Elm Ridge Wild Forest
Nature preserve
2,243 acres18.2 mi of trail
Mid Mountain TrailOuter Loop South TrailLevitate TrailEscarpment Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Union Chapel · Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Windham
Windham has 3,428 acres of parks, 2,394 for every 1,000 residents
36% of Windham’s land is conserved, about 10,355 acres. 51 miles of mapped trail cross Windham, 1.1 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Elm Ridge Wild Forest (18.2 mi), Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness (9.8 mi), Black Dome Valley Unit (2.7 mi).
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Conserved land
36%
10,355 acres · of 45.2 sq mi of land
Trails
51 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,428 ac
2,394 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
39%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
3,994 ft
Black Dome
Lakes & rivers
3
1 beach
What kind of outdoors town is Windham?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Room to roam2,394 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.Land that stays wild36% of the land is conserved; a typical New York town, 5%.A trail town1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 83% of U.S. towns.History along the way3 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Windham have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Windham is ahead of 91% of U.S. towns. Park acres per resident hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Windham’s overall grade.
Conserved land36% of the land · typical NY town 5% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (51 mi) · NY 0.4 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land2,394 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,428 acres) · NY 31 · U.S. 13A+Parks close to home39% of residents within a half mile of a park · NY 70% · U.S. 72%C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 91%
LessMore
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− 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 Elm Ridge Wild Forest, with 18.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
3,591 acres9.8 mi of trail
Escarpment Trail / Long PathBlack Dome Range TrailBatavia Kill TrailEscarpment Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Black Dome Valley Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
430 acres2.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Mount Pisgah State Forest
Nature preserve
526 acres2.5 mi of trail
Long Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Richmond Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
291 acres2.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Brooksburg Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
75 acres1.3 mi of trail
The Dent Loop Extension of the Windham Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Jennie Notch Unit
Managed by New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
365 acres1 mi of trail
Long Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Mount Hayden State Forest
Nature preserve
288 acres0.8 mi of trail
Long Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 25 parks & preserves
Elm Ridge Wild Forest2,243 acres · 18.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWindham-Blackhead Range Wilderness3,591 acres · 9.8 mi of trail · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
DirectionsBlack Dome Valley Unit430 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Mount Pisgah State Forest526 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsRichmond Unit291 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsBrooksburg Unit75 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsJennie Notch Unit365 acres · 1 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsMount Hayden State Forest288 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsMaplecrest Unit501 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Lake Heloise Unit315 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsSouth Mountain Extension Unit83 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
C.D. Lane Park14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Windham
DirectionsAshland Pinnacle State Forest279 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHigh Peak Unit101 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsSouth Mountain State Forest27 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Bump Mountain Unit215 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Pinekill Meadows Unit194 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Tap Jam Unit177 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
East Windham Unit100 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Old Road Unit60 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Maplecrest Road Unit48 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Mitchell Hollow Unit37 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Blodgett Road Unit5 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Mitchell Hollow Brook Unit3 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Mill Street Unit2 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
Who protects it
10,355 conserved acres
36% of Windham’s land. Who manages Windham’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation9,826 ac
Town or city1,009 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits910 ac
Regional Water Districts309 ac
Private owners37 ac
Regional agency12 ac
State Wilderness · 3,601 acState Conservation Area · 3,387 acOther Easement · 1,944 acWatershed Protection Area · 973 acConservation Easement · 567 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,818 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 7 of 35 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness State Wilderness | State conservation | 3,601 | Open |
| Elm Ridge Wild Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 2,258 | Open |
| New York City Dept. of Environmental Protection 1 Watershed Protection Area | Town or city | 568 | Closed |
| Mount Pisgah State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 528 | Open |
| New York City Watershed Watershed Protection Area | Town or city | 393 | Closed |
| Bataviakill Watershed Lands Local Other or Unknown | Regional Water Districts | 307 | Unknown |
| Mount Hayden State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 292 | Open |
| Ashland Pinnacle State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 281 | Open |
| Catskill Mountains - Windham High Peak Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 183 | Closed |
| Catskill Coop Projects Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 183 | Closed |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
25 places to go in Windham
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Windham
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Windham
1 playground without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Windham
Lake Heloise overlookIn Lake Heloise Unit
DirectionsPlus 11 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Windham
Black Dome3,994 ft elevation · In Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness
DirectionsWindham High Peak3,525 ft elevation · In Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness
DirectionsCave Mountain3,107 ft elevation · In Elm Ridge Wild Forest
DirectionsRichtmyer Peak2,986 ft elevation · In Mount Pisgah State Forest
DirectionsMount Hayden2,930 ft elevation · In Mount Hayden State Forest
DirectionsMount Pisgah2,910 ft elevation · In Mount Pisgah State Forest
DirectionsGinseng Mountain2,805 ft elevation · In Jennie Notch Unit
DirectionsRound Hill2,589 ft elevation
Directions2 more peaks
Bump Mountain2,461 ft elevation
DirectionsKate Hill2,382 ft elevation · In High Peak Unit
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 20.3 miHorses · 0.8 miUnpaved · 21.9 mi
Escarpment Trail / Long Path4.4 mi
Long Path3.8 mi
Black Dome Range Trail3.7 mi
The Windham Path1.9 mi
Escarpment Trail1.5 mi
Mid Mountain Trail1.5 mi
Outer Loop South Trail1.4 mi
The Dent Loop Extension of the Windham Path1.4 mi
Levitate Trail1.4 mi
West Gauntlet Trail1.0 mi
15 more trails
Outer Loop North Trail
1.0 miBatavia Kill Trail
1.0 miWarm-up Loop
0.9 miNorth Face Trail
0.9 miCranberrry Bog Trail
0.9 miBerm-Out
0.9 miRun Noot Trail
0.9 miGold Mine Trail
0.9 miElm Ridge Trail
0.8 miInside Line Trail
0.7 miEast Gauntlet Trail
0.7 miBig T Trail
0.6 miPeak to Peak
0.6 miBlack Bear Hideout Trail
0.3 miUphill
0.3 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
13Tennis
3Baseball
2Basketball
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →3 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Windham: 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) | 31 | 34 | 42 | 55 | 67 | 75 | 79 | 77 | 70 | 58 | 46 | 36 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Windham →
Next door
Windham and its neighbors
Windham has the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windham | 36% | 1.1 | 2,394 | 39% | A |
| Jewett | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Durham | 3% | 0.2 | 246 | 19% | B− |
| Cairo | 16% | 0.8 | 31 | 16% | B+ |
| Conesville | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ashland | — 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 Windham
Where can I hike in Windham?
The longest trail networks: Elm Ridge Wild Forest, 18.2 miles; Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness, 9.8 miles; Black Dome Valley Unit, 2.7 miles; Mount Pisgah State Forest, 2.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Windham is conserved land?
36% 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 Windham’s trails?
Elm Ridge Wild Forest and Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Windham?
81,098 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Windham or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 7,295 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Windham have?
Ahead of 91% 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 Windham 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 →