Press Releases from New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park Draft Comprehensive Plan Public Meetings Scheduled

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 -1300

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) is pleased to announce completion of the Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park Draft Comprehensive Plan. The Draft Plan proposes improvements at Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park (FDRSP), located in Yorktown Heights, Westchester County.

OPRHP invites all interested parties to attend a public meeting and take the opportunity to provide feedback on the FDRSP Draft Comprehensive Plan. Two virtual public meetings will be held on Thursday, May 21, from 2:30 p.m.-4 p.m. and from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. OPRHP will give a presentation that provides an overview of the Draft Plan content, followed by an opportunity for public comments and questions. The content will be the same at both meetings.

Free registration is required to attend the online meetings. To participate, please register online or send an e-mail with your name to: FDR.Plan@parks.ny.gov no later than noon on May 21.

The public meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Anyone who requires a reasonable accommodation for effective communications should contact Owen Gilbo at Owen.Gilbo@parks.ny.gov or (518) 402-2648, preferably within 14 days of the meeting date on which that the requestor will need such auxiliary aid or service.

OPRHP welcomes all input and hopes that your schedule will allow you to participate. However, if you are unable to join at either time, a recording will be available on the OPRHP website (https://parks.ny.gov/plans). In addition, questions and comments on the Draft Plan may be submitted by Thursday, June 18, to: FDR.Plan@parks.ny.gov, or mailed to: Tana Bigelow, Park Planner, Division of Environmental Stewardship and Planning, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Albany, NY 12238.

Thank you in advance for your interest. If you have any questions, please email us at FDR.Plan@parks.ny.gov or contact Linda Cooper, Regional Director for the Taconic Region at: Linda.Cooper@parks.ny.gov.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 86 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park Draft Comprehensive Plan Public Meetings Scheduled

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 -1300

Free registration is required to attend the online meetings. To participate, please register online or send an e-mail with your name to: FDR.Plan@parks.ny.gov no later than noon on May 21.

Governor Hochul Announces Release of Framework Plan for Future High Falls State Park in Downtown Rochester

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -1300

New York State Parks Welcomes New Interpreter of Native American History

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -1300

Amber Bedard to help support the agency's Our Whole History initiative

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) is pleased to welcome Amber Bedard to the Division for Historic Preservation as the Interpreter of Native American History. A member of the Piikani First Nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy in Alberta and Montana, she is an educator and cultural interpreter dedicated to centering Indigenous voices in the stewardship of New York's historic landscapes. Bedard brings with her prior experience in program evaluation and higher education.

As the Interpreter of Native American History, Bedard will support the agency's Our Whole History initiative by informing and advancing the incorporation of Indigenous stories across 35 state historic sites and state parks with historic resources. In her new position Bedard will work directly with Indigenous and First Nations communities to facilitate the inclusion of their voices and perspectives in historical tours, exhibits, and interpretive signage that reflects the histories and living cultures of the region's Indigenous nations.

"Amber Bedard's work is essential to our historic preservation mission and will help create new opportunities for New Yorkers to explore our state's whole history," said New York State Parks Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser. "By incorporating Indigenous stories into our interpretive efforts, we are ensuring that the history we share covers a diverse range of perspectives and reflects the experiences of all New Yorkers. New York State Parks is very excited to welcome Amber to our Division for Historic Preservation."

An advocate for deep learning and creating space for Indigenous knowledge, Bedard is passionate about ensuring culturally responsive research and interpretation. She believes this important interpretive work must center, appreciate, and uplift the strengths of Indigenous communities and histories by creating pathways that honor Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. Her ongoing connections to contemporary Native cultures and communities guide her work and will help ensure that New York's state historic sites honor the past while celebrating the living presence of Indigenous peoples today.

Bedard will work with historic site managers and staff across New York, to cultivate and strengthen relations with Indigenous and First Nations communities by utilizing reflexive research practice. Through frequent consultation with Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and official Nation representatives, Bedard will help ensure that interpretation is guided by the principles of reciprocity, respect, and community consent.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation Daniel Mackay said, "We are thrilled to have Amber join the Division for Historic Preservation and welcome the expertise and experience she will bring to this position. She joins a team of colleagues who are actively conducting research, collaborating on projects, and sharing resources with the public. Her knowledge and insight will help the Division continue to create authentic representations and experiences at New York's state historic sites and also help inform the Division's broader historic preservation work."

Interpreter of Native American History Amber Bedard said, "Interpretation can be a bridge between the past and the present, but it must be built on respect, listening, and reciprocity. This work requires us to approach history not as something to own or define, but as something to be in relationship with. When we invite Indigenous communities to lead in how their stories are shared, we begin to transform interpretation from a one-way telling into a mutual exchange - one that honors the depth of knowledge and experience that Indigenous nations bring. That's when interpretation truly becomes meaningful: when it helps people understand that the past is not behind us, but continues to shape how we live together today."

Our Whole History: Exploring the Experiences of All People

The Our Whole History (OWH) initiative seeks to reveal and share historically undertold stories of ordinary and extraordinary people across New York State. By providing multiple perspectives on historic places and events, New York State historic sites and parks encourage the general public to take a deeper look at our state's history, learn more about the people who got us where we are today, and explore the experiences of all people. Launched in 2020, OWH has emerged as the driving force behind several OPRHP projects, all of which aim to advance ongoing research, share evolving narratives, and provide opportunities for discovery to visitors.

The mission of the New York State Division for Historic Preservation is to create meaningful connections to the dynamic history of the state for all residents and visitors and the Division is committed to protecting historic and cultural resources. Part of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the DHP strives to raise awareness of the value of historic places for future generations and to expand the complex narratives in order to tell a more complete story that represents the diversity of the state's people, both past and present. Learn more about the full scope of the Division's work online.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

Trail Connector Complete at Big Six Mile Creek Marina

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -1300

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) has opened a new multi-use trail that connects Big Six Marina with the West River Parkway Shoreline Trail and the Niagara River.

The .4-mile trail will allow users to navigate between the marina and the popular Shoreline trail and provides access to the Niagara River for fishing. The newly completed project also includes benches, signs, fencing, solar power lighting and plantings. Funding for the $328,389 project was provided by Sen. Sean Ryan and New York State Parks, and work was completed by Ground Breaking Solutions, LLC from East Aurora.

Niagara Region Director Mark Mistretta said "This is a prime example of a project that will help get people out into nature and connected to the amazing Niagara River. Fresh air and exercise is great way to mentally recharge and unplug and there are few places in Western New York as beautiful as the West River Shoreline Trail and the Niagara River."

State Senator Sean Ryan (D-Buffalo) said "Western New York's waterways are our region's greatest natural asset, and I'm always looking for ways to expand public access to them. This new trail will make it easier for residents and visitors to enjoy the Niagara River, whether they're walking, biking, or fishing. It also helps strengthen Grand Island as a destination for outdoor recreation. I'm proud to support projects like this that improve quality of life, connect people to nature, and showcase everything our region has to offer."

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

New York State Parks Announces Celebration for America's Oldest Covered Bridge

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -1300

Glimmerglass State Park's Hyde Hall covered bridge celebrates 200 years on Saturday

A variety of events and activities offered to visitors from around the country to
'Get Offline and Get Outside'

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) today announced that America's oldest covered bridge, the Hyde Hall bridge in New York's Glimmerglass State Park, will celebrate 200 years of existence with a grand celebration on Saturday, October 11. Visitors from around the country are expected to attend Saturday's celebration taking place from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Cooperstown.

Family-friendly events and activities during the celebration will include music from old-time music specialists and students at Cooperstown High School, a classic car show, children's activities including face painting, horse and buggy rides, remarks marking the 1825 bridge, and special presentations about the history of wooden covered bridges and the general Cooperstown area. A souvenir booklet about the Hyde Hall bridge will be available, and food and drink will be on sale at various food trucks.

"New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is thrilled that visitors from across the state and country continue to discover Hyde Hall State Historic Site's remarkable 200-year-old covered bridge—the oldest in the United States," said New York State Parks Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser. "Once the grand entrance to the Clarke family estate, the bridge now welcomes the public to explore and enjoy Glimmerglass State Park year-round, whether for a summer swim, a fall hike, or a peaceful winter snowshoe. Congratulations to our dedicated staff and many partners on this historic milestone!"

Hyde Hall bridge, 53-feet long and with unusual horizontal siding, was built to give access to the Hyde Hall estate of George Clarke. Some of the notable visitors who crossed the bridge to visit Hyde Hall Estate include Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Samuel F.B. Morse, and Juliette Gordon Low.

Approximately 14,000 covered bridges have been built in America since the first one over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia in 1805 (destroyed by fire in 1850). Many bridges were removed because they exceeded their useful life, while others were replaced because of the demands of modern traffic. Today, with determined preservation work during the past 75 years, about 650 historic covered bridges remain. The Hyde Hall bridge is the first in the United States to turn 200 years old.

Glimmerglass State Park and the Hyde Hall State Historic Site, along with the New York State Covered Bridge Society, the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Resource Center, the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, and other organizations devoted to the history and preservation of covered bridges, are hosting the festivities.

Camping sites can be reserved through the park. The rain date for the celebration is Sunday, October 12.

Hyde Hall, Inc. Executive Director Jonathan Maney said, "Hyde Hall's Covered Bridge is an enduring testament to the high quality of engineering that helped build the Empire State. We're incredibly fortunate to have such a beautifully preserved example, now the oldest surviving covered bridge in America."

Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh said, "The beauty and history of Otsego Lake and the historic properties which surround it, provide a vibrant illustration of our nation's heritage. We are fortunate that Hyde Hall and Glimmerglass State Park have ensured the preservation of this Covered Bridge for the enjoyment of future generations."

Glimmerglass State Park, located eight miles outside the village of Cooperstown, overlooks Otsego Lake, the "Glimmerglass" of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales. The rolling, partially wooded terrain is host to a wide variety of wildlife, and the park offers hiking, biking, camping, an accessible kayak launch, fishing and playgrounds. An uphill trail through the forest affords a spectacular view of Otsego Lake; the Beaver Pond and Woodland trails are picturesque and of interest for the variety of wildflowers, shrubs, ferns and mosses. The Hyde Hall Mansion, covered bridge, and a self-guided Beaver Pond Nature Trail are within park boundaries and open to visitors.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

New York State Parks, PIPC Announce $3 Million Restoration of Storm-Damaged Trails at Bear Mountain State Park

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -1300

Cornell Mine Trail and new stone staircase open after major 2023 storm

Work now underway at Doodletown Trail area, updated trail status map available here

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) today announced that the popular Cornell Mine Trail at Bear Mountain State Park has reopened for the fall hiking season. A $3 million capital construction project is also underway to restore and reopen additional trails in the Doodletown Trail Area of the park. The repairs follow widespread damage from heavy rains and flash flooding caused by thunderstorm activity on July 9-10, 2023.

New York State Parks trail crews, with support from the Rockland Conservation and Service Corps and the non-profit Jolly Rovers Trail Crew, also hand-constructed a new stone staircase to reopen the one-mile Cornell Mine Trail, which provides access to Doodletown from the Iona Island area and connects to the Appalachian Trail.

"It's exciting to see trails at Bear Mountain State Park that were badly damaged by the July 2023 storms reopening just in time for fall hikes in the breathtaking Hudson Valley," said New York State Parks Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser. "State Parks is honored to have such resilient partners in the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, and with the support from Governor Hochul, the New York State Office of Emergency Management, and the Office of General Services, we look forward to welcoming visitors back to get offline, get outside, and hit the Bear Mountain trails."

The next phase of work will focus on repairing approximately five miles of pathways in the Doodletown Trail Area. The $3 million improvement project to reopen the 1777 Trail, restore portions of the Bridle Path, and replace two undersized drainage culverts with a new, more resilient bridge. When complete in late 2026, the project will allow hikers, trail runners, and birders to access the most popular areas of Doodletown, while also restoring connections to the June and Herbert Cemeteries and access for first responders in the event of an emergency.

The restoration of the Doodletown Trails became necessary after the July 9, 2023, storm swept through the area, dumping more than 10 inches of rain in a few short hours. The rush of water over the landscape overwhelmed drainage structures, causing mud and rockslides that damaged large areas of Bear Mountain State Park. In addition to Doodletown, park roads, parking lots, bridges, buildings, and the park's water treatment plant all received extensive damage. Bear Mountain remained closed for over a month until it was safe to re-open.

Palisades Interstate Park Commission Executive Director Joshua Laird said, "We are pleased with the progress that has been made recovering from the unprecedented storm damage that occurred on July 9, 2023. PIPC is proud of the Palisades staff who have worked tirelessly to get park facilities back open. Governor Hochul's support has been crucial to allowing the park to thrive again. With our colleagues at New York State Parks, we look forward to completing the restoration of our trails so that Bear Mountain continues to provide world-class, inclusive, and accessible recreational opportunities to our visitors."

With funding made available by Governor Hochul, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission have spent the past two years addressing the extensive storm damage. The New York State Office of Emergency Management and the Office of General Services have also supported this effort. Since 2023, over $40 million has been expended to rebuild stormwater management systems, repair Bear Mountain's water treatment plant, and replace damaged bridges. The park's carpentry and plumbing shops, which support the entire Palisades Region of State Parks, are also being relocated to a more resilient location.

Approximately 35 miles of trails have been restored out of over 50 miles that were damaged during the 2023 storm. This includes repairs to the Appalachian Trail, and an ongoing effort by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference to repair the Brooks Lake Trail Loop in the Village of Fort Montgomery.

In addition to the State's investment in storm recovery and improved resiliency, Bear Mountain is benefitting from a recently announced $25 million project to expand Bear Mountain's picnic grounds, construct a new destination playground, and add additional public restrooms. That work is currently underway.

For an updated map showing all open and closed trails in the Bear Mountain State Park area, please visit: parks.ny.gov/parks/bearmountain. This will be updated further as trails reopen.

Bear Mountain State Park features more than 50 miles of hiking trails, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail. It also includes lake and river fishing access, a swimming pool, Trailside Museums and Zoo, hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails. An outdoor rink is open to ice skaters from late October through mid-March. The Perkins Memorial Tower atop Bear Mountain affords spectacular views of the park, the Hudson Highlands and Harriman State Park. Perkins Memorial Drive and Tower are open from April through late November, weather permitting. The Merry-Go-Round at Bear Mountain State Park features hand painted scenes of the park and 42 hand-carved seats of native animals including black bear, wild turkey, deer, raccoon, skunk, Canada goose, fox, swan, bobcat, rabbit and more.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

Formed in 1900, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) is the nation's first bi-state partnership established to protect and conserve natural lands. PIPC operates Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey and the Palisades Region of New York State Parks. Its early work helped inspire the emerging fields of environmental stewardship and education, pioneered the goal of exposing children to nature through its group campgrounds, and served as a model for the early growth of the national park system.

Governor Hochul Appoints Kathy Moser to Serve As Acting Commissioner of the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -1300

New York State Parks Announces Completion of $7.8 Million Maintenance Center at Olana State Historic Site

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -1300

Carbon-neutral building helps offset electric use at recently opened Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape

Images of the complex are available here

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) today announced the completion of a $7.8 million upgrade to the maintenance center at Olana State Historic Site in Hudson. The new complex serves as the headquarters for maintenance operations at the popular historic site, as well as for Clermont Historic Site in Germantown. Rooftop solar panels make the building carbon-neutral and help offset the use of electricity at Olana's Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape.

The new energy-efficient maintenance building features all-electric heating and cooling. Its maintenance bay, mower and tool shop, wash bay, and garage space will ensure vehicles and equipment servicing the property can be stored indoors and cleaned on a regular basis, prolonging vehicle life cycles and lower maintenance requirements. The complex is configured as a state-of-the-art electric shop with interior chargers for tools and exterior charging stations for State Parks fleet vehicles.

Exterior support facilities now include a freestanding salt shed, dedicated vehicle and equipment parking areas, and dark sky compliant lighting. The rooftop solar array will generate over 72,000 kWh of electricity back to the electric grid annually, allowing the maintenance center to be fully carbon-neutral while also helping to offset usage at the rest of the historic site. The installation costs for the 50kWAC solar array were supplemented by a nearly $1.9 million New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's (NYSERDA) Carbon Neutral Community Economic Development grant.

New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, "By offsetting electricity at Olana State Historic Site with solar power, this new maintenance complex demonstrates State Parks' commitment to resilient infrastructure well into the future. Olana exemplifies all that's possible through public-private partnerships here in New York State, and I'm grateful to NYSERDA and all of our partners for helping to achieve this new standard of excellence as we look ahead to the next generation."

State Parks is committed to transitioning to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and to a 100% light-duty electric vehicle (EV) fleet by 2035. The agency met its BuildSmart 2025 energy savings goal in 2024, a year ahead of schedule, and is reducing energy use at facilities and building solar projects across the state. This is part of a nation-leading climate goal set forth by Governor Kathy Hochul to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions at all state properties.

Olana, a New York State Historic Site and National Historic Landmark that attracts over 200,000 visitors annually, was the 19th century home, studio and designed landscape of Hudson River School artist Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), his wife Isabel and their four children. The 250-acre historic estate features an elaborately stenciled, Persian-inspired mansion filled with original sketches, studies and paintings by one of the mid-19th century's most famous artists. A diverse decorative arts collection includes objects from around the world.

The Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape welcomes and orients visitors at the historic site and includes a spacious entry lobby for ticketing and orientation, a café, gender neutral restrooms and a multipurpose room adjoining outdoor terraces and paths that connect to Olana's historic carriage road network.

Five miles of carriage drives, many of which are now pedestrian-use only, traverse the property developed much in the way Church created his canvasses, with strategically revealed vistas of one of the most strikingly beautiful places in the Hudson Valley. Visitors to Olana enjoy guided house tours, changing exhibits in the Evelyn & Maurice Sharp Gallery, self-guided walking tours, and programs and special events for all ages.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, "The new maintenance center at the Olana State Historic Site is a great example of how construction projects at a historic location can be advanced through energy efficient design and construction. This strategic planning, along with the solar panel installation, maximizes building comfort for staff and visitors, offsets energy costs and facilitates peak performance of onsite operations."

The Olana Partnership President Dr. Sean Sawyer said, "The Olana Partnership is very pleased that this important element of Olana's Strategic Landscape Design Plan has been completed and gratified that the NYSERDA Carbon-Neutral Economic Development Program grant we received in Round XI of the Consolidated Funding Application process has funded the installation of the solar array to offset electrical usage at The Frederic Church Center for Art & Landscape"

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

Governor Hochul to Illuminate New York State Landmarks in Celebration of 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage State Park

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -1300