Copake, NY

Set right at the base of the Taconic Mountains in eastern Columbia County, Copake Falls is a tiny, quiet hamlet along Bash Bish Brook. With fewer than two hundred residents, it has a relaxed, rural feel where nature is always right outside your door. The community grew around a 19th-century iron foundry, and that heritage remains part of the local character through the preserved Copake Iron Works and surrounding historic sites.

ATTRTyler A. McNeil / CC BY 3.0

Outdoor recreation is a major draw for anyone living here. Taconic State Park sits right in the hamlet, offering easy access to swimming, hiking, and the paved Harlem Valley Rail Trail. Landmarks like Bash Bish Falls and the Appalachian Trail are only minutes away, while the annual Copake Falls Day brings neighbors together each August. Route 22 also runs close by, making it simple to travel to surrounding towns across Columbia County and the Berkshires.