Kaaterskill Wild Forest
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
1,023 acres4.8 mi of trail
Long Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Pfoshea · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Saugerties
Saugerties has 2,256 acres of parks, 117 for every 1,000 residents
The biggest trail networks: Kaaterskill Wild Forest (4.8 mi), Esopus Bend Nature Preserve (4.3 mi), Indian Head Wilderness (3.1 mi). 6% of Saugerties’ land is conserved, about 2,697 acres. 32 miles of mapped trail cross Saugerties, 0.5 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 77% of U.S. towns · #260 of 758 in New York. What drives it
Conserved land
6%
2,697 acres · of 64.6 sq mi of land
Trails
32 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,256 ac
117 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
63%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
732 ft
Mount Marion
Lakes & rivers
3
1 beach · 9 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Saugerties?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Saugerties have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Saugerties is ahead of 77% of U.S. towns, #260 of 758 in New York. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; park acres per resident rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Saugerties’ overall grade.
Conserved land6% of the land · typical NY town 5% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (32 mi) · NY 0.4 · U.S. 0.4BPark land117 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,256 acres) · NY 31 · U.S. 13AParks close to home63% of residents within a half mile of a park · NY 70% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 77%
LessMore
New York towns of 2,500+ (758)Ahead of 66%
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 Kaaterskill Wild Forest, with 4.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Esopus Bend Nature Preserve
Park
177 acres4.3 mi of trail
Schoeder TrailWetlands TrailSouth Trail (Red)Meadow Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Indian Head Wilderness
Nature preserve
338 acres3.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Falling Waters Preserve
Park
202 acres1.9 mi of trail
Upland Trail (Red)Riverside Trail (White)Father C. Jorn Trail (Blue)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Turkey Point State Forest
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
136 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Bristol Beach State Park
Managed by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
186 acres1.1 mi of trail
Fourwheeler trails
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Ruth Reynolds Glunt Nature Preserve
Managed by Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy
11 acres0.4 mi of trail
Lighthouse Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Seamon Park
Park
7 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 17 parks & preserves
Kaaterskill Wild Forest1,023 acres · 4.8 mi of trail · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
DirectionsEsopus Bend Nature Preserve177 acres · 4.3 mi of trail
DirectionsIndian Head Wilderness338 acres · 3.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFalling Waters Preserve202 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsTurkey Point State Forest136 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
DirectionsBristol Beach State Park186 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Ruth Reynolds Glunt Nature Preserve11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy
DirectionsSeamon Park7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Ulster Landing Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGreat Vly Wildlife Management Area82 acres
DirectionsCantine Fields68 acres · Town of Saugerties
DirectionsHigh Woods Multiple Use Area42 acres
Cantine Complex36 acres
DirectionsGlasco Mini-Park2 acres
DirectionsSaugerties Public Beach Park2 acres
DirectionsTina Chorvas Park2 acres
DirectionsMalden Boat Launch1 acres
Who protects it
2,697 conserved acres
6% of Saugerties’ land. Who manages Saugerties’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation1,697 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits739 ac
Town or city363 ac
State parks216 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government29 ac
County8 ac
State Conservation Area · 1,165 acLocal Park · 390 acState Wilderness · 338 acPrivate Park · 295 acState Park · 203 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 134 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 5 of 39 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaaterskill Wild Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 1,027 | Open |
| Indian Head Wilderness State Wilderness | State conservation | 338 | Open |
| Falling Waters Preserve Private Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 295 | Closed |
| Village Of Saugerties Land Local Park | Town or city | 230 | Unknown |
| Bristol Beach State Park State Park | State parks | 203 | Open |
| Esopus Bend Nature Preserve Local Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 160 | Open |
| Turkey Point State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 138 | Open |
| Great Vly Wma State Resource Management Area | State conservation | 83 | Open |
| Juniper Flats Park Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 68 | Unknown |
| Town Of Saugerties Land Local Park | Town or city | 56 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
68 places to go in Saugerties
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Saugerties
Saugerties BeachIn Saugerties Public Beach Park
DirectionsPublic pools in Saugerties
Lions Club Kiddie PoolIn Cantine Complex
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Saugerties
Lions Club PlaygroundIn Cantine Complex
DirectionsSmall Wonder PlaygroundIn Cantine Fields
DirectionsPlus 1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Saugerties
Double Boat Launch
DirectionsKayak Launch
DirectionsPlus 7 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Waterfalls in Saugerties
Cantine Dam Falls
DirectionsGlenerie Falls
DirectionsGlenerie Falls
DirectionsGlenerie Falls
DirectionsGlenerie Falls
DirectionsGlenerie Falls
DirectionsHidden FallsIn Indian Head Wilderness
DirectionsLemon Squeeze FallsIn Indian Head Wilderness
Directions1 more waterfall
Schalks Falls
DirectionsPlus 19 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Saugerties
Waterfall OverlookIn Falling Waters Preserve
DirectionsPlus 18 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Saugerties
Mount Marion732 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Airy610 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Saugerties
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Saugerties
Blue Mountain Campground
DirectionsKoa Camping
DirectionsRip Van Winkle Camping
DirectionsTent Sites
DirectionsTrails & water
12 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 11.9 mi
Schoeder Trail1.2 mi
Upland Trail (Red)0.9 mi
Wetlands Trail0.9 mi
Riverside Trail (White)0.6 mi
South Trail (Red)0.6 mi
North Woods Jeep Trail0.5 mi
Father C. Jorn Trail (Blue)0.5 mi
Long Path0.4 mi
Lighthouse Trail0.3 mi
Fourwheeler trails0.2 mi
2 more trails
Meadow Trail
0.2 miYellow Trail
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & 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
19Baseball
17Equestrian
7Tennis
5Soccer
3Basketball
2Multi-sport
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →12 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 4 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Saugerties LighthouseStructure · listed 1979
About itMain-Partition Streets Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1982
About itLoerzel Beer HallBuilding · listed 1984
About itWynkoop HouseBuilding · listed 1984
About itTrumpbour Homestead FarmBuilding · listed 1985
About itDubois-Kierstede Stone HouseBuilding · listed 1998
About itTrinity Episcopal Church ComplexBuilding · listed 1998
About itOpus 40Structure · listed 2001
About itAugusta Savage House and StudioBuilding · listed 2001
About itOaterhoudt Stone HouseBuilding · listed 2001
About itSaugerties and New York Steamboat Company WarehouseBuilding · listed 2017
About itAsbury Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2021
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Saugerties: April, 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 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 38 | 47 | 61 | 72 | 80 | 85 | 83 | 75 | 63 | 50 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.1 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 4.6 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Saugerties →
Next door
Saugerties and its neighbors
Saugerties has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Saugerties32 miCatskill30 miRed Hook18 miUlster15 miPalenville8.0 miClermont7.8 miGlasco2.4 miSaugerties South2.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saugerties | 6% | 0.5 | 117 | 63% | A− |
| Red Hook | 28% | 0.5 | 15 | 41% | B+ |
| Ulster | 8% | 0.6 | 88 | 51% | A− |
| Glasco | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Catskill | 8% | 0.5 | 110 | 58% | A− |
| Saugerties South | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Clermont | 18% | 0.4 | 278 | 19% | B+ |
| Palenville | — 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 Saugerties
Where can I hike in Saugerties?
The longest trail networks: Kaaterskill Wild Forest, 4.8 miles; Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, 4.3 miles; Indian Head Wilderness, 3.1 miles; Falling Waters Preserve, 1.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Saugerties is conserved land?
6% 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 Saugerties’ trails?
Kaaterskill Wild Forest and Esopus Bend Nature Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Saugerties?
70,112 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Saugerties or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,730 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Saugerties have?
Ahead of 77% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #260 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 Saugerties 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 →