Nature and history offer distinct reasons to visit Cornwall. The Outdoor Discovery Campus has hiking trails, a restored wetland, and Grasshopper Grove; Black Rock Forest offers an expansive woodland landscape. The Sands-Ring Homestead adds a historic site. Kayaking is available nearby on the Hudson River. When planning your trip, you can decide which of these themes matter most for your stay.
Hiking Trails and Nature Play on Campus
The Outdoor Discovery Campus has 10 miles of hiking trails and a five-acre restored wetland. These details describe different aspects of the site: a network of trails and an additional natural area. Grasshopper Grove is designated as a nature play area there. The trails, wetland, and nature play area are all on the same campus, but the total mileage does not refer to a single route.
The hiking trails are open daily year-round from sunrise to sunset. This time window is a useful guide when planning your visit. Since conditions and guidance may change, check the latest campus information before you go.
Forest Landscape and a Named Route
Black Rock Forest covers 3,920 acres. Its pronounced terrain, numerous lakes and streams, and wide variety of species and habitats characterize this woodland area. The visitor information is also clear: the forest is open to the general public every year and welcomes more than 8,000 students, from elementary school through college.
A separate, specific distance applies to the Highlands Trail in Storm King State Park in Cornwall-on-Hudson. The state park’s hiking map, created on January 14, 2021, lists it as 5.47 miles long. The 10 miles, by contrast, refers to the Outdoor Discovery Campus’s hiking trails as a whole; the two figures therefore refer to different routes. Check current park guidance when planning your route.
The Sands-Ring Homestead
The Sands-Ring Homestead, also known as the Old Homestead, dates from the 18th century and is one of Cornwall’s oldest buildings. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The two names refer to the same historic site, so if you’re looking for history in Cornwall, you don’t need to count the Old Homestead as an additional attraction alongside the Sands-Ring Homestead.
The site combines a specific historical period with official recognition for its historic preservation. A visit to the homestead therefore offers a different experience from exploring nature at the campus and in the forest. Along with nature play and hiking, local history gives you another way to choose the focus of your trip to Cornwall.
Kayaking Nearby
Donahue Memorial Park is nearby in Cornwall-on-Hudson, on the banks of the Hudson River. The park has a boat launch, which requires a permit to use. Kayak offerings are also available there from Mountain Valley Guides and Storm King Adventure Tours. The providers may change, so check in advance to see which offerings are currently available.
The park complements the hiking trails, forest landscape, and local history with an activity on the water. Its location is useful to keep in mind when planning: Donahue Memorial Park is in Cornwall-on-Hudson, while the Outdoor Discovery Campus, Black Rock Forest, and the Sands-Ring Homestead are among the Cornwall attractions featured for this destination.
Explore more destinations: Cornwall-On-Hudson, New Hampton, Slate Hill, Unionville, Orange Lake, Woodbury, Montgomery, New Windsor.
For the broader travel overview: Orange.
