This is a gorgeous state park on the northeast edge of Otsego Lake. My wife, two teenage sons (15…read moreyrs, 13 yrs), and I came here with our miniature poodle for a quick visit during a 4-night stay in Sharon Springs, NY. We came here every day to enjoy the lovely view of the lake, take a leisurely stroll with the dog, and spend an afternoon fishing (for my 15 year old son). It's about a 15-20 minute drive from Cooperstown along the east shore. At the main entrance, you'll pay a $7 admission fee per vehiecle, or you can just show your NY State Parks Empire Pass card. This is a gem of a park that is well worth the price of admission. First, it feels open and spacious with nice hiking trails. Second, the view of Lake Otsego is lovely. You may see a few kayakers or windsurfers on the lake depending on weather conditions. If you have young children, this is a must-visit place as there are kid-friendly playgrounds. Third, the lake is shallow and calm by the beach, but the water temperature can feel a bit chilly. In the summer, they have lifeguards available starting at 11:00am. Finally, the park has a concession stand which sells basic snacks, hot dogs, and drinks. It's also worth it to take a short walk up the hill to see Hyde Hall and the view of the lake from there!

Very friendly staff at front gate beautiful lake to swim in and camping available as well.read more

This is a beautiful Onondaga County Park. There are several well marked trails of different…read morelengths. The two we walked were nice and shady, 1.2 and.6 miles, but because of the stairs and inclines, it ended up being a vigorous workout. The lower waterfall observation area was shady and beautiful with several benches to rest before the climb back up the stairs. The bathrooms were clean and it was a beautiful day.

I visited a couple of weeks ago, back when we had warm-but-not-yet-sweltering weather. This park is…read morea bit of a distance from Syracuse, but worth the drive. It's not too far off from Heritage Hill Brewery, so you can do a two-for and visit both-- however the park is lovely and worth a visit on its own. There's an overlook near the entrance where you can get a glimpse of the waterfall. However, the falls are also within walking distance of the start of the trail. The hill is on a slant and there are steep stairs, so the view may not be accessible for those who have difficulty walking. However, it was so calming just to sit and watch and listening to the waterfall. The day I went, there were others out but the paths didn't feel claustrophobic. I took some time and walked through the woods. The trail I took was relatively short, I think about a half mile total. I appreciated that there was a marker at the start that let you know how long it was. I am by no means a regular hiker (hoping to change that one day!) but this trail wasn't exhausting and was quite serene. This is a great park with a great waterfall and is definitely worth checking out!

Great shaded trails. There are lots of options to walk around affording great views. Home to a rare…read moreendangered fern you can find lots of gems here. There is a fun nature themed playground for the kids. Various shelters to sit down and have a picnic. A nature center that offers programs. I would say most trails have various inclines and they aren't exactly accessible for wheelchairs. There is one gravel trail that might work better for strollers and wheelchairs.

I love this place! I've been here so many times…read more I've been on almost all of the trails except for the Swamp Trail. It was super muddy last time I was here, otherwise I would've gone on it. There are very scenic outlooks over the lake and over the cliff. The trails are pretty well laid out. Even when it's busy the trails aren't too packed. I would definitely come back here again for more hiking!

A great park for picnics and hiking A lot of good scenery,…read morefree parking There is a bathroom building but there's no running water, no soap & like an oven on a sunny day

Cute and relatively easy hike! It's likely "lightly moderate" as it has some steep incline and…read morerocks at points. It can be a bit tricky to navigate the turns but if you pull up your GPS in the All Trails app it's easy enough. This trail has free parking near the trailhead, restrooms, and a cookout pavilion. It's a little over 1.2 miles total and follows a circular loop. There are a few small rivers with bridges to cross, a pretty lookout and of course the main waterfall. The trail is dog friendly as well. I've seen more beautiful views but this is very nice for the area.