1. Pleasant Valley Preserve

1. Pleasant Valley Preserve

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Syracuse, NY

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Pleasant Valley Preserve

5.0 (2 reviews)

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Pratts Falls Park

Pratts Falls Park

4.7
(19 reviews)
13.7 mi

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!

Photos
Clean and large restrooms
Clean and large restrooms
Top of the falls
Top of the falls
Trails, dog friendly on leash

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Trails, dog friendly on leash
Green Lakes State Park

Green Lakes State Park

4.5
(150 reviews)
15.4 mi

Green Lakes is such a beautiful place. Love walking around the 2 lakes, such a quiet and peaceful…read morewalk. Lots of walking trails, campground, kayak rentals and swimming. Everyone should go to Green Lakes at least once, Highly Recommend !!

While renewing my Empire Pass last year at a local state park, I chatted with the ranger about…read morefavorite ones throughout the state. When he learned that I had been to over 100 of them but hadn't been to Green Lakes he urged me to check that one off the list pronto. And you know how that goes: when someone tells you how great something is, that place suddenly starts popping up more and more in your social feeds. Well, after seeing it featured on the socials for I Love NY and NYS Parks, I finally made the trip to Central New York outside of Syracuse (wait, I can call Syracuse "Central New York" on here, right? :) ), and I was not disappointed at all. My visit was early on an October Saturday, and lots of runners and walkers were around. And a fair amount of ducks too. A mostly level 2.5-mile loop around Green Lake and another mile-ish loop around practically adjacent Round Lake (which is also a Registered National Landmark) made for a wonderful morning stroll. I was just walking and taking pictures, but clearly this is a spot where runners meet and get in a workout together. The lakes are beautiful, and, yeah, have an emerald-green glow at times. I'm really glad I made the trip there, and will definitely revisit one day.

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Green Lakes State Park
Trees that make you feel like you've just entered an elvish grove.
Trees that make you feel like you've just entered an elvish grove.
Green Lakes State Park

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Jamesville Beach

Jamesville Beach

4.4
(15 reviews)
9.4 mi

Whilst I do like the park in it's entirety, the best part of Jamesville Beach Park is it's huge dog…read morepark. One thing I noticed about this park is that dogs are in general better trained here-- and that is because they have to be. This park is not fenced in like other dog parks. Instead, it is a huge open set of areas, including a path through the trees. You need to ensure your pup has good recall, likes to stay around you, or you'll need to make sure they are on a leash. I have only had a few hiccups here is with people not being the best trained. One person, without a dog, was just giving treats to all dogs that came up to them which was a bit frustrating and a bad behavior to teach. Also, people are terrible about picking up poop. You'll find dog poop and bags of dog poop everywhere--some of this I will blame on the park as its huge and there are only 2 places to put it. However. Its a huge place for my dog to run and he enjoys it-- and so do we, and as a bonus, he sleeps the rest of the day.

The dog park at Jamesville Beach is a special place for me and my dog! We have been taking her…read morethere consistently since she was a puppy and it was an excellent way to get her used to other dogs from day one. She has built a lot of independence there and she knows our walking route by heart. It's beautiful, well maintained, the trails offer a variety of difficulty, and there are several swimming spots for the dogs. It's a great place to take a nice walk after work to help yourself and your dog unwind.

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Jamesville Beach
Jamesville Beach
My dog after a trip to the dog park

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My dog after a trip to the dog park

Pleasant Valley Preserve - hiking - Updated July 2026

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