This was our first time here and we came during the right season!! BEAUTIFUL fall foliage…read moreeverywhere! We were here with a group of fairly experienced hikers, so we opted for one of the more difficult trails: the blue trail. However, they have multiple trails, with the red one being one of the easiest routes as it's mostly flat. The red trail rams you to the lake which is absolutely beautiful! We were here on a Sunday for an all-day experience, and we noticed that it was pretty well-trafficked - lots of hikers everywhere! But not enough to be considered crowded. All in all, we had an amazing experience!! Would definitely recommend, especially in the fall season. Heads-up: the visitor center closes at 5pm and therefore the restrooms close at 5pm. We learned this the hard way after returning from our hike!

Varied hikes from easy to difficult and loops or out and back. Whether it's rock scrambling,…read morevistas, lakes or just forest paths, it is pretty accessible to reach from the Palisades Parkway or 17, and provides a nice respite from the bustle of daily life. Parking also differs based on which hikes you choose. Some of the hikes that use a seasonal road are closed after 12/1 for the winter.

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.

This is my eighth review of MSPP, and each one has been 5 stars. Today was no different. Came by w…read morebest friend, Pots & Pans AKA, The Missing Ink. We had designs on hiking to Lake Awosting and swimming, but today was very hot and humid w the only breeze coming from fluttering butterfly wings. Plus LA is over an 8-mile round-trip. So, discretion being the better part of valor, we looped around Lake Minnewaska (about 2 miles), and rewarded ourselves w a very refreshing dip in that lake. Beautiful scenery as well. Please remember to leave no trace (carry out what you carry in). Also, good idea to bring bug spray as this is black fly season. Sunscreen as well. 5 scenic, refreshing stars

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 .

I definitely recommend going early and having your own transportation to get there because signal…read morecan be spotty. The croton gorge and its bridge was beautiful. Beautiful views , the sound of the water and trees all around. I saw a deer and many people picnicking in the grass. A lot of lantern flies unfortunately. I wish there was a way to get rid of them in a eco friendly manner because the trees don't deserve this haha! They had portopotties , a playground, and some food trucks. On a beautiful day this is a hidden gem not too far from the city.

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.

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

I've known about Bear Mountain State Park, not too far north of New York City as the crow flies,…read morefor a while. On a temperate holiday weekend, I drove up here with a friend who had been here many years ago, but didn't remember much about it. It's really not that far. With the exception of Long Island stretching over 100 miles, everything in the Tri-state New York area seems more compact than out West ... when traffic is flowing well. The state park is on the west side of the Hudson River and we reached it by continuing up the Palisades Parkway from New Jersey. I recommend going midweek if it's summertime. During other times of the year, every day should be okay if it's not a holiday. We were driving along on this landscaped highway, complete with stone arch bridges as if the Merritt Parkway, and it was going fairly smoothly until we got to the base of the mountain. On this holiday weekend, state park employees were preventing or metering how many vehicles could continue on the access road upward. We drove along aimlessly on nearby roads for a short while and then tried again. Luck prevailed in that the roadblocks had just been removed and we were able to drive up Bear Mountain. Other reviewers mention the pool, the lodge, and other recreational facilities in addition to lakes and trails, but we came here for the summit and its view. The road up is a windy one, so proceed cautiously. If anything, the natural environment here reminds you that there's a very different world outside of and not very far from New York City. There will different types of of vegetation and wildlife here and, with its name Bear Mountain, there will indeed be bears, but not of the type that are likely to "meet and greet." Up at the top of Bear Mountain is a rusticated stone tower - the Perkins Memorial Tower - as well as limited parking, trails, and benches. On this holiday weekend, the tower was closed to the public. The views available from the trails were still captivating and made it worth the trip. But I'm sure going up to the top of the tower would just give you a better view over the surrounding vegetation. In addition to the views, the topography, and the natural environment, the diversity of the people here is amazing, and I mean that in a good way. It went without saying that, in addition to people visiting from outside the area, many of those present who do reside in the Tri-state New York City area may not be native to the U.S. Thus, it's always interesting to try to figure out where they're from ... at least it is for me. I'm saving the best for last. After parking the car near the tower, descending on the trails on the slope of Bear Mountain gave a faint view of Manhattan's skyline over the hills and valleys in front of us. I was mesmerized by this. Autumn is most likely my favorite season and this state park could be a fine place to take in autumnal color midweek when there's "coffee weather" - cooler, comfortably overcast, and with fewer people. Picking up the car, having lunch, and driving up here chewed up the lion's share of the day. As such, we later crossed the Hudson on the Bear Mountain Bridge and ended up in Westchester County, thus shortchanging the time dedicated to seeing some of its highlights. I've been to Westchester County before, but for more "official" purposes, and realize more and more that it's worth going back to ... and exploring it slowly as well. Crossing the Hudson River into Westchester County and driving through it heading south made for an interesting way to reenter New York City. You can see that you're presented with what is an interesting loop trip: crossing the Hudson and up through New Jersey toward the state park and back down south, remaining in New York State ... or up through New York State, crossing the Hudson toward the state park, and then back down south through New Jersey. Either way, you can't go wrong with a well planned trip to scenic and verdant Bear Mountain State Park.

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

Excellent and quaint waterfront area open to residents of Greenwood Lake & surrounding towns. It…read morewas very peaceful when I visited on a weekday with barely anybody in sight other than a few employees and lifeguards. The parking lot has plenty of spaces. There is a small stage set up for special events and music performances. There is a pathway to the left that leads up to a gazebo and offers incredible views of Greenwood Lake & the shoreline. There is a modestly small sized beach area manned with 2 lifeguards on duty. There's plenty of picnic tables to have some food while taking in lake views or the surrounding mountains. There's also a swing set available in the open green area adjacent to the parking lot. It's definitely a cute and peaceful spot worth visiting in Greenwood Lake and excellent for some photo opportunities.