All posts by New York State Parks

Park History, Park Projects, Park Volunteers, Stewardship

Restoring the Cornell Mine Trail at Bear Mountain State Park

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With nearly 450 miles of blazed trails crisscrossing almost 130,000 acres of publicly accessible open space, the Palisades region’s hiking system is among the most expansive in New York State. The region hosts the oldest section of the Appalachian Trail running through Bear Mountain State Park and Trailside Museums and Zoo, an extensive section of the Long Path, approximately 50 miles of carriage roads in Minnewaska, and dozens of other well-loved trails that bring the region’s 7 million annual visitors to waterfalls, wetlands, streams, lakes and forests.

A historical black and white photograph of a man standing on a frozen lake, wearing a suit and a hat, with trees in the background.
A vintage black and white photograph of a man in formal attire standing confidently on a large rock, looking into the distance while shielding his eyes from the sun. The surrounding landscape is rocky and barren, with patches of snow visible.
The original parkfluencer? William T. Howell was an avid hiker and photojournalist whose images were crucial in persuading the public to conserve the lands that are today known as Bear Mountain and Harriman State Parks. And he did it all while wearing a suit and tie. From the collections of the Palisades Interstate Parks Commission.

All of these trails require ongoing maintenance and protection, and we take pride in keeping them safe and traversable for all visitors.

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Fun & Games, Historic Sites, Recreation, Wellness, Winter Activities

Winter Holiday Celebrations Round Out a Year of Wellness

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It’s the most sparkly time of the year! It’s the holiday season and the grand finale of the year of wellness at New York State Parks and Historic Sites. All year long, we’ve come together to improve all aspects of our well-being, build community, and connect to nature and history. We celebrated the holiday season the same way, with handcrafted experiences designed to bring people together to make memories without breaking the bank. Our gift to you is a look at the holiday and winter festivities at state parks and historic sites all across New York. Thank you for making us part of your year-end traditions!

Lighting the night at Lake Taghkanic State Park in Ancram. Guests at the luminaria walk enjoyed a bonfire and toasted marshmallows.
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Family Fun, Fun & Games, Historic Sites, Visitor Gratitude, Wellness

Be Kind, Rewind: Looking Back at State Parks and Historic Sites in 2025

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The Centennial celebration of 2024 was a tough act to follow! We launched the second century of Parks and Historic Sites by meeting the moment and building towards the future, and even welcoming the entire golfing world to Bethpage State Park for the Ryder Cup. Let’s take a look back at the year that was!

New Yorkers took on the Wellness Challenge by completing missions at their favorite parks and historic sites, engaging their minds and bodies and building community. Some of them even shared pictures!
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Park History, Park Personnel, Park Projects

Meet Ed Rutkowski: A State Parks (and Buffalo Bills) MVP

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The story of New York’s state parks and historic sites is not just one of properties, but of people. During our Centennial year, we introduced you to some of them. In this new series, we take our scrapbook of memories down from the shelf and open it to share their stories in more detail.

His resume reads like the start to that old joke: “A quarterback, a politician and a parks administrator walk into a restaurant…” but it’s no joke. Former Western District Director Ed Rutkowski’s career took him through all those careers, and he was a champion at each one.

Ed Rutkowski, right, with his wife Marilou and fellow Buffalo Bills and CFL veteran Doug Flutie. Rutkowski is also a former Erie County Executive and Parks Western Region Director.
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Flora & Fauna, Park Projects, Research, Stewardship

A Year in the Field With the NY Natural Heritage Program

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Established in 1985, the New York Natural Heritage Program is a partnership between the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The program’s mission is to determine the location and status of New York’s plants, animals, and ecological communities and provide this information to public agencies and scientific and educational institutions to facilitate conservation. Today, they count multiple non-profits, local governments, federal institutions, and state agencies among their partners — including New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites. You may have heard about their long-term firefly study at several of our parks. Ecologist Julie Lundgren shares more highlights from their year of work in New York State Parks.

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