The New York State Parks and Historic Sites system comprises 250 properties spanning over 360,000 acres, featuring beaches, campgrounds, trails, golf courses, and thousands of historic buildings. Additionally, it boasts 2,000 miles of trails for visitors to explore.
If you plan to visit multiple New York State Parks on a single day, you need only pay admission to the first park. Make sure to keep your receipt and present it at each subsequent park you visit that day to gain free entry. Alternatively, you can stop by a Monroe County Library and borrow an Empire Pass, which grants you free admission at most parks.
Fees for New York State Parks are subject to change. Use the 2021 fees (they don’t change often or drastically) noted below as a guide—check park websites for current information.
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Finger Lakes Region
Buttermilk Falls
$9 vehicle entry fee collected 4/1 – 11/30 from 6 am to 6:30 pm daily
Just south of Ithaca, Buttermilk Falls State Park‘s upper park features a small lake, hiking trails that wind through woodlands and along the gorge and rim, picnic areas, and playing fields.
The lower park has a campground, natural pool, and playing fields, with Larch Meadows beyond. Larch Meadows is a wetland area with a nature trail.
Swim in the stream-fed pool beneath Buttermilk Creek’s lower falls. To view the waterfall from your car, follow the loop around the park entrance and exit without paying to park. Otherwise, the falls are within walking distance of the parking lot.
Stairs are prevalent along the 0.65-mile Buttermilk Creek Gorge Trail. When you reach the stone bridge, you can continue to the upper park, return through the gorge, or cross the creek and take the Rim Trail back to the parking area, where you can enjoy a swim in the natural stream-fed pool beneath Buttermilk Falls. The gorge trail is closed in winter.
Cayuga Lake
$7 vehicle entry fee collected:
- 5/23 – 6/14, 9 am – 6 pm, weekends & holidays
- 6/20- 9/7, 10 am – 6 pm weekdays, 9 AM – 6 PM weekends & holidays
- 9/12 – 10/12, 9 am – 6 pm, weekends & holidays
Cayuga Lake State Park, south of Seneca Falls, offers a breathtaking view of the lake and features a variety of aquatic activities, including swimming and fishing.
Chimney Bluffs
$5 vehicle entry fee collected 4/1 – 10/31 Daily (All Day)
Rising 175 feet above Lake Ontario, Chimney Bluffs are fragile drumlins, like all of the truncated drumlins along this section of shoreline. It would be beneficial to bring water shoes for standing in the lake and sneakers for walking along the rocky shoreline.
Fair Haven Beach
$9 vehicle entry fee collected:
4/1 – 10/31 Daily (All Day)
At one of the most beautiful locations along Lake Ontario, you can relax on the guarded sandy beach while enjoying the stunning view of the towering shoreline bluffs.
Fillmore Glen
$8 vehicle entry fee collected:
- 5/5 – 6/16: 9 am – 6 pm, weekends & holidays
- 6/17 – 9/2: 9 am – 6 pm, daily
- 9/7 – 10/13: 9 am – 6 pm, weekends & holidays
The shaded gorge trail through Fillmore Glen State Park offers a refreshing escape on a hot day, especially when combined with a swim in the stream-fed pool. Just beyond the pool, before heading up to the gorge, take a quick detour to the base of Cow Shed Falls. Stone steps—140 in the beginning and several along the trail—and muddy paths make this a moderately challenging hike. The 1.3-mile gorge trail leads across several footbridges to four waterfalls along Dry Creek. The shale walls have fractures that allow water to trickle in, fostering the growth of lush vegetation, such as mosses, ferns, and trees.
To return to the parking area, you can retrace your steps through the gorge or take the North Rim Trail. Next to the parking lot, close to the tree line, is a log cabin replica of the birthplace of President Millard Fillmore. The gorge trail is closed in winter.
Friends of Fillmore Glen State Park
Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area
No entry or parking fees.
Enjoy a stunning view of Honeoye Lake from Harriet Hollister Spencer on Canadice Hill, which offers extensive cycling and snowshoe trails.
