New York State boasts some of the best fall foliage colors in the country shades of yellow, orange, and red across most of the upstate landscape. Peak fall foliage changes year to year but is generally best in late September through mid-October. [Read more…] about The Best Times & Places for Fall Foliage in New York
Universal Access
A New Paved Trail To A Historic Hudson Valley View
The Grant Cottage State Historic Site officially celebrated the completion of a new, fully ADA-accessible paved pathway to its historic Eastern Overlook on Mount McGregor in Wilton, NY. [Read more…] about A New Paved Trail To A Historic Hudson Valley View
A Natural Sanctuary: Staten Island’s St. Francis Woodlands
St. Francis Woodlands, a former Franciscan Friars property in the Staten Island Greenbelt, is full of hidden ecological treasures.
The 25-acre property features a 0.4-mile elevated boardwalk and viewing platform that make the forested environment and upland swamp habitats accessible to all visitors. [Read more…] about A Natural Sanctuary: Staten Island’s St. Francis Woodlands
New Bridges Closing Some Genesee Valley Greenway Trail Gaps
Construction has begun on four new pedestrian bridges along the Genesee Valley Greenway State Park in Allegany County, NY that will restore connections where former railroad bridges had been removed, allowing trail users to remain on the Greenway rather than detouring onto local roadways, including busy Route 19. Together with targeted resurfacing, the $6.25 million improvements will provide 22 miles of continuously surfaced recreational corridor. [Read more…] about New Bridges Closing Some Genesee Valley Greenway Trail Gaps
Lake Ontario’s Selkirk Shores, Southwick Beach Get Upgrade
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) has completed $9.5 million in upgrades to Selkirk Shores and Southwick Beach State Park on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario, including campground upgrades, restoration of historic facilities, construction of a new park office and a new accessible trail. [Read more…] about Lake Ontario’s Selkirk Shores, Southwick Beach Get Upgrade
First New State Park Swimming Facility in More Than 20 Years
The new Lake Sophia swimming facility and bathhouse pavilion at Sojourner Truth State Park in Ulster County, NY is the first new State Parks swimming facility in 20 years.
Featuring a swimming area larger than two Olympic-size swimming pools, Lake Sophia will accommodate hundreds of swimmers a day and will be open daily from 10 am until 6 pm through Labor Day weekend. [Read more…] about First New State Park Swimming Facility in More Than 20 Years
New Accessible Outdoor Recreation Opportunities
The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) marked the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, public services, and public accommodations – by highlighting new investments that are expanding access to outdoor recreation and helping ensure New York’s public lands are welcoming to visitors of all abilities. [Read more…] about New Accessible Outdoor Recreation Opportunities
Great Camp Santanoni Accessibility Program Returns
Visitors with mobility disabilities will have more opportunities to explore Great Camp Santanoni Historic Area this summer as the state expands its electric wheelchair accessibility program.
The free state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) program has more reservation dates and a simplified online booking process. [Read more…] about Great Camp Santanoni Accessibility Program Returns
Recently Upgraded Public Water Access Sites
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has expanded and enhanced several fishing and paddling access sites across the state, including those with universally accessible features.
Check out the list below for your next adventure: [Read more…] about Recently Upgraded Public Water Access Sites
Rare and Fragile Floating Bogs and Fens
New York State is home to several rare and fragile floating bogs and fens. These unique ecosystems feature mats of sphagnum moss and vegetation that actually float over water.
Bogs and fens are both peatlands (wetlands that build up deposits of dead plant matter called peat). The primary difference is their water source: bogs are largely by nutrient-poor rainwater, making them highly acidic. Fens are fed by mineral-rich groundwater, making them alkaline or neutral. [Read more…] about Rare and Fragile Floating Bogs and Fens
Final Recreation Plans Announced for Hamilton County Easement Tracts
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the final Recreation Management Plan (RMP) for the Speculator Tree Farm, Perkins Clearing and Burnham Mountain Conservation Easement Tracts in the Adirondack Park.
