What a gem. We have been visiting Plotter Kill for over a year and the changing seasonal characters…read moreof the part are just one of the many draws for us. The place is deceptively vast and you could easily get lost in it - not literally and in the most delightful ways. First off, parking is usually no problem since the parking lot fits about 20 vehicles, although there has been one occasion where it spilt over to the main road in the summer. The short trail from the parking lot to the first two forks is gorgeous with tree shade and mostly gravelly than the majority of the trails which are more natural. The creek and the falls are beautiful, although water level can be quite low in the summer and early fall. All in all this is a great park suitable for most people to navigate, and I'm glad for another natural reserve like this.

Gorgeous scenery here, but we had some issues with the trails/trail maps that I suspect weren't…read morecompletely down to my being bad at reading them. What's shown on the map at the entrance doesn't seem to conform to reality, and many trails are very obviously blocked off with warning signs, end in abrupt dead ends, or head off in directions that don't seem to reflect what the map shows. The blue trail on the map brings you past several waterfalls, but the real one seemed to reroute you away from the water and onto a muddy track through the woods heading in the opposite direction. This might have eventually led back in the direction of the falls, but we decided to turn back from when the mud got tough to deal with. To find the interesting bits in my pictures, we went to the first observation point on the blue trail, doubled back to take the bridge to the red trail, then went past there and took the yellow trail to the water before heading back to the parking lot, with a few accidental detours in between. With all of the backtracking and wrong turns I'd guesstimate that we walked a total of about three miles, but if you were more systematic about it you could probably do it under two. However, the short dead-end yellow trail especially was very steep and somewhat challenging for keeping our footing on the downhill, so appropriate hiking/walking shoes are still a good idea. Don't come here in flip flops! All in all this was still totally worth it, but I'd be really happy to learn that they've managed to re-open the trails that have been closed (for safety reasons?) and/or updated the maps to make it a bit easier to hit the scenic highlights.

The topography of this place is undulating but not too challenging, even for someone like me, a…read morecouch potato. A river runs through it. Along the way, there are some waterfalls of differing levels. Obviously, the volume of water is dependent on recent precipitation. The "mood" of the place depends of that flow. On most occasions, I could hear the rush of water before actually seeing it. It's an added bonus to this place, changing on a daily basis. Like a lot of things upstate, you've got to be informed about a place before you know it exists. If a co-worker hadn't told me about this sanctuary, I doubt I would have found it on my own. There is no fee but the parking lot is small; there's space for about eight vehicles. Check it out. It's a neat place. It'll do some good to get some fresh air.

Note to self: September may not be the absolute best time to come here because of the very low…read moreflow. Still, there are plenty of things to like about this...once you find it. The falls seem to be commonly known as Bozenkill Falls but the road sign (pictured) says Christman Sanctuary, and the gravel parking lot isn't massive so it may be easy to miss. The first 100+ metres is mostly boardwalks so it's easy enough to navigate. Then comes rocky, uphill trail, but at least markers are readily visible and aplenty. On our first visit I feel like we barely scratched the surface, so will look forward to another visit. Thank you whoever you are, for helping to preserve and maintain this sanctuary!

I have logged many-a-mile on this trail over the years; most often between Kiwanis and Aqueduct…read moreParks. I especially enjoy starting near Schenectady Community College - an easy-to-spot local landmark with lots of room to park for group run meet-ups, a small track space perfect for timing splits and speedwork, and plenty of benches and grasses spaces for stretching and chatting before/after a walk, run, bike, or blade. The path varies in flatness, tree cover, nature-views, and frequency of traffic crossing, offering a nice variety for any activity. I've spotted loads of unthreatening wildlife while on the path, including turtles, deer, snakes, ground hogs, beavers, and many different birds, squirrels, and enjoy being near the water and especially stopping at the locks to stretch, rest, or fuel mid-long run, too. [extra garbage cans, tables/benches, and proximity to other humans makes it feel like a safer space to slow, perhaps?] I am hopeful that the Color the Canal project will return for the third year in 2021, which creates visual and sculptural art to welcome the CEC cyclists riding from Buffalo to Albany each July.

My wife and I walked the portion between Watervliet and Albany recently and it was a pretty nice…read moretrail. Much of it was in the woods along an old railroad right-of-way, so there were plenty of trees providing shade. A couple of clearings allowed for sightlines of the expressway but it wasn't too noisy. One area had a bench, picnic table, and informational display about the location of the old Troy Iron Works. A few areas had cutaways in the trees for sightlines to the river. I wish there was more to see or do along the trail, and it would have been appreciated to have some more benches or tables or whatnot to rest on. But, the area in Watervliet where the parking lot is had a couple of tables.

Nice walk that very quickly takes you to a cute little stream. I will come back just to play in…read morethe stream one day soon. Nice walk through the woods with access to the water multiple times. Saw dogs and kids playing in the water at various points. Very quiet in sections and you forget how close you are to everything. There are exposed roots etc so not fully an "easy" walk but it is a fairly gentle walk.