Keuka Lake
$7 vehicle entry fee collected 5/1 – 10/31: 9am – 5pm daily
The park offers a large sandy beach and bathhouse at the north end of Keuka Lake near Penn Yan.
Long Point
$7 vehicle entry fee collected:
- 5/5 – 6/23: 8 am – 6 pm, weekends & holidays
- 6/24- 9/2: 8 am – 6 pm, daily
- 9/3 – 10/14: 8 am – 6 pm, weekends & holidays
Swim in Cayuga Lake from a small grass and stone beachfront. There is a bathhouse available.
Newtown Battlefield
No entrance fees are charged.
A pristine granite monument marks the site of the 1779 hillside battle between the Continental Army and British regulars, Loyalist rangers, and 1000 Hodinöhsö:ni warriors.
Robert H. Treman
$9 vehicle entry fee collected 4/1 – 11/30 from 6 am to 6:30 pm daily
Just south of Ithaca, explore the 2.5-mile gorge trail to discover 12 waterfalls, including 70-foot Enfield Falls and the stream-fed swimming pool near the lower parking lot. Visit the historic Enfield Falls Mill from the upper parking area before taking the moderately challenging gorge trail to find 115-foot Lucifer Falls. The gorge trail is closed in winter.
Access the Lower Enfield Falls swimming area and diving board easily from the parking lot.
Friends of Robert H. Treman State Park
Sampson
The entry fee is not listed on the website; only overnight and walk-in fees are listed. In 2018, a $7 vehicle entry fee was collected:
- 5/20 – 6/16: weekends and holidays only: 6 AM – 4 AM
- 6/17 – 9/4: 8 AM – 4 PM Monday – Thursday, 7 AM – 4 PM Friday-Sunday
Located on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, Sampson was once a military training base before becoming an area filled with grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and trees amid flat, rolling woodlands around ravines.
Seneca Lake
$8 vehicle entry fee collected:
- 5/12 – 6/10: 10 AM – 6 PM, weekends & holidays
- 6/16 – 9/3: 8 AM – 6 PM, daily
- 9/8 – 10/8: 10 AM – 6 PM, weekends & holidays
Besides a sandy, shallow beach on Seneca Lake, there is an amazing water sprayground with 100 jets for enjoyment. Visitors can also spend the day exploring the lake’s north end in Geneva. The Finger Lakes Welcome Center, along with various restaurants and wineries, offers breathtaking lake views.
Stony Brook
$9 vehicle entry fee collected:
- 5/1 – 6/20 from 9 am – 5 pm, weekends & holidays
- 6/26 – 9/6 from 10 am – 6 pm, Monday-Friday, 8 am – 6 pm, weekends & holidays
- 9/11 – 10/11 from 9 am – 5 pm, weekends & holidays
For most visitors, Stony Brook‘s top experience is the 0.75-mile gorge trail, which provides stunning views of waterfalls, stone bridges, and a stream-fed pool. The trail is made of shale and gravel and includes some moderately difficult sections to navigate, such as numerous steps climbing alongside each waterfall. Keep in mind that the gorge trail is closed during winter.
Taughannock Falls
$9 vehicle entry fee collected:
- 4/27 – 5/26: 6 AM – 6 PM, weekends & holidays
- 5/27 – 9/2: 6 AM – 6 PM, daily
- 9/3 – 10/20: 6 AM – 6 PM, weekends & holidays
At 215 feet tall, Taughannock Falls is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. The 0.75-mile hard-packed gravel gorge trail leads to the base of the falls and is open year-round.
Visitors can easily enjoy a stunning view of Taughannock Falls on a short walk to the overlook, featuring a scenic stone balcony that is free to access.
Watkins Glen
$10 vehicle entry fee collected mid-May to mid-October, sunrise to sunset
The village of Watkins Glen, about one and a half hours southeast of Rochester at the southern tip of Seneca Lake, is an ideal day-trip destination. Watkins Glen State Park’s 1.5-mile-long gorge is at the heart of the village, a truly breathtaking and awe-inspiring showcase of nature’s beauty.
While the park features a well-maintained walking path through the gorge, it is neither a stroll nor ADA-accessible. The journey through the glen encompasses a 520-foot elevation change navigable by 800 stone steps, bridges, tunnels, and straightaways, often wet with spray from 19 waterfalls.
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Genesee Region
Darien Lakes
A $7 vehicle entry fee applies, with a collection date range not specified on the website.
Darien Lake’s terrain boasts hills, woodlands, ravines, streams, and Harlow Lake. Enjoy a picnic on Picnic Island and swim from the lake’s sandy beach.
Hamlin Beach
$9 vehicle entry fee collected 9 am-5 pm:
- Weekends until June 23
- Daily from June 24 through Labor Day
- Weekends after Labor Day till the 3rd weekend in October
Hamlin Beach offers seven miles of paved and dirt hiking trails, as well as a self-guided tour of a historic CCC/POW camp. The lakeshore is perfect for reading a book in the shade, with your toes in the sand. In Area One, you can find green space, an unguarded beach, a kayak launch, and the Yanty Creek Environmental Nature Trail. Areas Three and Four have guarded swimming beaches, picnic tables, pavilions, playgrounds, bathhouses, and concession stands. Area Five has green space, an unguarded beach, and the Devil’s Nose hiking trail along the West Bluff.
Friends of Hamlin Beach State Park
Genesee Valley Greenway
No fees are charged.
The Genesee Valley Greenway State Park is a 90-mile open space corridor that follows the route of the Genesee Valley Canal (1840-1878) and the Pennsylvania Railroad Rochester Branch (1882-1963) from the Erie Canalway Trail in Rochester’s Genesee Valley Park to the Village of Cuba in Allegany County. The Greenway will eventually extend to Hinsdale in Cattaraugus County.
Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway
Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park
Fees collected for boat launch only.
Irondequoit Bay Marine Park, situated at the mouth of Irondequoit Bay, serves as a launch site for small and power boats, offering fishing access to Lake Ontario. Previously a Monroe County Park that has transitioned to the state, the Town of Irondequoit operated the park through a cooperative agreement. On the lake shore, there is an unguarded beach.
Lakeside Beach
$6 vehicle entry fee collected:
- 5/25 – 6/9: 10 am – 6 pm, weekends & holidays
- 6/15 – 9/2: 10 am – 6 pm, daily
- 9/7 – 10/13: 10 am – 6 pm, weekends & holidays
Lakeside Beach is a popular spot for camping, hiking, disc golf, fishing, and picnicking; however, despite its name, it does not have a designated swimming beach.
Letchworth
$10 vehicle entry fee collected 5/7 – 10/24: 9 am – 5 pm, daily
Award-winning Letchworth State Park, a little over one hour south of Rochester, covers more than 14,000 acres along the Genesee River in Livingston and Wyoming Counties.
Whether you want to picnic beside a waterfall, hike one of the park’s 29 trails, take a hot-air balloon ride, whitewater raft on the Genesee River, dine at the historic Glen Iris Inn, or enjoy a scenic drive through the park, Letchworth has something for you.
There are several entrances to the park from the north, south, and west. It takes about 30 minutes to drive the length of Park Road, which stretches for 18 miles between Mount Morris and Portageville.
Friends of Letchworth State Park
Fun fact: At 14,427 acres, Letchworth State Park is about the same size and shape as the island of Manhattan, but while 1.63 million people live in the city, only 870,000 people visited the park throughout 2021. The Genesee River is our Broadway, but there are no neon lights or celebrities here! Only the Milky Way with one hundred thousand million stars.
Silver Lake
$6 parking fee, payable at kiosk
The park provides a boat launch facility for boating and fishing on the lake. The area also has picnic facilities and a comfort station, which is open year-round.
