Plattekill State Forest
Nature preserve
925 acres6.1 mi of trail
Plattekill Turnpike Bike Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Doug Kerr from Upstate New York · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Roxbury
Roxbury has 2,449 acres of parks, 1,078 for every 1,000 residents
19% of Roxbury’s land is conserved, about 10,515 acres. The biggest trail networks: Plattekill State Forest (6.1 mi), Buffalo Hollow Unit (2.9 mi), Bearpen Mountain State Forest (1.8 mi). 9% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 72% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Conserved land
19%
10,515 acres · of 87.1 sq mi of land
Trails
32 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,449 ac
1,078 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
9%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
7.1 mi
7.1 mi paths
Highest peak
3,451 ft
Roundtop
Lakes & rivers
1
What kind of outdoors town is Roxbury?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Roxbury have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Roxbury is ahead of 72% of U.S. towns. Park acres per resident hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Roxbury’s overall grade.
Conserved land19% of the land · typical NY town 5% · U.S. 4%ATrails0.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (32 mi) · NY 0.4 · U.S. 0.4BPark land1,078 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,449 acres) · NY 31 · U.S. 13A+Parks close to home9% of residents within a half mile of a park · NY 70% · U.S. 72%D
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 72%
LessMore
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to 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 Plattekill State Forest, with 6.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Buffalo Hollow Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
340 acres2.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Bearpen Mountain State Forest
Nature preserve
820 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Irish Mountain Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
282 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Grinch House Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
108 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Plattekill Mountain Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
618 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
New Kingston Mountain Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
319 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Vega Mountain Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
58 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 32 parks & preserves
Plattekill State Forest925 acres · 6.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBuffalo Hollow Unit340 acres · 2.9 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Bearpen Mountain State Forest820 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
Irish Mountain Unit282 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsGrinch House Unit108 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Plattekill Mountain Unit618 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
New Kingston Mountain Unit319 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Vega Mountain Unit58 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Pine Mountain Unit616 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsWest Settlement Unit2,819 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Duggan Hill Unit141 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Delaware Headwaters Unit637 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Sallys Alley Unit377 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
West Schoharie Unit373 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
McGregor Mountain Unit278 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Dog Hill Unit126 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsRoxbury Run Unit122 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Van Aken Road North Unit103 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Relay State Forest99 acres
Red Kill Headwaters Unit92 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Hinkley Unit83 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Boulder Hill Unit75 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Thompson Hollow Unit67 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsEast Branch Delaware Unit58 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Devasego Unit49 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsWest Halcott Unit46 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Van Aken Road Unit45 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Hardscrabble Road Unit45 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Hawk Hollow Unit42 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
South Roxbury Unit35 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Prospect Hill Unit28 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Greene County Forest Preserve Detached Parcel5 acres
Who protects it
10,515 conserved acres
19% of Roxbury’s land. Who manages Roxbury’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation9,947 ac
Town or city3,370 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits755 ac
Other state land5 ac
State parks3 ac
Other Easement · 4,288 acRecreation or Education Easement · 3,103 acWatershed Protection Area · 2,072 acState Conservation Area · 1,864 acLocal Other or Unknown · 1,178 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 5,276 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 19 of 48 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City Watershed Watershed Protection Area | Town or city | 1,356 | Closed |
| Plattekill State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 931 | Open |
| Bearpen Mountain State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 827 | Open |
| New York City Dept. of Environmental Protection 1 Watershed Protection Area | Town or city | 716 | Closed |
| Pine Mountain Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 545 | Unknown |
| West Schoharie Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 328 | Unknown |
| Schoharie Fishing Access Area Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 264 | Unknown |
| Town Of Roxbury Land Local Park | Town or city | 109 | Unknown |
| Relay State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 100 | Open |
| New York City Lands Local Resource Management Area | Town or city | 53 | Open |
3 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
20 places to go in Roxbury
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Waterfalls in Roxbury
Hardenburg Falls
DirectionsStratton Falls
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Roxbury
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Peaks in Roxbury
Roundtop3,451 ft elevation · In Bearpen Mountain State Forest
DirectionsNorth Plattekill3,350 ft elevation
DirectionsSchultice Mountain3,284 ft elevation
DirectionsPlattekill Mountain3,268 ft elevation · In Plattekill State Forest
DirectionsWhite Man Mountain3,146 ft elevation
DirectionsRed Kill Ridge3,110 ft elevation
DirectionsIrish Mountain3,064 ft elevation
DirectionsWalts Knob3,041 ft elevation
Directions8 more peaks
Old Clump3,009 ft elevation
DirectionsKenyon Mountain2,989 ft elevation · In Plattekill State Forest
DirectionsMoresville Range SE Peak2,949 ft elevation
DirectionsCator Roundtop2,867 ft elevation
DirectionsJump Hill2,169 ft elevation
DirectionsNegro Hill1,939 ft elevation
DirectionsFerris Hill1,929 ft elevation
DirectionsClay Hill1,289 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
4 named trails and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.9 miUnpaved · 14.7 mi
Plattekill Turnpike Bike Trail2.3 mi
Catskill Scenic Trail1.9 mi
cross country ski trail0.7 mi
Roxbury Run Village0.5 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
7.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
7.1 mi
off-road bike paths
Catskill Scenic TrailBike route
1.9 miCourts & fields
7Tennis
3Baseball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →9 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Main Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1988
About itIsaac Hardenbergh HouseBuilding · listed 1994
About itFirst Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury and Vega CemeteryDistrict · listed 1996
About itSecond Old School Baptist Church of RoxburyBuilding · listed 1999
About itWalter Stratton HouseBuilding · listed 2002
About itUlster and Delaware Railroad Depot and Mill ComplexDistrict · listed 2003
About itRoxbury Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2003
About itThomson Family FarmDistrict · listed 2004
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Roxbury: May and July
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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 32 | 39 | 52 | 64 | 71 | 76 | 74 | 67 | 56 | 44 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 3.1 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 76 °F). 4.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Roxbury →
Next door
Roxbury and its neighbors
Roxbury has the second most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roxbury | 19% | 0.4 | 1,078 | 9% | B+ |
| Stamford | 25% | 0.3 | 949 | 64% | A |
| Middletown | 20% | 0.4 | 2,098 | 43% | A− |
| Prattsville | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Halcott | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Bovina | — 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 Roxbury
Where can I hike in Roxbury?
The longest trail networks: Plattekill State Forest, 6.1 miles; Buffalo Hollow Unit, 2.9 miles; Bearpen Mountain State Forest, 1.8 miles; Irish Mountain Unit, 1.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Roxbury is conserved land?
19% 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 Roxbury’s trails?
Plattekill State Forest and Buffalo Hollow Unit don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Roxbury?
7.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 7.1 of off-road paths. Named routes: Catskill Scenic Trail.
Is there public land near Roxbury?
64,562 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Roxbury or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,581 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Roxbury have?
Ahead of 72% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade. 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 Roxbury 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 →