The RMP was developed in partnership with Lyme Adirondack Forest Company, the landowner. [Read more…] about Final Recreation Plans Announced for Hamilton County Easement Tracts
Accessible Adirondack Campground Plagued With Closures
John Dillon Park, the Adirondacks‘ only completely accessible campground for people with disabilities, will not open for the summer 2026 season while required improvements to the park’s potable water system are undertaken.
The park has been plagued by closures over the years, reports North Country Public Radio (NCPR). [Read more…] about Accessible Adirondack Campground Plagued With Closures
OSI Supports Hudson Valley Environmental Programs
The Open Space Institute (OSI) has announced the 2026 recipients of its Malcolm Gordon Fund Awards, an initiative supporting environmental education programs, experiences that connect people to the land, and efforts to inspire the next generation of nature lovers in New York’s Hudson Valley.
For its 32nd annual round, awards were given to programs including a gardening tool-lending library in Rosendale, free guided river exploration for young people and families in Newburgh, and more. [Read more…] about OSI Supports Hudson Valley Environmental Programs
New Accessible Trail in Adirondacks’ Boreas Ponds Tract
An accessible trail was recently completed in the Town of North Hudson, Essex County in the Adirondack Park. The new trail provides recreational opportunities to visitors of all abilities to access the Boreas Ponds adjacent to the High Peaks Wilderness Area.
The area has stunning views of the Great Range and the experience of being surrounded by a vast, wild landscape. [Read more…] about New Accessible Trail in Adirondacks’ Boreas Ponds Tract
New Report Details Accessibility of Adirondack Trails
A new report from the Adirondack Land Trust, Ground Truthing Accessible Wildland Trails Across the Adirondacks, fills gaps in knowledge about Adirondack trails that allow people with mobility disabilities to experience wild nature.
The overarching focus of the project was on access to wild places, and how factors like distance from road noise and development contribute to a trail’s wild character. [Read more…] about New Report Details Accessibility of Adirondack Trails
State Parks: 15 Campground & Day-Use Improvement Projects
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) has announced 15 grant recipients for its campground and day-use improvement initiative, the Enhanced Visitor Experience (EVE) program that provides money for new amenities and activities for visitors. [Read more…] about State Parks: 15 Campground & Day-Use Improvement Projects
New Upgrades, Permits for Peekamoose Blue Hole
A newly constructed Peekamoose Blue Hole parking lot and first phase of a 3,270-foot accessible connector trail is hoped to improved the visitor experience and promotes sustainable use of natural resources in the three-mile Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor in the Catskills.
Peekamoose Blue Hole in the town of Denning in Ulster County is one of the most popular and oft-visited wild places in New York State. [Read more…] about New Upgrades, Permits for Peekamoose Blue Hole
New Plans For Important Hamilton Co Conservation Easements
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking public input on the Draft Recreation Management Plan for recreational access within the Speculator Tree Farm, Perkins Clearing, and Burnham Mountain Tracts in the Adirondack Park in Hamilton County, New York.
The tracts already include 36 miles of snowmobile trails and roads, several trailheads and parking areas – including Route 30, old Route 8 and “military roads” built at the time of the War of 1812. [Read more…] about New Plans For Important Hamilton Co Conservation Easements
Erie Canal Amenities Study Released
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and New York State Canal Corporation have released a study of recreational amenities along the Erie Canal.
The study offers a comprehensive conditions evaluation and long-term plan for recreational amenities like rest rooms, water, charging stations, and storage facilities. [Read more…] about Erie Canal Amenities Study Released
Hickory Ski Area Planning Adaptive Mountain Biking Trail System
The small community-operated Hickory Ski Area in the Southern Adirondack community of Warrensburg, NY is launching a fundraising effort to design “the first fully adaptive mountain biking trail system in New York and only the second one in the Northeast.” [Read more…] about Hickory Ski Area Planning Adaptive Mountain Biking Trail System