Places to Visit: Take a hike! (If we may be so bold)

Now is a great time to find the closest state park where you can safely take a walk with your family. Most state parks are open for hiking, biking, or boating, but not facilities like restrooms, playgrounds, swimming pools or athletic game fields. Some remain closed, especially ones with narrow paths, or might close temporarily for congestion so it’s best to call ahead for the latest closures and updates.

 

Here are some of the state parks and trails in our region that are currently open for limited use. Please check the websites for each park (see below) before you leave home.

NEW YORK

Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park

A scenic haven 40 miles from New York City the park offers a day of fun and relaxation. A spacious picnic area, 3,500 person pool, and two lakes are just some of the park's amenities.

2957 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

Website: parks.ny.gov/parks/franklindroosevelt/

 

Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park

The scenic path over the underground aqueduct winds through urban centers and small communities. It passes near numerous historic sites, preserves, a museum highlighting the construction of the Aqueduct, and many homes.

15 Walnut Street (Park Office), Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

Website: parks.ny.gov/parks/oldcrotonaqueduct

 

Rockefeller State Park Preserve

Rockefeller State Park Preserve offers quiet countryside walks of all lengths through forested hills and valleys surrounding sunlit pastoral fields. Thirty miles north of New York City, the property is the former Pocantico Hills and Rockwood Hall country estates of John D. Rockefeller family and William Rockefeller.

125 Phelps Way, Pleasantville, NY 10570

Website: parks.ny.gov/parks/rockefeller

 

The Bronx River Pathway

Located within the Bronx River Reservation, an 807-acre linear park created as an adjunct to the construction of the Bronx River Parkway. extends 13.2 miles in Westchester from the New York City line north to the Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. The pathway consists of three paved segments: a one-mile loop near Oak Street in Mount Vernon; a 4.6-mile section from Palmer Road in Bronxville north to Crane Road in Scarsdale; and a 5-mile section extending from Greenacres Avenue in Hartsdale to Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla.

Entrances and Parking Locations: parks.westchestergov.com/images/stories/pdfs/BRP2017vMap.pdf

Website: parks.westchestergov.com/historic-sites/bronx-river-parkway

 

 

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NEW JERSEY

Long Pond Ironworks State Park

The trails of Long Pond Ironworks allow visitors to explore the ironworks ruins and surrounding area of the nearly 7,000-acre park. The park contains 10 trails that cross the rugged hillsides of Tranquility Ridge and Burnt Meadow Mountain as well as the swiftly flowing Wanaque River.

1304 Sloatsburg Rd., Ringwood, NJ 07456-1799

Website: state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/longpond.html

 

Wawayanda State Park

The scenic path over the underground aqueduct winds through urban centers and small communities. It passes near numerous historic sites, preserves, a museum highlighting the construction of the Aqueduct, and many homes.

885 Warwick Turnpike, Hewitt, NJ 07421

Website: state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/wawayanda.html

 

Hacklebarney State Park

The freshwater Black River briskly cuts its way through rocky Hacklebarney State Park, cascading around boulders in the hemlock-lined ravine. Even in the heat of midsummer, the Black River gorge is cool and refreshing. Three rare and endangered plant species exist within the park: American ginseng, leatherwood and Virginia pennywort. Over a hundred bird species and wildlife such as black bear, woodchuck, deer and fox live in the park. Hacklebarney is a favorite place for avid anglers, hikers and picnickers

119 Hacklebarney Rd., Long Valley, NJ 07853-9525

Website: state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/hackle.html

 

 

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CONNECTICUT

Centennial Watershed State Forest

The 15,300 acres of Centennial Watershed State Forest offer diverse opportunities for hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and birding.

Multiple access points in Easton, Newtown, Redding, Weston. Check website below for directions.

Website: state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/longpond.html

 

Silver Sands State Park

Sandy beaches, boardwalks, seashells, and shore birds dominate the attraction to Silver Sands' beaches in Milford.  Over a half mile of shoreline and three quarters of a mile of all-weather boardwalk make this a popular four-season waterfront destination.

Milford, Connecticut

Website: portal.ct.gov/DEEP/State-Parks/Parks/Silver-Sands-State-Park

 

Putnam Memorial State Park

A history-oriented public recreation area in the town of Redding, Connecticut. The state park preserves the site that Major General Israel Putnam chose as the winter encampment for his men in the winter of 1778/1779 during the American Revolutionary War. The war camp is atop a bluff, with artifacts & structures. Reenactments of the war are performed at various times of the year (check the website for more information). The park also has a museum, visitor center & scenic views.

Redding, Connecticut

Website: www.putnampark.org