The Town of Windham is located along the northeastern escarpment of the Catskill Mountains.  The Town is located in the Catskill State Park and offers thousands of acres of public land, a downhill ski area, several charming villages and hamlets and plenty of resources for anyone exploring the Catskills.

Ski Windham, the downhill ski area dominates the town, but the village of Windham is a nice place filled with several different shops and restaurants and even during non-skiing season, there is plenty to see and do in the area. 

Besides Ski Windham, Windham's biggest resource is all the public lands that are located in the Town and that are part of the Catskill State Park's Forest Preserve.  These lands are "Forever Wild" and have miles of hiking trails to remote wilderness peaks along with thousands of untracked acres should you feel like getting off the trail and exploring.

There are also several smaller villages and hamlets scattered throughout the Town of Windham that include Maplecrest and Hensonville.  Hotels and restaurants are mainly focused in the village of Windham and close to Ski Windham.

How to get to Windham

Windham is bisected by State Route 23 and there are several other roads that crisscross the town and allow access from the neighboring towns.  Route 23 heads down the mountain and intersects with the New York State Thruway at the Catskill exit.

Windham Attractions

Ski Windham is the largest commercial attraction in Windham.  This downhill ski area offers a lot of terrain in a really nice family atmosphere.  The ski area has its own amenities but there are also hotels and restaurants in Windham that are worth going to or staying at.  The lodge at Ski Windham is also very nice and they've really worked to make the entire mountain friendly to adults and children.

The Village of Windham puts together a summer street festival that is worth attending and even if that isn't going on, it is worth some time walking the streets of the village, checking out the various small shops that are along Main Street.

Public Catskill State Park lands include the Windham Blackhead Wilderness Area and the Elm Ridge Wild Forest.  The Blackhead Range Trail travels over the region's highest peaks of Blackhead Mountain, Black Dome Mountain and Thomas Cole Mountain.  The northern end of the Escarpment Trail, which follows the very edge of the Catskill Mountains ends at Route 23.  From Route 23 it travels up over Windham High Peak, Burnt Knob, and Acra Point before going over Blackhead Mountain and then it turns and heads south along the eastern Escarpment of the Catskills and leaves the Town of Windham.  The trails in the area offer a multitude of different trips, some day trips and some longer overnight trips.

The view from Route 23 as it descends from the mountaintop is also a very nice attraction by itself.  As you drive up from the valley below, there are a couple of viewpoints along the way and a restaurant or two where you can stop and enjoy the view.

What's near Windham?

Windham makes for a good base to explore the Catskills.  It offers the nicest hotels and restaurants in the area and it is fairly central to all the trails and public lands located in the Catskill State Park.  For the ski season, Windham also makes a good base if you want to ski at Hunter Mountain to the south or Belleayre Mountain to the southwest. 

Experiences

I'm over in Windham a lot either hiking or enjoying the restaurants.  For years when we have wanted nice meals we head over there.  Not only that, but we make sure to hit the street fair in the village and we go to Ski Windham for their various activities throughout the year.  Windham is also a very scenic town.  The roads travel through wide valleys with high mountain ranges all around.

Final Thoughts

I'd think if you were looking for a summer or a winter vacation to the northern Catskill Mountain region, Windham would be a good choice for your base location. The Town has Ski Windham in the winter and year round has hotels and restaurants that can put other towns in the Catskills to shame.  There's also an awful lot to do inside the Town limits when you consider all the public lands available for hiking, biking, camping, and in the winter cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

I always recommend Windham to people considering visiting the area.  I don't think anyone looking for a spot to spend their Catskill vacation would be disappointed there.


More Catskill Resources
Woodstock
Hunter, Tannersville and Haines Falls
Phoenicia
Hunter Mountain Wild Forest
Westkill Mountain Wilderness Area
Tremper Mountain Fire Tower
Hunter Mountain Fire Tower
Woodland Valley Campground
Devil's Tombstone Campground and Day-Use Area
North-South Lake State Campground and Day-Use Area
Hunter Mountain Ski Resort
Ski Windham Ski Resort
Belleayre Mountain Ski Resort
Emerson Place
Catskill Trails Map Set

Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime