I made my Gunks debut yesterday and was pretty impressed despite the very meh weather situation…read more This is about 90 minutes from my HQ so probably right at the limit of a convenient day hike, and somehow I've never really been in this area before beyond travelling past it going up and down the NY Thruway. Definitely returning when the sun is actually out. I did the 8.7-mile Castle Point hike (my gut says it wasn't QUITE that long, but I don't want to argue with my book) from the Awosting parking lot down the Mossy Glen Trail (yellow blazes), making a left onto and up Blueberry Run (blue) to Castle Point itself, and then went basically straight down the cliff on the Scenic Trail (lavenderish and formerly light blue), down the Rainbow Falls Trail (orange) and finally making a right on the Lower Awosting Carriageway back to the parking lot. Wasn't crazy about the $10 fee to park - nature shouldn't cost anything - but it is what it is. It's really a shame the weather was crappy because I could tell that viewpoint at Castle Point is legit - it's sprawling and you can see for miles in almost every direction. That's a very cool spot and easily the highlight of the hike. There are some interesting viewpoints throughout the rest of the adventure, but I'd say they're primarily of rock formations and water features, which have their selling points but nothing beats a view at the top. I'm in decent hiking shape right now, and this was just not particularly challenging for me. The only part where I was even a little out of breath (and it was humid, so grain of salt in that regard) was on Blueberry Run, which was a pretty steady incline up, but really not hardcore at all from my perspective. The drop down from Castle Point on the Scenic Trail IS a little tricky and you really want to spend some time there figuring out where your foot is going to go next. Compared to other parks in the tristate area, this one definitely has more hazards, cliffs you could potentially fall down, etc. But same token, it has a ton of these completely flat carriageways as well. It rained while I was on the Rainbow Falls trail and I DID slip/fall on some of the rocks at one point, but that's on me since I willingly came over here knowing what the forecast was. Wasn't impressed by the Rainbow Falls themselves, and neither were the other hikers who were there at the time. Maybe it was just not an ideal situation for them, but it's been rainy the last few days so unclear when you should take advantage of the optics there. The trail blazes were EXCELLENT, easily some of the best I've ever encountered. Each official trail had an accompanying sign that not only gave you the name of the trail, but a map of the nearby area, the grade profile so you can see what types of inclines/declines you'll experience on that trail and tons of basic facts. Really well done stuff. The bathroom situation was pretty good as well, with ample restroom options in the parking lot albeit without plumbing. You get what you get, but I'll take a clean bathroom situation in a heartbeat, regardless. Okay wildlife sightings. The rain I'm sure kept some of the good quality shizzle away, but I got a cool shot of a black vulture and saw an edgy newt. Worth the trek and will return for further investigation shortly.

I think this may be my favorite state park within a short driving distance from my home. There are…read moreso many hiking trails of different levels, and carriage road trails too! And the views are amazing, plus there are a bunch of waterfalls! While it does get crowded, especially in the parking lots, I find the hiking trails to be a little less crowded than the parks that are a little closer to NYC. Even though I am not a rock climber I do also enjoy seeing the climbers out there doing their thing.

Went here for the first time and it was gorgeous! Parking is $10 flat fee, I went on a week day so…read moreit wasn't busy at all. The hiking trail was a bit tricky to find because they don't have any signs telling you where to go, but once I figured that out then it was easy! The hiking trail itself was nice, amazing views once you're up top and waterfalls were gorgeous! Great place for a picnic or to spend time with family!

What a stunning beautiful park , so clean with plenty of parking , picnic table and a beautiful…read morewaterfall-river . It's an amazing place to spend the day on a romantic date or with the family .

10/10/25 Visit. Riverfront Green Park has a little something for all ages!…read more It's right by the Peekskill train station *Kids- A wonderful and colorful playground area with swings and slides. Decent restroom facilities are nearby. *Adults- Seating areas to view the beautiful waterfront and stunning sculptures. Please see attached sculpture photos. Saw several men out fishing the day we visited. Across from the park, there's several places to eat. Unfortunately, cleanup needs to be done due to the Canadian geese droppings in the children's section.

Peekskill has some great perks, especially Riverfront Green Park, with much to take in. A…read moreplayground is just a short distance from the train tracks, which I've seen numerous times when riding the train. For anyone who's into art sculptures, etc., they have a number of them throughout the park, which seems fairly recent and an additional upgrade I'm assuming. The boardwalk near the Hudson River is beautiful, with plenty of room to fit people. Decent views from that area. Some areas are a bit messy, which could be improved upon. This is a great stop in the Hudson Valley.

Such a cool play space for kids (big and small)! Funded by the local parents, this space has…read moreeverything a kid could want in a playground--- jungle gyms for little & older kids, rock climbing walls, low-zipline (sit and stand versions), outdoor musical instruments, a playhouse, and a variety of swings (toddler, special needs, older kids and a large one for a group)!! There's even a Free Library kiosk to encourage reading (take a book, leave a book). Bathrooms on site will be a welcome relief to parents (pun intended). We stopped by here after grabbing lunch in the area, what an awesome find. Fortunately, it's within walking distance to a deli and coffee shop. Hope to come here again... best free entertainment for the kiddos.

I really love this state park. Parking is $10. There is an area to bbq, an area to rent pedal…read moreboats, a hotel, a pool, area to purchase food and hiking trails. I usually go just to hike and enjoy the views. What I like is that the trail is always clean with clear signs on where to walk up which creates a safe hike. There are different levels of difficulty of trails so you can either select a moderate trail or challenging one. There is a large grass area where you can sit and enjoy a picnic or take a walk around the lake.

Avoid at all costs while they are doing construction. It's impossible to actually get to a trail…read morehead. And there is no one in any of the offices to actually offer help. They should have warned us many trails closed or detours when we paid the parking fee. While not much I would have skipped the $10 feet since we actually didn't do anything during our trip as all the trail heads were too far

The Reservoir Park is the crown jewel of Woodbury. It is immaculately maintained by the folks at…read moreParks and Recreation. Woodbury is pretty much a working class town where you wouldn't expect a recreational facility of this caliber. The fields, the lake, the courts and the walking/jogging path are all kept in perfect shape. I find it uplifting. It makes Woodbury a better place to live.

I visited Ringwood State Park for a hike with a hiking group I'm apart of. This park has a lot of…read morecool sights to see as you go along the trail. When you first arrive, you arrive at a big house/mansion. I didn't get to read much on the history of this house, but the grounds were beautiful. They also gave a bit of a creepy vibe at times. The trail was fairly easy to hike. However, there was a part where you have to walk across a river. You have to be careful because some of rocks are slippery. I think this would be a good place to hike in the fall around Halloween just because of the creepy vibes.

Maybe not as well known but Ringwood State Park is a pleasure to walk with a lot of trails! The…read morearea around Shepherd Lake is beautiful and a perfect place to walk around with a cup of coffee. Also no fees for admission or parking! Follow my Instagram and TikTok @thephotographerfoodie for more! :)

I love Grrmonds. I swim about 4 days a week when it is open. The water this season was amazing…read more wish it stayed open though September.

So nice. The pool is clean and the lifeguards are alert which makes me happy and also feel safe.read more