This is a wonderful park to bring some take out from Voss' or some other food for a nice picnic. It…read moreis always clean and well groomed. On many occasions you can watch the process of a boat going through the working canal locks, which is pretty neat. There are picnic tables, a shelter, restrooms, and if the locks arent in use, access to the canal trail on the other side. Plenty of parking. Just an all around nice place to spend a little while. It isn't very big so if you are looking to get some exercise you are best heading to the canal trail. This place is also dog friendly, as long as you pick up after them, and my dogs quite enjoy sniffing around.

The area is so very,very nice.Plent of room, clean and mix of sun and shade.I didn't find alot of…read moremosquitoes, but I was there early in the day, no rain.

I arrived at Hinckley at 10:30 am (park AND beach open at 10 am). There was no lifeguard when I got…read moreto the beach area even though the guy collecting $10 to park said there are 2 on all day so there would be one on duty at all times. There are 2 lifeguards here. The lifeguards sat playing with their phones on benches near the bathhouses until noon while families waited to get into the water. The no lifeguard on duty/no swimming sign was up that entire time. Every family here, including me, paid $10 to enter. For what? If you can't staff the park, close it entirely or don't charge and make it at your own risk. Secondly, there are No Smoking signs all over the place. I don't smoke, but apparently the staff member charging to park does as he has been smoking while riding his cart around collecting $10.

I experienced great lifeguards, great place to go to swim. I'm not sure what the other review was…read moretalking about. I think that was probably just a misunderstanding that wasn't addressed by the reviewer. 5/5 stars would recommend

Came for some exercise after spending the prior day in the car driving to upstate NY. There are…read moremultiple trails. I'm not an experienced hiker so I would say I'd prefer more signage or trail markers but overall a beautiful location! Parking was plentiful and there is a pay station at multiple ends of the lot.

What a beautiful spot for a quick hike! The route wasn't paved, and there are steps. So it's not…read moreideal for strollers or wheelchairs. We didn't do the entire hike, but you don't need to do the complete hike to see the falls. We had 4 kids in our group (ages 1,3,4, and 6). We carried the 1 year old, and the other kids all walked. A few steps were a bit higher, but they were able to walk the steps on their own for the most part. You can dip your feet at the bottom of the falls too! My kids also loved the butterflies! We noticed they had milkweeds and other plants to help support various butterflies! Definitely worth a quick visit if you are nearby!

Green Lakes is such a beautiful place. Love walking around the 2 lakes, such a quiet and peaceful…read morewalk. Lots of walking trails, campground, kayak rentals and swimming. Everyone should go to Green Lakes at least once, Highly Recommend !!

While renewing my Empire Pass last year at a local state park, I chatted with the ranger about…read morefavorite ones throughout the state. When he learned that I had been to over 100 of them but hadn't been to Green Lakes he urged me to check that one off the list pronto. And you know how that goes: when someone tells you how great something is, that place suddenly starts popping up more and more in your social feeds. Well, after seeing it featured on the socials for I Love NY and NYS Parks, I finally made the trip to Central New York outside of Syracuse (wait, I can call Syracuse "Central New York" on here, right? :) ), and I was not disappointed at all. My visit was early on an October Saturday, and lots of runners and walkers were around. And a fair amount of ducks too. A mostly level 2.5-mile loop around Green Lake and another mile-ish loop around practically adjacent Round Lake (which is also a Registered National Landmark) made for a wonderful morning stroll. I was just walking and taking pictures, but clearly this is a spot where runners meet and get in a workout together. The lakes are beautiful, and, yeah, have an emerald-green glow at times. I'm really glad I made the trip there, and will definitely revisit one day.

I love this amazing outdoor space hidden right next to my hometown at a local college. It is truly…read morebeautiful, relaxing, and has so many special details. This is a great spot to bring the dogs, or even just to read or book. While we were there we saw people taking Senior portraits. I have never been here in winter, but I imagine it is also beautiful then. Some of the trails may be challenging for certain groups (steep incline etc) but are easy for most. It is well maintained and the visitors seem to be respectful. Pictures and description do not do this justice so just come and visit, take some time in nature.

Wintergreen Park is a really neat spot to explore with some fascinating rock features. "Boiling…read morePot" is the natural swimming pool that's great for a quick dip. (Be careful, because it's not as deep as you'd think) A common frustration that I have (that I'm sure many others have as well) with beautiful spots like these is the accumulation of trash left behind by park visitors. I was really bummed to see so much junk that could have easily been carried out by the same humans who carried it in. It's really not that hard. L.N.T. y'all - LEAVE NO TRACE!

Very friendly staff at front gate beautiful lake to swim in and camping available as well.read more

This is a gorgeous state park on the northeast edge of Otsego Lake. My wife, two teenage sons (15…read moreyrs, 13 yrs), and I came here with our miniature poodle for a quick visit during a 4-night stay in Sharon Springs, NY. We came here every day to enjoy the lovely view of the lake, take a leisurely stroll with the dog, and spend an afternoon fishing (for my 15 year old son). It's about a 15-20 minute drive from Cooperstown along the east shore. At the main entrance, you'll pay a $7 admission fee per vehiecle, or you can just show your NY State Parks Empire Pass card. This is a gem of a park that is well worth the price of admission. First, it feels open and spacious with nice hiking trails. Second, the view of Lake Otsego is lovely. You may see a few kayakers or windsurfers on the lake depending on weather conditions. If you have young children, this is a must-visit place as there are kid-friendly playgrounds. Third, the lake is shallow and calm by the beach, but the water temperature can feel a bit chilly. In the summer, they have lifeguards available starting at 11:00am. Finally, the park has a concession stand which sells basic snacks, hot dogs, and drinks. It's also worth it to take a short walk up the hill to see Hyde Hall and the view of the lake from there!

Quiet, peaceful trail parallel and above canal. Beautiful flowers throughout. Paved, shaded with…read moreflat and 8% grades. Open to hikers, bikers, skaters, snowmobiles, etc. seems well maintained and signed. No rest areas or water apparent in this area. Bring your own hydration.

We were in town for the baseball hall of fame but we found this spot while walking around town…read more This is a beautiful little park with a great view of Otsego lake and there is the Council Rock. This is the rock where the Indians would meet for meetings. The place is very nice and people were sitting around on blankets in the grass enjoying the day. I dont know about parking because we were parked on the main road from our visit to the HOF. Pretty cool thing to see and place to hang out.

A small, yet perfect retreat from Cooperstown's Main Street, this park offers scenic views of…read moreOtsego Lake, a nice walkway through native plants that help protect the lake from contaminants, and a generous lawn with benches for relaxing. According to their official web page (http://www.thisiscooperstown.com/attractions/lakefront-park), this park also plays host to the Cooperstown Lakefront Concert Series. Whatever brings you to Cooperstown, this is well worth the 5-minute walk from Main Street.