Short and sunny days, crunchy leaves, honking geese, the strong desire for pumpkin spice: it must be fall! Temperatures are just right for hiking, biking and outdoor adventure. It’s a time of year that sparks inspiration, curiosity and wonder. Our parks and historic sites are here to help you make the most of it! Read on for ideas on how to have the best fall ever.
Continue reading Autumn in New York (State Parks and Historic Sites)Category Archives: Historic Sites
At Glimmerglass State Park, America’s Oldest Covered Bridge Turns 200
This year’s 200th anniversary of the Hyde Hall covered bridge in Glimmerglass State Park near Cooperstown, the oldest covered bridge still standing in America, is being celebrated on October 11, 2025. It’s all traceable to one man: George Clarke.
Returning Home: Solomon Northup at Saratoga Spa State Park
A statue of abolitionist and writer Solomon Northup, whose story was told in his memoir and the Academy Award-winning film Twelve Years a Slave, has provided a space for reflection at Saratoga Spa State Park this summer. The 13-foot bronze “Hope Out of Darkness” sculpture was unveiled during a July 10 ceremony attended by Northup descendants, area officials and community members on the lawn in front of the Lincoln Bathhouse.
Northup, a free-born Black American born in Minerva, NY, lived in Saratoga Springs with his wife and children for about seven years when he was tricked into joining a traveling circus. This sinister ploy led to Northup being kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in April 1841 and sold into slavery.
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A Preview of Ganondagan’s Indigenous Music & Arts Festival
Ganondagan’s Indigenous Music & Arts Festival is a vibrant celebration of Indigenous cultures, held annually at Ganondagan State Historic Site in Victor, southeast of Rochester near Canandaigua. The festival began in 1989, just one year after Ganondagan was officially established as a New York State Historic Site. Originally named The Anniversary of the Dedication of the Site of Ganondagan, the event was later renamed The Native American Dance & Music Festival. In 2019, it adopted its current name: Ganondagan’s Indigenous Music & Arts Festival.
In its early years, the festival was a one-day event, drawing just 200–300 attendees, with only one 40×40 tent and no volunteers. Today, it has grown into a two-day celebration that welcomes over 3,000 visitors and relies on the support of more than 125 volunteers. The festival now features multiple tents, including a large performance tent, and includes 25–30 Native vendors, Indigenous and non-Native food vendors, art demonstrations, Haudenosaunee (Six Nations) dancers, contemporary Indigenous performers, storytellers, a Native Arts Market and children’s activities.
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Road Trip to These Hidden-Gem Parks and Historic Sites
School’s out, the temperature is rising, and everyone’s thoughts are turning to summer getaways. If you’re looking for a new place to spend an afternoon, a weekend, or longer and not break the bank doing it, you’ve come to the right place. We asked our Fun Experts to take you on a tour of some of the lesser-known, hidden-gem spots in our system, and they delivered: fascinating history, peaceful lakeside oases, and camping away from the crowds. Let’s go!
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New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog 