Oak Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Cornwall
40% of Cornwall’s land is conserved: 6,788 acres
66 miles of mapped trail cross Cornwall, 2.5 per square mile of land. 4,293 acres are parks and preserves, 337 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Black Rock Forest (20.2 mi), Schunnemunk State Park (15.4 mi), Storm King State Park (13 mi).
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #13 of 758 in New York. What drives it
Conserved land
40%
6,788 acres · of 26.7 sq mi of land
Trails
66 mi
2.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,293 ac
337 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
91%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,391 ft
Black Rock
Lakes & rivers
9
3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Cornwall?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild40% of the land is conserved; a typical New York town, 5%.A trail town2.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 96% of U.S. towns.Room to roam337 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.History along the way36 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Cornwall have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Cornwall is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #13 of 758 in New York. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Cornwall’s overall grade.
Conserved land40% of the land · typical NY town 5% · U.S. 4%A+Trails2.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (66 mi) · NY 0.4 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land337 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,293 acres) · NY 31 · U.S. 13AParks close to home91% of residents within a half mile of a park · NY 70% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Among the top 1%
LessMore
New York towns of 2,500+ (758)Ahead of 98%
Water is 5% of Cornwall’s area (1 of 28 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 38%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Black Rock Forest, with 20.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Schunnemunk State Park
Managed by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
2,318 acres15.4 mi of trail
Western Ridge TrailSchunnemunk Meadows TrailSweet CloverMeadow Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Storm King State Park
Managed by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
1,333 acres13 mi of trail
Stillman TrailHowell TrailBypass TrailStillman Spring Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Storm King Art Center
Park
436 acres5.7 mi of trail
Maple Allee
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Roe Park
Managed by Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson
40 acres1.1 mi of trail
Nat Stillman Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 12 parks & preserves
Black Rock Forest2,003 acres · 20.2 mi of trail · Black Rock Forest Consortium
DirectionsSchunnemunk State Park2,318 acres · 15.4 mi of trail · New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
DirectionsStorm King State Park1,333 acres · 13 mi of trail · New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
DirectionsStorm King Art Center436 acres · 5.7 mi of trail
DirectionsRoe Park40 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson
Riverlight Park38 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsKowawese Unique Area at Plum Point10 acres · Orange County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation
Donahue Memorial Park8 acres
Knox's Headquarters State Historic Site4 acres · New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Laurel Crest Park4 acres
DirectionsPagenstecher Park2 acres
Moodna Creek Waterway Access2 acres
Who protects it
6,788 conserved acres
40% of Cornwall’s land. Water is left out: Cornwall has 26.7 square miles of land and 1.5 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Cornwall’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State parks5,763 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits4,416 ac
Town or city88 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government81 ac
Regional Water Districts32 ac
State conservation13 ac
Private owners7 ac
State Park · 3,656 acConservation Easement · 2,480 acPrivate Conservation · 2,060 acRecreation or Education Easement · 1,044 acAgricultural Easement · 536 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 895 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 15 of 56 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schunnemunk State Park State Park | State parks | 2,278 | Open |
| Black Rock Forest Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 2,015 | Open |
| Storm King State Park | State parks | 1,378 | Open |
| Roe Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 47 | Open |
| Orange County Land Trust Land Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 46 | Open |
| Town Of Cornwall Land Local Park | Town or city | 39 | Unknown |
| Village of Cornwall Land Local Park | Town or city | 34 | Unknown |