Niagara Region
Artpark
$10 vehicle entry fee collected 04/30 – 09/30, performance fees are separate. Please note that the Empire Pass and Golden Park Pass are not accepted at this location.
Enjoy a walk through the only state park dedicated to the visual and performing arts. Plan your Lewiston day trip to coincide with one of Artpark’s live performances in the outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Niagara River Gorge. Throughout the summer, the park hosts a variety of music, theater, and dance performances. There are also scenic hiking trails and various art installations to explore.
Beaver Island
$7 vehicle entry fee collected when the beach is open:
- 5/26-6/24: 8 am-6 pm, weekends only
- 6/28-9/2: 9 am-6 pm, weekdays; 8 am-6 pm, weekends & holidays
Located at the south end of Grand Island, the park boasts a wide range of outdoor activities. Enjoy the park’s 18-hole golf course, swimming and boating facilities, or trail systems.
Buckhorn Island
No fees are charged.
Buckhorn Island’s vast marshlands and meadows border the Niagara River. Depending on the season, you can explore the nature trails or spend the day fishing, cross-country skiing, or doing other outdoor activities.
Buffalo Harbor
Fees are only for the use of the boat launch.
Buffalo Harbor State Park offers beautiful views of Lake Erie. The park has a 1,000-slip marina, a restaurant, boat and personal watercraft launches, a fish-cleaning station, restrooms, and a beach for strolling and sunbathing.
De Veaux Woods
No fees are charged.
De Veaux Woods State Park has two ball diamonds, a playground, nature trails through a meadow and Old Growth Woods, and a path that leads across the Robert Moses Parkway to Whirlpool at Niagara Falls State Park, which has access to the Niagara Gorge trail system.
Evangola
$7 vehicle entry fee collected:
- 5/25-6/16: 9 am-5 pm, weekends & holidays only
- 6/22-9/2: 9 am-5 pm, daily
Evangola State Park boasts a stunning arc-shaped shoreline and a natural sandy beach on Lake Erie. In addition to its picturesque views, the park offers picnic facilities, 80 campsites, and playing fields.
Fort Niagara
$8 vehicle entry fee collected at toll booths 6/20 & 6/21, 6/27 – 9/7 10 am – 6 pm
At Fort Niagara, at the mouth of the Niagara River on Lake Ontario, visitors can enjoy hiking, swimming in the pool, exploring the nature center, and, on a clear day, taking in the spectacular view of Toronto’s skyline.
The Castle at Old Fort Niagara, built by the French in 1726, is the oldest building on the Great Lakes. The 1872 lighthouse at the mouth of the Niagara River is the fourth of its kind, but it is not open to the public for tours. Admission fees are separate for the park and the fort.
Four Mile Creek
No fees are charged.
Located on the shores of Lake Ontario, only 15 minutes from the mighty Niagara Falls, the park offers a variety of camping options and trails that explore the shores and marshlands.
Golden Hill
$6 vehicle entry fee collected 5/14-10/10 between 8 am and 9 pm
Golden Hill, situated 30 miles east of the Niagara River at the northernmost point of Lake Ontario’s southern shore, offers some of the region’s darkest skies, making it an optimal location for stargazing or viewing the northern lights. The 1875 Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse provides stunning views and is a must-see for visitors.
Friends of Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse
Joseph Davis
No fees are charged.
Fields, woodlands, and ponds offer a range of recreational opportunities, including fishing, hiking, and disc golf.
Knox Farm
No fees are charged.
Located on a former country estate in East Aurora, the park is an easy drive from the historic village. It offers a variety of habitats and houses different species of farm animals.
Friends of Knox Farm State Park
Niagara Falls
Vehicle entry fee collected. Please visit niagarafallsstatepark.com for the most current fees.
Niagara Falls State Park, America’s first state park, was established in 1886 and designed by Frederick Law Olmsted two years before creating Rochester’s Highland Park. Visitors travel far and wide to see Niagara Falls, and we are fortunate to be able to drive there in 90 minutes. The falls are majestic year-round, and I highly recommend visiting at different times to experience the uniqueness of each season.
While Niagara Falls, Ontario, offers a falls-facing view, it can become overwhelming due to the numerous tourism-oriented distractions that consume time and money. On the New York side of Niagara Falls, activities center on the natural world, with accessible pathways that lead along the Niagara River. Make the most of your day trip by exploring Goat Island, Three Sisters Island, and Prospect Point, where you can enjoy the view of Canada across the river.
Reservoir
No fees are charged.
Reservoir State Park is a favorite of residents in Niagara County. The park offers a variety of sports facilities, including tennis, baseball, roller hockey, soccer, and softball. They also provide a driving range and an R/C Airplane field.
Wilson-Tuscarora
$6 vehicle entry fee collected, $7 when swimming is available:
- 5/25 – 6/21, weekends 9 am – 6 pm
- 6/22 – 9/2, daily 9 am – 6 pm
Nestled on Tuscarora Bay, this 395-acre natural area boasts a diverse array of mature woodlands, open meadows, and marshlands, providing a well-preserved habitat for numerous plant and wildlife species. You can also enjoy a serene pebble beach and a fully equipped bathhouse along the narrow strip of the Lake Ontario shoreline.
Woodlawn Beach
$7 vehicle entry fee collected.
Located on Lake Erie, within the Buffalo metropolitan area, the park offers a beautiful, long, natural sand beach with lovely panoramic views and spectacular sunsets.
Central Region
Chittenango Falls
A $5 vehicle entry fee is collected daily via an automated pay station.
Although the trail and steps to the base of the falls may be challenging, it is possible to view these stunning falls from the parking area above.
Green Lakes
A $10 vehicle entry fee is collected; however, the website does not specify the date range.
In Fayetteville, 15 minutes east of Syracuse, Green Lakes is known for its turquoise-colored glacial lakes and old-growth forest. At nearly 200 feet deep, the meromictic lakes feature water that remains crystal clear because of the lack of mixing between their top and bottom layers.
Privately owned boats are not permitted on the lakes due to their sensitive nature, but rentals are available, including clear-bottom tandem kayaks. The park offers walking trails around Green and Round Lakes, a swimming beach on Green Lake, and an all-terrain wheelchair to assist with access to the beach and trails.
Sandy Island Beach
A $7 vehicle entry fee is collected, but the date range is not defined on the website.
As one of the few west-facing beaches along Lake Ontario, Sandy Island Beach is as lovely as the name implies. According to the New York State Parks website, it is the only significant freshwater dune site in the northeastern United States. Visitors can enjoy amenities such as a bathhouse and concessions near the parking area and reach the guarded swimming beach using a boardwalk system that protects the dunes and beach grass.
Selkirk Shores
$7 vehicle entry fee collected 6/26 – 9/6/ (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon & holidays)
Overlooking Lake Ontario, the park offers swimming, fishing, camping, and boat launch sites, as well as beautiful sunset views.
Verona Beach
$7 vehicle entry fee collected:
- 8 am to 5 pm Monday – Friday (6/14/20 – Labor Day)
- 8 am to 6 pm Saturday/Sunday/Holidays (Memorial Day-Labor Day)
Experience a sandy, shallow beach and a splash pad on Oneida Lake, where the Erie Canal meets the lake and separates Verona Beach from the historic amusement park at Sylvan Beach.
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Allegany Region
Allegany State Park
$7 vehicle entry fee collected 9 AM – 4:30 PM:
- 5/29 – 6/20: Weekends & holidays only
- 6/26 – 9/6: Daily
- 9/11 – 10/11: Weekends & holidays only
In the Southern Tier along the Pennsylvania border, New York’s largest state park* offers mountainous terrain reminiscent of the Adirondacks and Catskills. It’s easy to get around using the park’s three main roads—ASP Routes 1, 2, and 3.
