Sloatsburg is surrounded by green space, yet close to big-city life
Nature envelops the rustic community of Sloatsburg. Residents have access to mountains, lakes, trails and parks, including Harriman State Park, the second-largest park in New York. The area’s homes share similar countryside qualities. But when people want to have a big-city day, Manhattan and the other boroughs are a short drive or train ride away. “You can easily commute to the greatest city in the world, but you can also watch the turkeys and the foxes in your backyard,” says Windy Rosengart, an associate broker at R2M Realty Inc.
Fishing spots, a private golf course and hiking trails galore
Sloatsburg’s location gives residents plenty of choices when it comes to green spaces. “You could hike a different trail every day for a year,” Rosengart says. Nearby Harriman State Park is open for deer hunting in the winter. It also offers biking and hiking trails, boating and camping opportunities and two beaches along Lake Tiorati and Lake Welch, plus several fishing areas where anglers can expect to catch plenty of trout. Next to it is Dater Mountain Nature Park, a less-traveled area that Rosengart recommends exploring. “It’s enough of a hike to [actually] be a hike, but it’s easy enough to take the kids and the dogs,” Rosengart says, adding that it also offers a view of the NYC skyline. The Valley Rock Inn & Mountain Club offers spa amenities and hosts workshops, weddings and other events, while Thomas F. Bollatto Jr. Community Field has basketball and tennis courts, a baseball diamond and a playground. Just outside the city, near Hillburn, is H. Pierson Mapes Flat Rock Park, which provides mountain views and access to the Ramapo River. Visitors may also spot wildlife like the great blue heron and the red-tailed hawk. A few miles west is The Tuxedo Club, a private facility with an 18-hole golf course, several racquet sports courts and a boat-friendly lake.
Ranch-style and Colonial Revival homes with mountains on the horizon
Traditional ranch-style and raised ranch homes are found throughout the community, alongside some Colonial Revival properties. The median sale price is around $550,000, which is above the national median but lower than several other parts of the New York Metro Area. The car-dependent community’s roads can be hilly, narrow and lack lane lines. Yards are typically grassy and can feature bushes near the home, as well as trees of various sizes. Forested mountains serve as the area’s backdrop.
Seasonal gatherings with food trucks and multiple music festivals
The city throws seasonal gatherings like SpringFest and AutumnFest, which involve live music and food trucks. It is also home to the Highlands Bluegrass Music & Crafts Festival and the Grateful Dead Tribute Music Festival, both of which feature performances from three bands. Each winter, the community hosts a Victorian Holiday event, complete with family-friendly activities and a visit from Santa Claus.
Upscale eats at Valley Rock Inn and a bar with local craft brews
The Valley Rock Inn features two restaurants: The Cantina serves burgers, seafood and wood-oven pizza, while The Lodge has more upscale entrees and specialty cocktails. Two Friends Restaurant & Bar combines Tex-Mex food with a traditional deli. Seven Lakes Station offers local craft brews and bar eats in a taproom and beer garden. Character’s, an Irish eatery, has a traditional, rustic decor. All Souls Community Church is home to the Community Food Pantry, which serves residents across the region. The pantry is open on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, and appointments are required.
Highly rated public and private school options are nearby
Students are served by the Suffern Central School District. They can attend Sloatsburg Elementary School, which holds an A-minus Niche grade, as does Suffern Middle School. Suffern High School offers electives like cinematography, sports marketing and lifeguard training. It earns an A rating. Tuxedo Park School, a private prekindergarten through ninth-grade academy roughly 6 miles away, gets an A-plus score.
Access to Interstate 87, Manhattan and Good Samaritan Hospital
Interstate 87 snakes through the area, as does New York State Route 17. A railroad runs through the community, at different times parallel with Orange Turnpike and I-87. Sloatsburg is roughly 40 miles from Manhattan and LaGuardia Airport. Rosengart says roads approaching Sloatsburg can get busy on Fridays, and roads leaving the city collect traffic on Sundays, as many people from NYC spend weekends in the area. She also says that streets are quickly cleared following snowstorms. Good Samaritan Hospital, in Suffern, is close to a 5-mile drive. The area is an NJ Transit stop on the Main and Bergen County train lines.
