About Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
With 4,315-acres, Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is Westchester County’s largest park. Its varied terrain and landscapes and miles of wooded trails provide a variety of activities in all seasons. There are areas for picnicking, lean-to camping, fishing, cross-country skiing, and sledding. The Trailside Nature Museum, founded in 1937, is one of the oldest museums of its kind in the United States.
Originally part of Cortlandt Manor, the reservation was settled by farmers from Connecticut. The name Pound Ridge is credited to the Indians who originally lived in the area. They had a local pound in which they kept game on the hoof until they needed it for food. The Indians built an enclosure of saplings driven into the ground and drove their game into the pound. The name was spelled “Poundridge” until 1938, when the county bought the property and added the “Ward” to honor William Lukens Ward, Westchester’s Republican county leader from 1896 to 1933. Continue reading about this park’s history…
Want to preview some of the interesting sights to see when you visit the park? Our story map offers a tour of the highlights!
What does the reservation have in common with a 2015 film, Pearl Jam and the largest trail race east of the Mississippi? They were inspired by the Leatherman Legend.
The reservation is home to the Trailside Nature Museum, which hosts weekend nature interpretive programs in every season. The park’s administrative building houses the Gallery in the park, where exhibitions of work by accomplished regional artists are held throughout the year. Situated near the park’s entrance is the W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration) Gallery. This gallery exhibits changing exhibits of paintings, photographs and other works by established, up-and-coming, local and regional artists.
Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is a Biodiverse Reserve Area. Please help us take care of this unique place by following our simple stewardship rules.
Friends of the Trailside Nature Museum and Ward Pound Ridge invite you to join their efforts to support ongoing and special museum programs.
Events
Wildlife Tracks
Pound Ridge, 10576 United States + Google Map
Leatherman’s Loop Hike
Pound Ridge, 10576 United States + Google Map
Vernal Pool Exploration
Pound Ridge, 10576 United States + Google Map
Sugaring off Party t26
Pound Ridge, 10576 United States + Google Map
The Coyote: America’s Resilient Predator
Pound Ridge, 10576 United States + Google Map