Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

Park Acreage:

4700 acres

Trail Miles:

41.9 miles

Trail Uses:

Hiking, X-C skiing, Accessible

Fees:

Some times and places; check with park

GPS:

41.258383, -73.602232

TC maintained

Directions

Take I-684 North to Exit 6 (Cross River), which briefly joins the Saw Mill River Parkway, then exits to N.Y. Route 35. Turn right and follow Route 35 east for 3.7 miles to N.Y. Route 121. Turn right onto Route 121, cross a bridge over the Cross River, then immediately turn left and enter Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Continue for 0.7 mile to the tollbooth (a $10 parking fee is charged on weekends, daily in the summer). To reach the trailhead for most of the park's trails, make the first right beyond the tollbooth onto Michigan Road and continue for 0.7 mile to a parking area just before a turnaround circle at the end of the road.

Park Overview

Hilly terrain in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation offers a mix of second-growth hardwood forest, hemlock, laurel, bold rock outcroppings, steep ravines, wetlands, and open meadows.

Trail Overview

Hikers have lots of choices in the 41.9 miles of trails in the park:

Blazed by volunteers in 2010, the 4.5-mile Rocks Trail follows footpaths for most of its route and traverses some of most beautiful areas of the park. It is named for six special features that it passes along the way, each of which includes the word "Rock" in their names: Dancing Rock, Bear Rock, Spy Rock, Castle Rock, Raven Rocks and Indian Rock Shelter.
North of Reservation Road, the Brown Trail offers a pleasant 3.8-mile walk along the Cross River. It is accessible from the picnic areas along Reservation Road.
The Blue Trail extends south from the Kimberly Bridge picnic area through the eastern side of the park. One side of this 3.8-mile loop rises through open forest to the highest point in the park (860 feet). Laurel is in bloom in June along this trail.
From the Michigan Road picnic area, the Red Trail offers access to a variety of scenery along its 5.6-mile loop.
Side trails lead to Leatherman's Cave, a former CCC camp, and a view over the Cross River Reservoir.

Cross-country ski traffic on the red, green and yellow trails is one way: counterclockwise. Hikers may choose to hike the loops in either direction.

Park Description

Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

The largest park in Westchester County, Ward Pound Ridge has areas with lots of people and places where few are encountered. Picnic areas, Trailside Museum and the park office are along Reservation Road, which crosses the park east-west and parallels the Cross River. The southern part of the park offers a more secluded atmosphere. It is reached most easily from the Michigan Road parking and picnic area, which also serves as the center for winter ski touring. Camping in CCC era lean-tos is available.

The low stone walls that crisscross the forest floor indicate that more than thirty farms once existed within the park's boundaries. Gradually Westchester County purchased these farms. In 1938 the park was dedicated as Pound Ridge Reservation. Later it was renamed to honor William Ward, former County Parks Commissioner, who was instrumental in creating the county's park system. The "Pound" in Pound Ridge refers to the enclosure or pound used by Native Americans to capture their prey.