The best place to go sledding is often the spot no one else knows about or can get to. If you’re fortunately situated in Ulster County, there’s a perfect hill on your property or a short trudge through the snow nearby. Some of us lucky locals grew up in just such a scenario, and sledding is in our blood.
The rest of us peasants are left to rely on Google searches and word-of-mouth to find decent hills that are open to the public. This can mean a bit of crowding sometimes, but it also means witnessing many entertaining wipeouts and potentially capturing a viral TikTok video of an epic collision.
And don’t forget the other best reason to go sledding. It’s the best possible excuse to get hot chocolate afterward. Whether it’s an artisanal, organic, non-dairy cacao concoction or Swiss Miss in a thermos, don’t spare the mini-marshmallows.
Of course, first things first. It’s gotta, gotta snow this winter! It’s been one of the most disappointing sledding seasons in decades. All we’ve had so far and all that’s forecast this month is brief teases of wintry mix. So you might consider saving a copy of this article. The way things are going, you might be sitting on your mittens for a while before the white hills call your name.
Nonetheless, let’s be optimistic. Someone could be finding this article from a Google search in 2026, reading with a foot of snow and a dream. Here are the top ten free sledding spots open to the public in Ulster County, in no particular order:
1 Comeau property
Tinker St. / Route 212 • Woodstock
Spend any time driving through a snowy Woodstock and you will see a crowd of kids and teens at the foot of the Comeau property sledding down the squat but speedy hills set back off the main road. This is a long-time-locals hill. It’s the Woodstock Green of snow. If you don’t know anyone here, prepare to make new friends.
There are few signs more happy and wholesome than an idyllic woodland hill dotted with a kaleidoscope of colorful, puffy snow-wear and brightly-hued plastic sleds. This hill is postcard-perfect, appropriate for a town dedicated to the arts.
2 Hasbrouck Park
Delaware Avenue • Kingston
One of the most epic sledding spots is tucked away out of sight off Delaware Avenue in Kingston. You’ll probably drive by the entrance once or twice thinking it’s a driveway, but head up the narrow winding road and you’ll eventually reach most Kingston residents’ first choice for sledding after snowfall.
Overcrowding is not usually an issue here, as there are many different wide hills to sled. Some are small and short while others offer more dramatic dips, but they’re all fairly expansive and high in quantity. The feeling of being nestled among the forest with gorgeous views at the park’s apex mixes with the magic of knowing innumerable kids and adults throughout Kingston’s history have descended these hills for well over a century.
Afterwards, head for hot chocolate and a freshly made donut at nearby Half Moon Rondout Cafe.
3 Snyder’s Farm Hill
Routes 212 & 32 • Saugerties
Right off Thruway Exit 20, situated in the vicinity of the Woodstock ‘94 festival grounds, you’ll find one of the Hudson Valley’s biggest and most beautiful sledding destinations. Stunning mountain views are the backdrop of one of the area’s most popular hills, drawing snow enthusiasts of all ages. The landscape conducive to any number of unpowered modes of snow transportation, so bring your favorite. Just make sure you’re also prepared to wait your turn and hike back up a mammoth hill once your ride is done.
4 Cornell Park
Wurts St. • Kingston
This small park has a big sledding hill with a distinctive double-dip slope. Though there are some smaller inclines for toddlers and younger kids, the main event is the big hill, where you can catch serious speed, and maybe even get a little air. Your heart will be racing on the way down from the inertia and the way up from the uphill hike. In both length and incline, this is almost the Platonic ideal of the sledding hill – just long and steep enough to send you zooming without landing you in the Hudson.
5 Marlboro Elementary School
Route 9W • Marlboro
A wide thirty-foot slope in front of the school makes for prime sledding in snowy weather. It’s a race to see who can lay down the first fresh tracks. This is the perfect kids’ hill – steep enough to produce a fun ride, but not so steep that you need to worry about catching air or having catastrophic collisions. Parents often chill at the top of the hill to watch the heartwarming panorama of happily sledding students enjoying their nature-given day off.
6 Highland Middle School
71 Main Street • Highland
The dome-like hill behind this Ulster County school is perfect for casual sledding and regularly makes best-of lists. You’ll get a slow start, a burst of speed down the incline, and a smooth finish. It’s a social hub for families in the community any time the white stuff starts coming down in earnest, so expect to high-five a neighbor or two after an impressive plunge down the hill.
7 Duzine Elementary School
Sunset Ridge Road • New Paltz
Duzine’s sledding hill has been known to launch a sled or two into the air, but there are also opportunities for less adventurous sledders to catch a thrill. The school itself is already secluded, providing a peaceful ambience of soft, pillowy snow absorbing the icy whoosh of careening sleds.
8 Thomas Felton Park
11 Patura Road • Modena
You likely won’t get airborne here, but there is decent sledding to be had for younger daredevils on the park’s sloped area. Lots of room and the relatively remote environs make for an uncrowded winter wonderland of wide open space. Snowball fights, snow angels and snow people have been known to make appearances.
9 Ashokan Reservoir day-use area
Off Route 28 • Olive
As a child, one of my top destinations for local sledding was the day-use area at the reservoir. The hills behind the old aerator are super-steep and super-fast. The bottom of the hill is abrupt – there’s little air to be caught, only a harsh angle where the hill meets the flat ground and shoots you forward. It’s great for racing to see who can go the furthest, if you go anywhere at all.
The vast lawn is perfect for getting pulled around on your sled by an adult. All ages will enjoy the expansive views and wooded serenity of the surrounding area. It truly is one of the most peaceful places in all of New York. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection keeps a close and watchful eye on everything that goes on here, so don’t get too crazy, and don’t wander off without a recreational permit.
10 Cluett Schantz Memorial Park
1801-1805 Route 9W • Milton
The sledding section here is fun and accessible for all ages, leaning more toward the youngsters with its gently rolling hills. This historic park was a popular ice skating destination until town officials put the kibosh on that. You’ll have to make do with a sled or snow tube and a short but satisfying glide down a wondrous white hill … if it ever snows.
Join the family! 
