Fall fungi comes in a wide range of appearances, often in striking shapes and colors. Due to the moist air of autumn in New York State, our parks and trails abound with opportunities to see them in all their uniqueness. Many of them have fantastically creepy names or appearances, just in time for the spookiest time of year.
Read on to meet some eerie and funky fall fungi to search for on your fall hikes and walks!
Continue reading Fall Fungi, Frightening or Fantastic?Across New York State, visitors took time during the summer to cherish the lands they love by attending events honoring the system’s Centennial. Our parks and historic sites held numerous activities celebrating the 100-year anniversary , which ranged from community commemorations and canalside concerts to kayak parties and other festivities. This sampling demonstrates the breadth of unique experiences available to visitors, with more to come as we approach the final months of 2024!
Continue reading A Summer of Centennial CelebrationsIf 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.”
Memories need a sense of place, and for a century, New Yorkers have discovered it at a New York State park or historic site. With more than 250 parks, each as diverse and beautiful as the memories they host, it’s no wonder so many people hold moments at a state park dear. Whether they’re milestones like a wedding or graduation, or a simple annual family tradition, the parks have been backdrops to the scenes of the lives of millions for 100 years.
There are more memories in our parks than pine needles on trees in Moreau Lake State Park and grains of sand on Jones Beach. It’s our privilege to share with you three of these precious memories.
Continue reading Your Unforgettable Moments At State ParksOn April 8, New York State Parks and Historic Sites welcomed people from around the world to share a once-in-a-generation total solar eclipse. Thousands of people enjoyed a rich, memorable experience thanks to the hard work of our staff over a two-year period.
Public Information Officer Angela Berti of the Niagara Region led this effort on behalf of State Parks and represented our agency on the statewide Eclipse Task Force.
Our Park Police used their expertise in peacefully managing large crowds to keep our visitors safe. Countless staff worked behind the scenes and on the front lines to open selected campgrounds for the occasion, plan educational programming, get the word out to the public, make sure our parks were in top condition, and ensure the safety of our visitors.
As Chief of Staff and Commissioner Pro Tempore, I am filled with pride and gratitude for all the hard work of our staff in preparing for this remarkable event. Enjoy reliving the day with photos from around our parks and sites!
New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog 