The New York State Park System Just Turned 100 Years Old And It's The Perfect Excuse For A Day Trip
By John Williams|Published March 06, 2024
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John Williams
Author
John Williams is a writer based in New York City. He's been living in the state for over a decade. He loves nothing more than checking out some great regional cuisine and then taking a long walk in the park.
This year, New York’s State Parks and Historic Sites are set to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of their parks system. That’s right, 2024 is the Centennial year for all of the great parks of New York. The state will use this year as chance to reflect on the long, rich history of the park system, and has plenty of special things planned throughout all of 2024. To learn more about the New York State Park Centennial, keep reading.
The New York State Park system was created 100 years ago with the goal of connecting people throughout the state to some of New York’s most cherished lands.
Since then, it has morphed into the state park system that New Yorkers know now. All said and done, it encompasses around 360,000 acres of lands, including beaches, campgrounds, trails, golf courses and more.
There are over 250 properties in the New York State Park system. Some of our favorites include Niagara Falls and the state’s collection of Revolutionary War sites.
This year there will also be the Centennial Challenge, a list of 100 activities created by the New York State Park and Historic Sites system. It will help New Yorkers young and old learn about New York State history and also give back to ensure that these properties last through the ages.
Those who complete 24 out of 100 of these activities can win a variety of prizes. They also get entered into a random drawing for one of 24 three-year Empire Passes and a Centennial swag bag.
New York has one of the great park systems in the country, so the New York State Park Centennial is a great excuse to get out there and enjoy all these parks have to offer. No matter where you live in the state, there is a great park just waiting to be used. For those looking to take a road trip to check out any of these parks, we made a handy road trip packing list for just that purpose.
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