Firstly, I love nature, so any well-intentioned effort to preserve nature gets extra love from me…read more Lisha Kill Natural Area is one of the best and most beautiful of the many beautiful parks and reserves in the area. And it also more than lives up to the "natural" in its name because there's vast unspoiled natural elements for many to enjoy and appreciate, including streams, unpaved trails, and hills. Speaking of unpaved, this park is largely not wheelchair accessible, and there's no public restroom that I'm aware of, either in the parking lot or within the park. Regardless of which trail you eventually pick, the first about 0.5 mile has steep hills before you cross a bridge over a small creek to climb up to a decision point. The trails are clearly marked with colours on tree trunks, so staying on marked trails has so far been easy. The parking lot has never been full, so parking has never been an issue. Enjoy!

Beautiful flowers, great layout and the area was much bigger than I expected. I went in mid June on…read morea Sunday and surprisingly it was quite busy but since everything is spaced out so well, it didn't feel too crowded. A must see!

Oh, so fragrant! If you enjoy gardening, or even if you simply enjoy looking at gardens, this…read morelocation is worth a visit. A beautifully landscaped corner of the park that is easily accessible with street parking at the corner of Wright Street and Central Parkway. All of the rose beds have labels to identify the planted variety and there are a number of benches throughout the garden to simply sit and take in beauty of it all. If you enjoy a hands on experience, it is my understanding that there are volunteers who meet on several mornings each week to remove deadheads from the plants. Ahh, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet!

This is one of my favorite parks in the area. Not only is it convenient for me, but it also have a…read morelot of the amenities I am looking for. First, it has plenty of hiking trails and paths for scenic walks for families, including dogs. It has two well-maintained tennis courts, a basketball court, a baseball field, pool and plenty of picnic tables. It even has a big playground for the kids, and a pool. I love taking a walk at the paths, especially towards the top of the hill, and towards the back of the golf course. The park is dog friendly as well. I love taking my pup for a walk here. If you go now, they have banners honoring local military veterans, and war heroes. They also just added a memorial for heroes who served in wars. It's definitely worth checking out! There's a fee for parking on some weekends, but weekdays are free.

This park has a lot of shade, very nice for having a little more privacy than most other parks. The…read moreplayground has a rather high jungle gym so you'll wanna keep a close eye on your little ones. But overall very nice and very pretty during the autumn season.

We were here on a Sunday morning. Great place to take a walk or hike. The trail were very well…read moremaintained. Plenty of parking space. Highly recommended!

If you're visiting Albany and looking for a place to take a stroll or job, this is like a mini-pine…read morebarrens (similar to what you might see in New Jersey). I would stay to the trails (Madison loop) to minimize the risk of catching ticks. In July 2024, it was pleasant in the early morning hours for a refreshing walk. However, there is not much shade on the walking trails, so it will be blazing hot mid-day. Street parking was relatively easy near the perimeter of the pine bush preserve.

Serene little spot in the Catskills of upstate New York. Perfect place to enjoy nature on the…read moretrails or on their surprisingly large lake. My girlfriend and I spent a few hours here on a Sunday afternoon in May. If you rent a boat you can keep it out as long as you want, and you have access to the whole property for the entire day. We spent awhile in kayaks and had the whole lake to ourselves for the entire time. We then spent some time down at the swimming hole and had that to ourselves as well. Everyone who works there was incredibly friendly and helpful. Beautiful day overall and the perfect end to a perfect weekend getaway.

Fantastic place with kayaking, a water hole, a light trail, picnic tables, and great friendly…read morestaff. Thank you Dana! Also, a nice niche store with ice cream, wine, and more.

Large park with paved trails, a pond with multiple fountains, tons of benches, two parks for kids,…read moremany pavilions and bathrooms available. A bunch of flat fields people meet at for events and flag football etc. Not tons of shade but enough to keep it enjoyable. Bring water and you will be sure to enjoy!!! :) There has been some concern with suspicious people lurking by parks that's worth mentioning. One lady said she was with the paper and was taking pictures of kids and evaded once questioned. Another man was recently banned for lurking and aggression at the park.

This is a wonderful place for walking, taking children to the wonderful playground and sitting by…read morethe pond. Additionally, there are too many activities and free music concerts to list.

I was visiting in the area and looking for a place to walk without walking on the side of the road…read more Anchor Diamond Park is clean, well maintained and has great signage. Any swampy areas have boardwalks.

Great park with so many trails! Stumbled on this park with my dog on a beautiful, sunny winter day…read more What an exceptional find with a tremendous history dating back to the 1790's!!! The trails are very well marked with signage to help navigate each section. Stop and see the ruins of the original house that was built around 1790 and read the history of this piece of land. Very impressive. The park is also great for cross country skiing and snowshoeing in winter. And its dog friendly (pack out what you bring in and clean up after your doggo)