Welcome to Copake, New York

Harlem Valley Rail Trail will ultimately be a 45.7-mile walking-bicycle trail on the old rail bed between Wassaic and Chatham, NY.  Presently it consists of 22.7 miles of paved and open trail between Wassaic and Copake Falls divided into 5 sections with lengths from 2.6 to 8 miles. Scenic views of the Catskill Mountains, varieties of fern, a Butterfly Garden, the “vertical wetlands” – typical wetlands plants growing on vertical rock cuts – creeks, Beaver Pond, cinder flora habitat, cedar, cottonwood, maple and many other flora and fauna exemplify the trail’s attractions. The Rail Trail is divided into five sections for convenience, described in detail (entrance/exit, parking, history, flora, and fauna) on its website accessed above.

Copake Country Club Golf Course overlooks Copake Lake. Its eighteen idyllic holes vie for perfection with the breathtaking Berkshire Mountain views that surround it. This challenging public course, built in 1921, was named by the New York Post as one of the "10 hidden gems two hours from New York City". Copake is a golfer's paradise with a 6300 yard, par 72 course with a full service pro shop offering everything from clubs to clothes to internet service. Better still, Copake Country Club features The Greens, a contemporary Adirondack-style restaurant, where visitors can enjoy lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch by the fireplace in the dining room, cocktails on the deck with the inviting views of the lake and fairways, or to relax in the lounge complete with two 50-inch plasma TVs. Parties and banquets are always welcome.

Undermountain Golf Course, Inc. features a 3263 yard, 18 hole course off Route 22 on Under Mountain Road. The scenic beauty and serenity provided by the Taconic Mountain Range to the east and the Catskill Mountains to the west will intrigue players of all levels.

Campbell’s Hillside Driving Range (No website available) is in Craryville, just off route 23 and invites you to its 300 plus yards, mats and elevated tees.

Catamount Ski Area has been owned and operated by Bill Gilbert and Don Edwards since 1974. They have a fifty year plus history in the operation of ski resorts as well as the development of snow-making equipment and lift safety. Catamount straddles the New York-Massachusetts border and presents 119 skiable acres with 32 trails from super-gentle to super-steep. Snow-making covers 98% of the trails and 15 are open at night.  A 400-foot half-pipe tests the adventuresome. Instruction is available for all skill levels of skiing and snowboarding.  

Appalachian Trail Conservancy is an 80 year old volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the 2175 mile Appalachian Trail (the longest foot trail in the country) from Katahdin, Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia. ATC is an excellent place for maps, information and news about the entire trail including those parts nearby in Massachusetts and Connecticut. 90 miles pass through the Berkshires with elevations from 650 to 3491 feet including Mt. Greylock and Mt. Everett. The Appalachian Mountain Club Berkshire Chapter can provide a wealth of information about this section of the trail. On leaving Massachusetts, the trail passes through the northwest corner of Connecticut for 52 miles with an elevation range of 260 – 2316 feet. The Housatonic River Valley and the Taconic Range are especially scenic. The Connecticut Chapter - AMC is very knowledgeable about this part of the trail. Both clubs are excellent reference sources about many other trails, streams and camping throughout their respective areas.

Berkshire Hiking invites you to take a break from the daily grind, spend an afternoon in quiet surroundings and just relax. Show your kids forests, waterfalls and open spaces with deep blue skies. If you have interest in a guided hike, bike tour, kayak outing or a scenic ride through western Massachusetts or Connecticut, get in touch with Berkshire Hiking.

New York-New Jersey Conference is an excellent New York reference for maps, trails and current news, especially for the Appalachian Trail.

Edna St. Vincent Millay Poetry Trail at Steepletop is a half-mile long woodland road leading to the gravesite of Millay and her husband, her sister Norma and her husband, and Cora Millay, the mother who raised her daughters to love poetry, literature and music. Panels on cedar posts along the trail display nature poems by Millay, the first woman poet awarded the Pulitzer Prize. The trail is for walkers and wheelchairs only. Turn off route 22 close to the Austerlitz Post Office onto East Hill Road. Look for a “Millay Poetry Trail” sign about 2 miles after the turn-off and just beyond the entrance to the Millay Colony on the right.

            Millay was at home at Steepletop from 1925 until she died in 1950. Steepletop was named after the tall wildflower that grew in abundance on her farm.

Harvey Mountain State Forest (No website available) consists of nearly 1600 acres of hemlock and birch, hosts in turn to yellow-bellied sapsuckers, Red-breasted nuthatches, blue-headed vireos and many other entertainments for the avid birder. The entrance is in Austerlitz, about one-fourth mile after turning onto East Hill Road from Route 22.

Butternut Ski Area is located in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and presents 22 ski trails on 110 acres with 10 lifts and a 5 lane 500-foot Tubing Center. Snowmaking equipment covers 100% of the trails. Channing and Jane Murdock started the development of Butternut (named for the prevalence of the tree) in 1963. With almost annual improvements, staff honors from Professional Ski Instructors of America and Ski Magazine which also featured Butternut and GB as “a ski destination town”, Ski Butternut welcomes all ages and all skill levels to enjoy all its winter sports.