There are countless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors at New York State Parks. Whether camping, boating, fishing, or exploring our trails, we all share the responsibility to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience. We’ve assembled a list of tips and tricks for the next time you’re connecting with nature at one of our facilities, but they all boil down to a few simple concepts: stay aware of your surroundings, leave no trace, keep safety in mind, and follow the rules.
Continue reading Know Before You Go: Tips For Safe, Fun Outdoor Summer RecreationTag Archives: Camping
By the Numbers: The Benefits of State Parks and Historic Sites
“This system was built for you.” Over the past 100 years, this ideal has driven our agency’s growth beyond its original visions. New York State’s parks and historic sites contribute to their communities’ sense of identity. Businesses thrive thanks to park and historic site visitors. Generations of New Yorkers have worked at our parks and sites, some for their entire career, others for a season.
New York’s historic preservation initiatives have also had a positive ripple effect. Designating heritage areas and preserving landmarks sparked community pride — and investment. Tax credits help both individual homeowners and commercial developers preserve and re-develop historic structures. The State and National Registers of Historic Places and the Historic Business Preservation Registry fosters connections with the past.
Throughout 2024, we celebrated the intangible benefits of our system by collecting your visitor memories and offering hundreds of special events and activities. As we look to 2025 and beyond, let’s explore the ways in which our agency benefits all New Yorkers, by the numbers.
Continue reading By the Numbers: The Benefits of State Parks and Historic Sites
Your Guide To Fall At New York State Parks And Historic Sites
Crisp air. Crunchy leaves. Fall is a magical season. Temperatures are just right for hiking, biking and outdoor adventure. There’s vibrant color everywhere and honking geese overhead. It’s the season of apple cider donuts, pumpkin spice, and of course, Halloween! Maybe that’s why fall has eclipsed summer as the busiest time of year at our parks and historic sites? For your consideration and enjoyment, our seasonal outdoor fun experts have returned to help you squeeze every last drop out of this delightful season!
Continue reading Your Guide To Fall At New York State Parks And Historic Sites
Celebrating A Century Of Affordability At State Parks
If you’ve explored our Blazing A Trail Centennial timeline, you’ll know that the creation of New York’s state park system was influenced in part by two larger social movements: A new environmental conservation movement that sought to protect open spaces from development, and a growing social reform movement that sought to address the inequalities that arose during America’s Gilded Age of the late 1800s.
The state park system was founded on the value of the outdoors to public physical and mental health, and the pressing need to preserve land for public use. In a statement supportive of the 1924 State Park Plan, then-state senator Nathan Straus Jr. said:
Continue reading Celebrating A Century Of Affordability At State Parks“The city dweller often forgets that he is closely related to the other members of the animal kingdom. Like the other members, he loves the earth and the trees and craves contact with the soil. Sensing instinctively the need of the open country, the wealthy city man joins a golf club and organizes a fish and game reservation where he can enjoy camping and outdoor life. The city dweller of moderate means has the same cravings and the same needs. But when he takes his family out for a Sunday, or for a longer outing, he finds himself on a congested road hemmed in by private property, which is marked with the sign “No Trespassing.” Where is he to go? The answer is, the state park.”
Camping 101: A Guide to Getting Out There
New to camping or haven’t gone since you were a kid? Thinking about how to prepare for or what to expect during an overnight trip might be overwhelming, and we get it! Used to creature comforts at home, trying something new or unpredictable always feels intimidating.
But what if, with a little help, what seems challenging turned out to be calming and therapeutic, refreshing and well worth it? Studies show that spending time outdoors and offline fosters positive mental health, improves resiliency, and relieves depression, anxiety and stress, particularly among our young people.
Here at New York State Parks, we firmly believe in the benefits of the outdoors, and we don’t want nervousness or confusion to stand in the way of you and your loved ones having an incredible camping experience. That’s why we’ve done the work for you. In this post, we’ll shell out some rock-solid guidance on:
- what to pack (including an updated version of our checklist!)
- campground etiquette
- fun and easy recipes to try
- the differences between Parks and DEC campgrounds
Camping is an affordable way to enjoy nature in new ways. Here’s hoping we’ll #SeeYouOutThere.
Continue reading Camping 101: A Guide to Getting Out There
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