This is an update to a review I originally wrote 11 years ago, and somehow, I love Allegany State…read morePark even more now than I did then. I've been coming here since I quite literally fit into a bucket (not exaggerating). Allegany has been a constant for me and probably the beginning of my love for everything outdoors. Growing up, my family spent Columbus Day weekends camping here, originally along McIntosh Trail and later at Summit Trail near the Art Roscoe Ski Area and fire tower on the Red House side of the park. Now, they go extra fancy and stay on Bova Trail. Over the years, Allegany became the backdrop for countless adventures from tent camping, cabin stays, hiking, geocaching, and just being together outdoors. These days, instead of Columbus Day, I usually start the year here by staying in a cabin and doing the First Day Hike with my dad. While my most recent visit wasn't the best, it doesn't erase the years of great memories before it. I've visited Allegany in every season, but autumn will always be my favorite thanks to the foliage. The trails shine in summer and fall. I've backpacked the North Country Trail through the park, hiked nearly every trail, and uncovered some lesser known gems along the way. I participate in the park's hiking challenges, serve on the board of the Allegany State Park Historical Society, and appreciate organizations like Friends of Allegany for the work they do to protect and enhance this place. The Red House Restaurant serves up some good times and great food, too. From Thunder Rocks to the Bear Caves, beaches, creeks, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, geocaching (including night caches and GeoBash!), and endless quiet corners, Allegany surely offers something for everyone. It's located a mere hour and 45 minutes from Buffalo and to me, it's a crown jewel of the New York State Park system. My advice? Do a little research before you go so you can make the most of your visit. Stop by the Administration Building on the Red House side, explore Thunder Rocks or the Bear Caves, and camp if you can. And whatever you do... don't feed the bears!

Beautiful place! I didn't explore everything and it was my first visit…read more $7 to drive in. A huge lake A small dock to launch from in a canoe/paddle board A beach. Paved trail to ride bike (or electric scooter, etc.) 2 trails I saw for hiking in foot. 1 mile trail and 5 mile. Maybe there's more somewhere. This was near the building with the restaurant, gift shop, etc. I took the shorter (1 mile). It was really nice and shaded by the trees. Not too challenging. I saw the restaurant inside and outside. The inside was just a casual area upstairs. I thought the patio was a muncher better option. There's a nice outdoor area with wooden lounge chairs to take in the view. Gift shop is average ... clothes and trinkets with Ellicottville on them, snacks and drinks. There's some rooms with taxidermy showing you names of different animals; especially birds and their eggs. I saw a creek off the bike trail and many people were swimming in there. I saw a wetland area. Didn't see anything there (no animals).

We were the only ones there so parking was easy. There are only about 4-5 actual parking spaces but…read morecars can also park along the right hand side of the road. The rocks in some area in the creek are tough so water shoes or crocs are recommended. There is a ton of flat spaces though once past the rocks and it's really awesome to just play there on the edge of it with the current pushing you along to the deeper side.

It's a cute little park that's known for the large dam. It offers beautiful views and a nice quiet…read moreatmosphere. Trout fishermen love it here during the spring and fall months best known for trout fishing. People will pile ontop of eachother while casting. It's also a nice park for a quick hike or picnic with the family! There are two parking lots, one on each side of the creek but please be mindful of where you are walking/fishing. There are lots of posted signs for private property.

Wow so amazing to see. The museum inside has a wealth of information also. Fall time here has to be…read morebeautiful!!

Beautiful views! Highly recommend checking this park out. There is also a nice free museum inside…read moreof the visitor center that's worth looking through.

Rock City Park is a hidden gem in Western NY. It is absolutely worth the visit! The park is…read morestunning--huge rock formations rise out of a dense, peaceful forest, creating a magical hiking experience that feels like something out of a fantasy novel. The trail takes you down into the heart of these ancient boulders, where you can explore narrow crevices, quirky formations, and mossy paths. Then, you make your way back up the Indian Staircase for a panoramic view from the top--totally worth the climb. The gift shop is delightfully eclectic, with a great selection of rocks, crystals, and local souvenirs. It's the kind of place where you'll definitely find something unexpected. This is a perfect spot for families--easy to navigate, fun to explore, and memorable for all ages. Everyone we saw there was smiling, and our group left talking about when we'd come back again. Highly recommend!

A great place for respite from the heat. The trail takes about 45 minutes round-trip, and it might…read morebe closed if it's recently rained: The stones and mosses get very slippery. This is a great place for birders: Thrushes, vireos and wrens are found here

The Rim Rock Overlook and Picnic Area offer spectacular views of the Kinzua Valley, the Allegheny…read moreReservoir, and the dam. It's comprised of a mountaintop series of huge sandstone boulders. The huge rocks are a lot of fun to climb about but beware of rattlesnakes. I was born in the Town of Kinzua which, despite the objections of the Seneca Indian Nation, which had a treaty signed by George Washington covering their sections of land for as long as the grass grew and the sun shined, was broken, and flooded. So, as striking as the view may be, you're looking at yet another despicable act of a broken treaty with an Indian Nation. For the view, 5 Yelp Stars, for its appalling background of perfidy, I'll let you decide. By the way, the lake is commonly known as Lake Perfidy by the indigenous Seneca people.

This is a beautiful area that overlooks the Allegheny Reservoir. You can park near Kinzua Beach and…read morehike up to the Rim Rock Overlook or you can drive up and park at the top and take a short walk to the overlook. There are a lot of large rocks and boulders that make for interesting exploration opportunities. There's a narrow staircase that cuts right through the rocks as part of the trail between the beach and the overlook. Whichever option you choose, the overlook is gorgeous and worth checking out the view!

Perfect if you have any small children, ideally ages six or under. This wouldn't be a good spot if…read moreyou were going with teens or just adults. I had never been here before in in spite of frequenting the Chautauqua area, my whole life. But, I finally had an occasion because my tiny niece was the perfect age for this place. There were a ton of rides that were perfect for her as a three year-old. Also, they had rides that were good for ages 4 to 6 as well. She really enjoyed the little roller coaster. Watch out that it is actually a little rough for the adults to ride on because it does jerk a little. Also, there were some really cute little boat rides, including one that took took the children around in a circle. There was very little that she was too small to ride on, so it was completely fantastic. Also, we were able to get her a wristband that gave her all inclusive access to rides. For a few rides that do require adult accompaniment for littles, the adult gets to ride free. There's a food spot towards the bottom of the hill and I highly recommend it. I was able to get platters of fries and corn, dogs and pizza, for not too much money. This is a clutch when it came to reducing the chance of overstimulated little kid meltdowns. Also, it was very sunny, and there was very little shade, so bring the sunscreen. Also, they have free boat parking. So, boating over and walking in is a great option if you happen to have or be renting a boat.

There one ATM is down and do they loss on on card sales and the pretzel was rubbery with a spongy…read moreStyrofoam texture wouldn't recommend no rides other than go cart for older kids/teens .

We Did the blue, red and yellow trails around the ponds off of Vail rd . Before that we started…read moredown the Cattauragus creek trail on other side of gorge but we decided we were not up for THAT challenge this time w/ 300 ft decend and climb. Fall colors were perfect and temp in 60s was great. Area is Somewhat developed but trails are rough and narrow in many places.

Have been going to Zoar Valley since my Dad started taking me back in the late 40's. The only…read morereason I gave it 4 stars is that it is not an area to mess around playing superman and such. There are people that need to get way to close to the unseerable overhang. They can and have taken a very long drop to the bottom. Play safe and it is a great place to enjoy hiking and swimming. Seem to have lost my pics. Figures.

Such a beautiful place with even more amazing views! The park lived up to the hype the stars were…read morejust beautiful and it was fun to see all the people enjoying a beautiful summer night together. I was impressed by the inclusion of park staff for educational programming and talks about the the galaxy stars and more. They had telescopes for people to use as well which was pretty cool. Neat place well worth the visit on a beautiful starry night! If I had one complaint and it isn't park related, people really need to abide by the red light rules. We were absolutely blinded on several occasions by people with cell phones and other white light sources and it definitely takes you out of the experience. It really is that dark and it matters!

AMAZING TREASURE! This dark sky park has it all- space to camp, space to sky watch, forests and a…read morebasic hike trail, the main highway that borders the parks are very new and smooth. I went for the night sky programs and it was fantastic. The people running all seem like long time pros and ran a fantastic educational evening. The program on bats was very well researched and had good information to take home. The star tour was enjoyable and focused. They had very fancy telescopes for people to check spots out in. I was a bit worried about that but they repeatedly reminded people to keep hands in pockets. Bonus points- they even had safety goggles to use if you wanted! The grounds looked very well kept and there were plenty of camp spots open. However be warned- the true campfire spots are further away and book a year ahead. There are special programs you can pay extra for as well to give a deeper dive into star gazing. They had people come in from all over the country and lots of people brought blankets and a night time picnic. It was a truly glorious view and a wonderful treasure to escape from city life. Parking is plentiful but I recommend arriving by sunset. Bathrooms are constructed latrines but were very clean and stocked with sanitizer.

I'm a huge fan of Griffith Park. This cultures are super fun and interesting. You can climb on them…read moreand touch them and otherwise engage with them. This year I was here for part of the Outside chronicles, hiking challenge, as were other people I saw here.I hope it continues to thrive as a place for locals to be able to come and do an interesting hike with their families. They have easy parking access at the bottom of the hill, and there is a suggested donation through Venmo or other apps.

Nice hike through the park. Lots of sculptures. Can easy spend a few hours there. Pond at the…read morebottom. Castle up top Is cool

first, why are there 3 separate listings for this park?…read morestayed recently in one of their cabins; enjoyed hiking, campfire, relaxing, walking around the lake. others have noted the many amenities and opportunities to recreate here, so i won't. snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the winter, so it's a year round destination. some of the cabins have heat, beds, kitchens!

Beautiful, spacious park with lots of amenities and plans to build more bath houses and lockers…read more Lots of cabins by the creek. Good size lake with canoe, kayak and peddle boat rentals ($15 an hour). Nice trails and rocks to climb. Could use more restrooms near the trails, though. Nice gift shop and restaurant in same bldg as the lodge. Benches around the lake and grassy area and a beach area is close to picnic tables and the boat house. Bike rentals available too. Very well maintained park. Police around also. Great place for camping and beautiful scenery.