Hike one of 18 marked trails across 65,000 acres to nine named peaks, the highest of which is 2,146-foot Mount Tuscarora. Compared with the Adirondack’s 46 named peaks, with 3,820-foot Couchsachraga Peak as its lowest, ASP is a great place to be in the mountains without being overwhelmed by them.
Divided into two distinct areas—Red House and Quaker—plan several day trips to explore their unique attractions. Known for the historic Tudor-style administration building with its natural history museum, restaurant, and gift shop, you’ll also find Red House Lake, Thunder Rocks, and the Stone Tower in the Red House Area.
The Quaker Area features Mount Tuscarora Fire Tower, Quaker Lake, Science Lake, Bear Caves, an amphitheater, and a museum.
Friends of Allegany State Park
*Fun fact: Many believe that Adirondack Park is the largest New York State Park. However, Adirondack Park is not a state park or a national park. Rather, it is a National Historic Landmark covering six million acres of state-owned and privately held land. It is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States and a permanent wild forest preserve. While it may be a bit of a drive for a day trip, some Rochester residents still make the journey to the mountains. It takes about three hours to reach Old Forge and five hours to reach Lake Placid.
Historic Sites
Historic Parks do not accept the Empire Pass; regular admission fees are required.
Ganondagan State Historic Site
Adults $8, $6 between November 1 and Apr 30 when the Longhouse is closed. Find pricing variations, including special events, on the website.
Atop Boughton Hill sits the original site of a significant 17th-century Seneca town, which at its peak had 150 longhouses; a replica stands there today. Visitors can appreciate the Seneca Art & Culture Center’s museum and enjoy miles of woodland and meadow trails throughout the year. The longhouse is open for tours from May to October.
Ganondagan State Historic Site holds an exceptional place in New York State, as it is the only State Historic Site dedicated to Native American history and culture. It is also the only Seneca town developed and interpreted in the United States. The Seneca people’s rich heritage, encompassing their culture, art, agriculture, and governance, has significantly influenced our modern understanding of equality, democratic governance, women’s rights, ecology, and sustainable food practices.
Fort Ontario State Historic Site
Adults $4, with pricing variations on the website.
Independently explore five historic buildings within the star-shaped earthworks overlooking Lake Ontario and the Oswego Lighthouse. These buildings were part of an active fort during the French and Indian War and the War of 1812, and in 1944, it became the only refugee camp in the United States for predominantly Jewish victims of the Holocaust.
A picnic area overlooking Lake Ontario, just beyond the fort, is free to access.
Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park
Adults $15, with pricing variations listed on the website.
Explore a magnificent late 19th-century Victorian estate in Canandaigua, complete with a Queen Anne–style mansion and nine formal gardens in this 50-acre New York State Historic Park. Marvel at the Lord and Burnham–designed glass greenhouse conservatory. Sonnenberg Gardens is open seven days a week from May 1 to October 31.
Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House
Tours vary in price and duration. See the website for tour details.
The Martin House Tour, led by experienced docents, takes guests on a 75-minute journey through the main house, pergola, conservatory, and carriage house of this historic 1905 landmark. For those looking for a more in-depth experience, the two-hour Martin House Plus Tour includes stops at the Barton House and Gardener’s Cottage.
Darwin Martin House Restoration Corporation
Which are your favorite New York State Parks?
I’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
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Enjoy the Journey Together!
My favorite state park is the smallest in New York!
SQUAW ISLAND on Canandaigua lake!!!
When we were kids(50 years ago) we could swim anywhere in canadaigua lake. You could walk out from Kershaw park for a half mile on sandy beaches. The water is shallow for a long distance. Before they built the city pier in canandaigua, there was just a border of lg stones. You could enter the lake from the pier and there is a sand bar that you can walk on all the way out to squaw island.. stories say that when the Indians were in battle then all the women and children would walk the sandbar to the island for safety. So many wonderful memories growing up on canandaigua lake.
Thank you for sharing these memories, Martin. Such a great childhood experience to have grown up swimming in Canandaigua Lake.