Any place to go ice skating - indoors or outdoors, near New Paltz? I only know of Tivoli Bays near Red Hook on the other side of the Hudson for some outstanding outdoor skating (if it's frozen enough!). Anywhere closer? Thanks.

Jannette

mountain house http://www.mohonk.com/recreation/ice_skating.cfm

J,
In a low snow year. MTB into Awosting. I've only done it once, but what fun. I would imagine a walk up to Lake Maratanza at Sam's Point would offer the same. It all freezes much earlier than the Hudson at Tivoli without the ice boats screaming past. But, less exciting and with easier access is Thomas Bull Park in Montgomery. It's an Orange Cty park offering groomed xc skiing on a golf course, a tubing hill, and ice skating on a good sized pond. There is a lodge up the hill and plenty of nearby parking. It is located south of Montgomery on RT 416. Enjoy, RC

There are many ponds and lakes in the area that we skated on as kids. These would, of course, require some shoveling most of the time. Orange Lake, outside of Newburgh, is approx. 1 x 2 miles and makes for a great outing when the ice is pretty clean, but I'm not sure where you would park if you don't own land there. There used to be a very active ice boat club on the lake that would likely let you. PM me if you want more specifics for smaller spots around Kingston that are accessible.

In the same line of thought, the marsh just off Huguenot Street, at the Bird Sanctuary, is a fabulous ice skating place.

The ice sailing at Orange Lake is now based out of a private residence. Unless you know someone with lake frontage, there is not much chance of getting on the ice there anymore. Possibly Chadwick Lake. It is a little further east of Orange Lake and is a Town of Newburgh park. Maybe Tillson Lake just below Gertrude's Nose. The state has a small parking lot right there with access to the lake shore. Maybe, just maybe the PIPC may allow someone to recreate there. Or not, I wouldn't be surprised. RC

holy crap, you can ice skate through tivoli bay?!
ive canoed through there. gorgeous.

I was at Tivoli Bay many many years ago, there were beautiful old ice boats skating on it as well. Just to be sure we're thinking of the same spot, I'm talking about the area of the Hudson River cut off from the rest of the river by the railroad.

I'm mainly looking for easy to access ice skating to take the kids for a couple of hours so they can practice for going to the Winterlude Festival in Ottawa in February. Nothing too adventurous, no long approaches. At Winterlude, the canals through the city are frozen, groomed by Zambonis - you can skate through the city, incredible ice sculpture contests on the frozen lake, giant snow mountain playgrounds in Hull - haven't been there since pre-kids.

Jannette

I think there would be much shoveling to hit any of the spots I went BITD at this point. The Esopus River has left several ox bow lakes north of Kingston and these are all just off the roads with parking along the sides. Look north side of Rt.209 a little west of Rt. 9W. Another spot is a little hidden in the woods further north where 9W crosses over the Thruway in Lake Katrine. There used to be great skating, although not as large an area, at Williams Lake in Rosendale but I am told they closed a couple years ago; a big loss to the x-c ski crowd. Don't know if the Peck/Williams families will allow anyone in now but it can't hurt to ask.

Indoors - there is also Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie.