Parks | Local and State


 Hudson Valley  Parks | Local and State


Parks | Local and State | Albany Albany County
      [59 listings over 14 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Columbia Columbia County
      [5 listings over 5 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Dutchess Dutchess County
      [21 listings over 12 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Greene Greene County
      [6 listings over 4 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Orange Orange County
      [32 listings over 14 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Putnam Putnam County
      [8 listings over 4 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Rensselaer Rensselaer County
      [8 listings over 6 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Rockland Rockland County
      [46 listings over 17 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Saratoga Saratoga County
      [5 listings over 4 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Schenectady Schenectady County
      [3 listings over 2 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Ulster Ulster County
      [11 listings over 6 locations]


Parks | Local and State | Westchester Westchester County
      [136 listings over 34 locations]



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 Parks


Parks
Local and State Parks
Hudson Valley

Find comprehensive list of parks in the Hudson Valley offering many things to do for the whole family. The Hudson Valley offers a remarkable selection of parks that offer many things to do with kids or adults. Go to a park to relax and read under the shade of a tree, or visit the park to exercise by walking or hiking in a healthy environment surrounded by nature. Whether you visit a small local park or a large state park; parks offer an opportunity to escape from your daily routines and experience nature.

New York offers 180 state parks located from Long Island to Niagara Falls. Many of these parks are in the Hudson River Valley of New York. Visit a park in the Hudson Valley where you will find the best things to do in all seasons of the year. Plan a day-trip to one of the many beautiful parks along the Hudson River. Enjoy a day walking, hiking, biking, or cross-country skiing in a nearby park.

Among the many things to do at a park, parks offer opportunities for exercise and outdoor fun throughout the year. Hundreds of miles of trails are available for walking, hiking, and biking the Hudson Valley. From rugged footpaths and mountain trails, to paved greenway trails along many county roads. Park trails are used for activities such as bicycling, hiking, Nordic skiing (cross-country), running, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and more. Parks also offer opportunities to enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, and playground for young children.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation maintains thousands of miles of trails in State Forests, Wildlife Management Areas, Unique Areas and Forest Preserve land in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks. Opportunities abound for hikers, bikers, horseback riding, cross-country skiers, snowmobilers and more.

Review this list of counties offering many parks with an excellent selection of things to do in the Hudson Valley of New York.


Parks in the Hudson River Valley include
    Harriman State Park
    Harriman State Park, located in Rockland and Orange counties, is the second-largest park in the parks system, with 31 lakes and reservoirs, 200 miles of hiking trails, three beaches, two public camping areas, a network of group camps, miles of streams and scenic roads, and scores of wildlife species, vistas and vantage points.

    Bear Mountain State Park
    Bear Mountain State Park is located on the west side of the Hudson River in both Orange and Rockland counties in New York State. The 5,067-acre (20.51 km2) Bear Mountain State Park, flagship of the Palisades Interstate Park System is renowned for its natural beauty and rugged mountains.

    Beaver Pond Campgrounds at Harriman State Park
    Beaver Pond Campgrounds adjoin the Lake Welch Recreation Area within Harriman State Park. The campgrounds include tent and trailer sites as well as accommodations for larger vehicles. Comfort stations, showers, laundry facilities, and a dumping station are part of the campgrounds.

    Blauvelt State Park
    Blauvelt State Park is 590-acres of forested green space in Rockland County. Hiking trails provide the only access and afford spectacular views of the Hudson Valley. This park is undeveloped. There are no toilets and there is limited parking.

    Fahnestock State Park (Clarence Fahnestock)
    Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park is one of the best parks for outdoor enthusiasts. This 14,086-acre park, covering land in Putnam and Dutchess counties, boasts hiking trails, picnic areas, scenic campground, and abundant opportunities for boating, hunting, fishing, and birding. On the hot days of summer, go swimming at the park's sandy beach.

    Fahnestock Winter Park
    Fahnestock Winter Park is located at 75 Mountain Laurel Lane, Cold Spring NY 10516, Putnam County in the Hudson Valley. Situated in the heart of the Hudson Valley, the park is nestled in the 16,000 acre Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park. Fahnestock Winter Park offers 15 km of machine groomed, tracked and mapped trails for beginning and experienced skiers and snowshoers. Families find the park particularly enjoyable because it offers easy terrain to ski on near a warming lodge.

    Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park
    The Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park is located at 2957 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights, NY. A scenic haven approximately 40 miles from New York City, Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park offers day trippers a day of fun and relaxation. The park's spacious picnic areas, which can accommodate individual families as well as large groups, may be reserved in advance. The park's mammoth pool can hold 3,500 bathers at one time. In addition the park offers a host of other activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

    Goosepond Mountain State Park
    Goosepond Mountain State Park is located in Bear Mountain, NY 10911 in Orange County. Goosepond is managed as 1,558-acres of open space. Almost completely wooded, the park is open to hikers and horseback riders. This park is undeveloped. There are no toilets and there is limited parking.

    High Tor State Park
    High Tor State Park is located at 415 South Mountain Road, New City NY 10956 in Rockland County. High Tor State Park, a day-use facility, offers picnicking, swimming and hiking and affords spectacular views of the Hudson River. The Long Path passes through the park just before the trail heads inland to the Catskills.

    Highland Lakes State Park
    Highland Lakes State Park, a 3,000-acre park, located in Middletown, NY 10941 in Orange County offers undeveloped woods and lakes. Visitors use the park for fishing, hiking, horseback riding and flying model planes. The park is undeveloped. There are no toilets and there is limited parking

    Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve
    Hudson Highlands State Park, 6,000-acres in size, is located on Route 9D, Beacon NY 10512 in Dutchess County. This mostly undeveloped preserve consists of a series of separate parcels of land stretching from Annsville Creek in Peekskill, north to Dennings Point in Beacon. The spacious park is perfect for outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, hiking, and birding. The park's extensive hiking trail network includes terrain that varies from easy to challenging. Trail maps can be obtained at the Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park office.

    James Baird State Park
    James Baird State Park, a 590-acre park, is located at 14 Maintenance Lane, Pleasant Valley, NY 12569 in Dutchess County. The park is situated on farmland once owned by James Baird, a contractor and engineer whose firm constructed the Lincoln Memorial. In 1939 James Baird donated the 590 acres of land to New York State under the stipulation that it be known as James Baird State Park. James Baird State Park.

    Lake Sebago Beach
    Lake Sebago Beach in Harriman State Park is located in Rockland County, New York. Lawns, fields and picnic areas surround Lake Sebago Beach. In addition to swimming on the sandy beach, anglers can fish for bass, perch, sunfish and more.

    Lake Taghkanic State Park
    Lake Taghkanic State Park, named one of the Top 100 Campgrounds in the nation in 2005, is located at 1528 Route 82Ancram, NY 12502 in Columbia County. Lake Taghkanic State Park, nestled next to Lake Taghkanic in the rolling hills and lush forests of Columbia County, offers a wonderful variety of recreational activities. The park has tent, trailer campsites, cabin, and cottage camping facilities. In the hot days of summer you can go swimming at one of the two beaches, have picnics at the picnic grounds, and launch your boat at the boat launch. In addition, the park offers hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and snowmobile trails. Ice skating and ice fishing are permitted when conditions are appropriate.

    Lake Tiorati Beach
    Lake Tiorati Beach in Harriman State Park is located in Southfields, NY in the region of Bear Mountain. Lake Tiorati was formed by clearing swampland in Harriman State Park and constructing a concrete dam to make two ponds into one large lake. Surrounded by meadows and rolling, wooded hills, the park offers excellent swimming, fishing, boating and picnicking. In winter, if conditions allow, the lake may be used for ice fishing. Bona fide groups may use the pioneer campsites near the lake.

    Lake Welch Beach
    Lake Welch Beach in Harriman State Park is located in Rockland County, New York. The beach at Lake Welch is man-made with its half-mile-long sandy beach in the wooded hills of the Ramapo Mountains. Lake Welch is the largest beach in Harriman State Park. Originally a small body of water with farmland around the edges, Lake Welch became the large lake that it is today when a dam was completed in 1942.

    Mills Norrie State Park
    Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park is located at Staatsburg NY 12580 in Dutchess County. A serene wooded area with glimpses of the river provides an ideal location. The park's marina as well as its camping sites are extremely popular in addition to many hiking trails.

    Minnewaska State Park Preserve
    Minnewaska State Park Preserve is located at 5281 Route 44-55, Kerhonkson NY 12446 in Ulster County. Minnewaska State Park is situated on the dramatic Shawangunk Mountain ridge that rises more than 2,000 feet above sea level. The terrain is rugged and rocky, blanketed by dense hardwood forest encircling two lakes. Clear streams cut into valleys, incising sheer cliffs and ledges and emerging in waterfalls.

    Nyack Beach State Park
    Nyack Beach State Park is located at 698 North Broadway, Upper Nyack NY 10960, Rockland County in the Hudson Valley. Nyack Beach Park boasts 61-acres of riverfront along the Hudson in Rockland County. The most popular activities are picnicking, hiking, bicycling and fishing. Trails are open for cross-country skiing in winter.

    Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park
    In 1968, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation purchased 26.2 miles of the original 41 mile aqueduct from New York City. Presently, Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park is a linear park which runs from Van Cortlandt Park at the Bronx County/City of Yonkers border to the Croton Dam in Cortlandt. In 1987 a section was reopened to supply the Town of Ossining and in 1992 the Old Croton Aqueduct was awarded National Historic Landmark Status.

    Rockefeller State Park Preserve
    Rockefeller State Park Preserve is located in Pocantico Hills in Westchester County. The preserve is 1,233-acres and growing due to additional bequests. The Preserve is an idyllic spot for strolling, jogging, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. With 180 recorded species of birds and its IBA (Important Bird Area) designation by the National Audubon Society, the Preserve is a must visit area for birders.

    Rockland Lake State Park
    Rockland Lake State Park is located at 299 Rockland Lake Road, Valley Cottage NY 10989 in Rockland County.The park offers a huge 24,140 square foot swimming pool with diving boards - the pool is more than 10,000 square feet larger than an Olympic size pool. A kiddie pool is also available for young children. The park also offers picnic tables; grills, a car top boat launch dock, hiking trails with breath-taking views of the Hudson Valley, six tennis courts and the Rockland Lake State Park golf courses, featuring two 18 hole golf courses. Anglers can fish Rockland Lake for bass, perch and norlunge. Walkers, joggers, roller bladers, and bicyclists can enjoy the 3.2 mile non-motorized use paved trail around the lake.

    Schunnemunk State Park
    Schunnemunk State Park, a 2,700-acre park, is located at 116 Old Forge Road, Tuxedo, NY 10987 in Orange County. Schunnemunk offers acres of rolling meadow and spectacular mountain top. Hikers encounter elevations up to 1664 feet and exciting 360 degree views of adjacent valleys, portions of the distant Hudson River and surrounding forest and farm lands. Eight marked trails include the Long Path, Jessup, Western Ridge, Trestle, Sweet Clover, Otterkill, Dark Hollow and Barton Swamp Trails totaling over 20 miles traverse the mountain and glades.

    Sebago Cabin Camp
    The Sebago Cabin Camp in Harriman State Park is on Lake Sebago. The camp offers rustic cabins and full service cottages in addition to row boat rentals, beach, biking and hiking, organized sports, Saturday bonfire, rainy day movies and activities, play area, recreation hall, and tennis courts.

    Silver Mine
    Silver Mine is located at scenic Harriman State Park. The Silver Mine area of Harriman State Park offers biking, picnic grounds, fishing, hiking, and a boat launch site.

    Sterling Forest State Park
    Sterling Forest State Park, a 21,935-acre park, is located at 116 Old Forge Road, Tuxedo, NY 10987 in Orange County. Sterling Forest State Park offers a nearly pristine natural refuge amidst one of the nation's most densely populated areas, a remarkable piece of woodland, a watershed for millions, and a tremendous outdoor recreation area. This unbroken deep-forest habitat is important for the survival of many resident and migratory species, including black bear, a variety of hawks and songbirds and many rare invertebrates and plants. Hunting, fishing and hiking opportunities are available.

    Storm King State Park
    Storm King State Park offers unsurpassed views of the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. The park is undeveloped and there are no toilets and limited parking. Storm King State Park is located near The Storm King Art Center, an outdoor museum that celebrates the relationship between sculpture and nature. Storm King comprises 500 pristine acres of carefully maintained fields, hills, and woodlands, on which more than 100 works by major international artists are thoughtfully sited.

    Taconic State Park - Copake Falls
    Taconic State Park - Copake Falls Area is located on Route 344, Copake Falls, NY 12517 in Columbia County and Dutchess County. The park is located along 16 miles of the Taconic Mountain Range, sharing a border with Massachusetts and Connecticut. Two developed areas, Copake Falls and Rudd Pond, offer an extensive trail system with terrain that varies from easy to challenging, offering spectacular views.

    Taconic State Park - Rudd Pond Area
    Taconic State Park - Rudd Pond Area is located at 59 Rudd Pond Road, Millerton, NY 12546 in Dutchess County in the Northern Hudson Valley. The park is located along 16 miles of the Taconic Mountain Range. Two developed areas, Copake Falls and Rudd Pond, offer an extensive trail system with terrain that varies from easy to challenging, offering spectacular views.

    Tallman Mountain State Park
    Tallman Mountain State Park offers wooded country terrain on the easterly slope of the Palisades uplands overlooking the Hudson and Piermont Marsh, which lies between the river and the slope. The marsh is part of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve. The park operates as a day-use area, offering a swimming pool, running track, tennis courts, playfield, cross-country skiing, a walking trail, hiking and picnic areas.

    Walkway Over the Huson State Historic Park
    Walkway Over the Hudson provides access to the Hudson River's breathtaking landscape for pedestrians, hikers, joggers, bicyclists, and people with disabilities. The bridge deck stands 212 feet above the river's surface and is 6,678 feet (1.28 miles) long, making it the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. Walkway Over The Hudson State Historic Park. Entrances to Walkway Over the Hudson Park are located in Poughkeepsie NY 12601 in Dutchess County, and in Highland NY, Ulster County.

    Wonder Lake State Park
    Wonder Lake State Park is located at 1498 Route 301, Carmel, NY 10512 in Putnam County. Converted from a 1920's summer home in the town of Patterson, Wonder Lake is a hiker's delight of 8.6 miles of marked trails. Walk on what were historically bridle trails around scenic Wonder Lake in this 1133 acre area. Get in touch with nature around the 3-acre Laurel Pond.




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