| Water Distribution System Land Local Other or Unknown | Regional Water Districts | 32 | Unknown |
| Riverlight Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 27 | Open |
| Kowawese Unique Area State Conservation Area | State conservation | 10 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
63 places to go in Cornwall
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Cornwall
Playgrounds in Cornwall
Grasshopper Grove
DirectionsPlus 20 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Cornwall
3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Cornwall
1 fishing spot without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Cornwall
North PointIn Storm King State Park
DirectionsPlus 22 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Cornwall
Black Rock1,391 ft elevation · In Black Rock Forest
DirectionsMount Rascal1,391 ft elevation
DirectionsButter Hill1,378 ft elevation · In Storm King State Park
DirectionsStorm King Mountain1,348 ft elevation · In Storm King State Park
DirectionsMount Misery1,270 ft elevation · In Black Rock Forest
DirectionsWhitehorse Mountain1,240 ft elevation · In Storm King State Park
DirectionsFrog Hill1,220 ft elevation · In Black Rock Forest
DirectionsHoney Hill1,132 ft elevation · In Black Rock Forest
Directions2 more peaks
Deer Hill886 ft elevation
DirectionsRound Top541 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Cornwall
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Cornwall
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 9 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.9 miUnpaved · 23.8 mi
Stillman Trail8.3 mi
Howell Trail2.3 mi
Western Ridge Trail2.0 mi
Otterkill Trail1.9 mi
Meadow Loop1.8 mi
Schunnemunk Meadows Trail1.7 mi
Sweet Clover1.6 mi
Scenic Trail1.5 mi
Sackett Trail1.5 mi
Barton Swamp Trail1.3 mi
15 more trails
Trestle Trail
1.3 miDark Hollow
1.1 miWhite Oak Trail
1.1 miMcKeon Loop Trail
1.0 miBlack Rock Hollow Trail
0.9 miNat Stillman Trail
0.8 miBypass Trail
0.8 miH. Peter Stern Tral
0.7 miReservoir Trail
0.7 miStillman Spring Trail
0.7 miHoney Hill Trail
0.7 miHighalnds Trail
0.6 miBluebird Trail
0.6 miCompartment Trail
0.6 miSibyl's Path
0.5 miBiking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
26Tennis
12Baseball
12Soccer
10Tracks
5Pickleball
4Basketball
3Football
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →36 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 5 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Amelia Barr HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itCamp OlmstedBuilding · listed 1982
About itDeer HillBuilding · listed 1982
About itGatehouse on Deerhill RoadBuilding · listed 1982
About itLeDoux/Healey HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itRiver View HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itStorm King HighwayStructure · listed 1982
About itCornwall Friends Meeting HouseBuilding · listed 1988
About itVermont Hatch MansionBuilding · listed 1995
About itCarvey-Gatfield HouseBuilding · listed 1996
About itDaniel Sutherland HouseBuilding · listed 1996
About itDavid Sutherland HouseBuilding · listed 1996
About it24 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Cornwall: May and July to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 38 | 46 | 59 | 69 | 77 | 82 | 81 | 73 | 62 | 50 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 4.1 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Cornwall →
Next door
Cornwall and its neighbors
Cornwall has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Cornwall66 miWoodbury65 miWoodbury65 miHighlands58 miFishkill51 miNew Windsor41 miBlooming Grove17 miVails Gate0.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 40% | 2.5 | 337 | 91% | A+ |
| New Windsor | 33% | 1.2 | 256 | 92% | A+ |
| Highlands | 30% | 1.9 | 322 | 87% | A+ |
| Blooming Grove | 4% | 0.5 | 49 | 75% | B+ |
| Woodbury | 48% | 1.8 | 911 | 90% | A+ |
| Woodbury | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Fishkill | 43% | 1.9 | 199 | 74% | A+ |
| Vails Gate | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Cornwall
Where can I hike in Cornwall?
The longest trail networks: Black Rock Forest, 20.2 miles; Schunnemunk State Park, 15.4 miles; Storm King State Park, 13 miles; Storm King Art Center, 5.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Cornwall is conserved land?
40% of its land, against a typical 5% for a New York town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Cornwall’s trails?
Black Rock Forest and Schunnemunk State Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Cornwall?
90,983 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Cornwall or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 6,321 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Cornwall have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #13 of 758 in New York. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Cornwall neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →