We love Bowdoin Park for so many reasons. The park is so spacious with so many nooks and crannies…read morethat there's something for everyone. Multi use sports fields, swing sets, toddler play areas, great spaces for picnicking, and for my purpose, Dog exploring. My black lab mix has to sniff frequently to feel gratification. So our trips to Bowden Park happened roughly once a week so he can read all the "Social PEEdia.". Regardless of what time or day it is, you'll always find people enjoying the trail, walk, quiet, picnic, entertaining children, or using one of the several permanent gazebo structures to host a celebration. I think it's still possible to rent out the lodge for overnight stays and private parties. I would defer to them to confirm that There's a little chapel on site and I've never been inside, but it looks absolutely adorable. This could be a great place for a casual country wedding celebration and picnic in place of those high priced extravagant weddings. This is our third visit this month and I have failed to report in two other times. If you have a dog, this is a great place to visit but make sure you bring your 6 foot leash. It is mandatory Like all parks in the county, the park closes at dusk. Be respectful and carry your trash out with you if you can't find a receptacle of which there are many. And by all means, clean up after your pet and your children. Keep the Park beautiful for everyone. The location of Bowden Park is on the edges of the Hudson River. You can't see the river from everywhere but you know it's there parallel to the train path to New York City and up to Poughkeepsie

Bowdoin Park is one of those parks where "I wish I discovered this place many years back." Driving…read morein leads to many things to do, a playground for the kids, and two big fields with one providing a baseball and soccer field. Picnic tables are scattered throughout the park along with pavilions. The pavilions are in great shape and in use. Bathrooms are provided in the main building. Also, be on the lookout for upcoming mini concerts, which are performed on the hilly field just as you enter. There are a total of six trails that are assigned a color, starting at one point and ending at a different location (with some reconnecting with the same path), except the blue trail, which does a loop, and also the Wappingers Greenway Trail, which passes through. I've enjoyed exploring, with decent views and scenery. The intersections of different paths need to be marked clearly, and instead, the sign is further in. Reading the map is key to not getting lost, which Bowdoin Park provides. There's a lot to offer for all ages, and it's a destination anyone won't regret along the Hudson River with a touch of nature.

Very deceiving when you pull up under it's new name, Serenity Ridge Mountain Club. There is nothing…read morewrong with expanding into luxury cabins, but the campground should not raise campsite prices while simultaneously reducing amenities and leaving the camping area itself unimproved and overlooked. As it stands, the value for RV campers is simply not there. The entrance has been beautifully done, but once you enter as a campsite guest, that changes. We stayed at this campground years ago when sites were around $70 per night. At that time, the campground was basic but acceptable, especially since campers had access to the pool which helped justify the price. We just returned and found the property significantly changed, with much of it converted into luxury cabins while the lower loop of campsites remains completely untouched. The check-in experience was positive; the staff member was very friendly and welcoming. That said, the current pricing for campsites is hard to justify based on what is actually provided. Campers no longer have access to the pool, only cabin guests do, which is entirely disappointing. There is no reason why the pool could not be offered to all paying guests. There are no meaningful upgrades to the campsite infrastructure itself. In fact, the sites are increasingly worn down rather than improved. For the price being charged, I would expect at minimum some investment in basic site upkeep--such as replacing warped wooden picnic tables and upgrading old, rusted fire rings. Instead, the campsites are largely unchanged from years ago, while rates have increased. With what they've invested, the campsites need to reflect that as well. But it fell entirely short.

Too expensive for an unkept site with no absolutely no amenities. The park is being developed into…read morecottages and I assume since RV site will be replaced with cottages l, they don't bother with maintaining the sites. There is a pool in the upper section but the RV sites do not have access to it.

The best place on earth! This is my 15th year as a Ramahnick and it has given me the best things in…read morelife: A wonderful group of close friends who I can always rely on and will stay in touch with for the rest of my life, my amazing boyfriend, and an adolescence through adulthood's worth of fantastic memories. If you want to give your children a sleepaway camp experience that will stay with them forever, this is the place.

I came here from summer 1993 through simmer 1998. I can't begin to tell you how great if a time it…read morewas. If you're like me, a long Island Jew,nothing beats this experience if you can swing it please do

Stayed at Jellystone Park Camp Resort in Gardiner, NY from 7/21 to 7/28. This was our second visit…read morein two years. Overall, our stay was just okay. The cabin we stayed in could have been much cleaner and better maintained. The stove was not cleaned thoroughly the floor had some debris. Some of the roads throughout the campground are in rough shape and could use repaving, many of the golf carts could use some upkeep and cleaned out properly. What really frustrated me happened on our second day. We brought our own chairs to the pool area and were immediately told by a lifeguard that outside chairs weren't allowed on the pool deck. However, there were other guests with their own chairs who weren't approached, and there was no posted signage stating this rule anywhere. If it's a policy, it should be clearly posted and enforced consistently. Also, the fishing pond suddenly developed a terrible odor overnight that it made it difficult to sleep as my cabin was close to the fishing pond. The staff experience was mixed. Some staff members were extremely helpful and friendly, while others seemed completely uninterested in their jobs. The Tiki Bar was by far the biggest disappointment. It was dirty, with flies everywhere including dead flies on eating surfaces that looked like they've been there for some time. That level of cleanliness is unacceptable. The campground has a lot of potential, but it needs stronger leadership and better attention to maintenance and cleanliness in some areas. The pools, lazy river and splashpad areas were clean well maintained and do a good job of keeping kids and adults entertained for hours. Overall, it's a fun destination for kids, but there are several areas that need improvements, and perhaps adding more activities geared towards teens and adults such a paintball, bigger arcade, social evening events, rock climbing wall, treasure hunts. These options keep older teens and campers active and engaged throughout their stay.

Great for a weekend or few days trip. My family had a great and relaxing time. The staff was nice,…read moremy cabin was clean and stocked with basic essentials. The grounds were always clean. The activities started on time (not a moment before). I would come back.

So far amazing! This is our first time fifth wheeling and doing the whole rv full time and we are…read morein love with the campsite and everything about the experience. We are right on the river/stream and it's been the most peaceful place I've been in CT, and I've lived here for 24 years I can't wait to hopefully experience more parks like this one! I'll update post with pictures on a nice day

I've been a seven year seasonal camper at Branch brook. A new owner took over a couple years ago…read morewith new management. Over the past two years it has slowly gone down hill. The biggest problem is the workers from out of state that take up living there because it's the cheapest way to live while they are up here working. Now that's ok, if, and that's a really big "if", the owner and the management enforced the rules. Unfortunately they do not. Parked on the sites they live at, is their travel trailer or fifth wheel, Very long construction trailer, make shift tents, their cars and their diesel trucks. You will be woken up anywhere from 4 am to 6 am when they start up those diesel trucks. There are some management that live on-site and do nothing to stop any of this for the family's that actually are regular campers. two years ago this place was packed with LONG TIME seasonal campers. All have left but maybe 4 or 5 . Not for anything, how about a little common courtesy. I have asked the owner to please have them park where us real campers won't be disturbed at this hour of the morning. He kept saying he will have them park in a designated area so this doesn't continue, but that never happened. For the most part, they are nice people, I don't directly blame them. This is something the owner and management should address. The owner himself told me he has bigger fish try fry. Well those words speak loud and clear. So the bottom line is, If you are from out of state and come to Branch brook to live while you are working in this area, by all means, this is the place to go. If you are looking to camp with your family for a weekend, a week, a month or longer.....I give you heads up....stay away. it is nothing more than a glorified storage facility. Very pricey for what you actually get. Instead of hearing children laughing and families around the campfire making memories and eating smores, All you hear are diesel trucks driving around campground, car's being worked on, garbage all over the place and dog poop EVERYWHERE. I do have pictures to back up my statement in case you might be thinking I have nothing better to do but complain , but when you've made a life at this place for 7 years and now it's turned into this, it's actually very sad.

The falls are truly incredible…read more The trail down to the bottom of the falls, is a bit tricky. But so incredibly worth it. I would suggest not to believe the sign saying 189 steps.... it is definitely more! Take drinking water because you'll need that for sure. We went back in August and the heat was definitely there. The parking lot was pretty packed but throughout the trails people were pretty evenly spaced out. Not so much at the base of the falls themselves but there was still plenty of room to move around freely.

One of the tallest waterfall in NY, similar height to Taughannock Falls. Physical requirement is…read moredifferent tho, Kaaterskill Falls has about 500foot of elevation change and a lot of slippery stone steps at the end, if you come here when the weather is still cold. Parking: most people park at the Laurel-House Road parking area, because it is the closest. Or you can park at Mountain Top Historical Society, the old train station, which an extra mile. Starting from the old railroad station is nice, you can still see some old tracks on the ground. Walk to the overlook is fairly easy, once you get to the start point of Lower falls junction, it is where you need to be prepared. I recommend hiking shoe, especially in colder months where the ground is wet and iced. When you reach to the stone steps, they can get slippery. I am surprised no one fell in late March. Half of the steps were cover in ice and people were wearing regular sneakers. Once you reach the base of the two tier falls, the view is tremendous. If water levels are high, you can feel the energy of the water. There is a lot of spray from the falls when you get close. There is short trail to the middle tier pool. It was iced up during winter, spikes will definitely be useful. The end was amazing too. So close to the lead of the waterfall. You can keep going and follow Escarpment trail and follow the edge of the valley. There is monument for fireman Frank Layman who died during firefighting in 1900, at his monument, you can see route 23A bend around mountain. And if you keep going, there are a couple viewpoint to overlook the valley. Nice break points to enjoy the view and rest your legs.

I made my Gunks debut yesterday and was pretty impressed despite the very meh weather situation…read more This is about 90 minutes from my HQ so probably right at the limit of a convenient day hike, and somehow I've never really been in this area before beyond travelling past it going up and down the NY Thruway. Definitely returning when the sun is actually out. I did the 8.7-mile Castle Point hike (my gut says it wasn't QUITE that long, but I don't want to argue with my book) from the Awosting parking lot down the Mossy Glen Trail (yellow blazes), making a left onto and up Blueberry Run (blue) to Castle Point itself, and then went basically straight down the cliff on the Scenic Trail (lavenderish and formerly light blue), down the Rainbow Falls Trail (orange) and finally making a right on the Lower Awosting Carriageway back to the parking lot. Wasn't crazy about the $10 fee to park - nature shouldn't cost anything - but it is what it is. It's really a shame the weather was crappy because I could tell that viewpoint at Castle Point is legit - it's sprawling and you can see for miles in almost every direction. That's a very cool spot and easily the highlight of the hike. There are some interesting viewpoints throughout the rest of the adventure, but I'd say they're primarily of rock formations and water features, which have their selling points but nothing beats a view at the top. I'm in decent hiking shape right now, and this was just not particularly challenging for me. The only part where I was even a little out of breath (and it was humid, so grain of salt in that regard) was on Blueberry Run, which was a pretty steady incline up, but really not hardcore at all from my perspective. The drop down from Castle Point on the Scenic Trail IS a little tricky and you really want to spend some time there figuring out where your foot is going to go next. Compared to other parks in the tristate area, this one definitely has more hazards, cliffs you could potentially fall down, etc. But same token, it has a ton of these completely flat carriageways as well. It rained while I was on the Rainbow Falls trail and I DID slip/fall on some of the rocks at one point, but that's on me since I willingly came over here knowing what the forecast was. Wasn't impressed by the Rainbow Falls themselves, and neither were the other hikers who were there at the time. Maybe it was just not an ideal situation for them, but it's been rainy the last few days so unclear when you should take advantage of the optics there. The trail blazes were EXCELLENT, easily some of the best I've ever encountered. Each official trail had an accompanying sign that not only gave you the name of the trail, but a map of the nearby area, the grade profile so you can see what types of inclines/declines you'll experience on that trail and tons of basic facts. Really well done stuff. The bathroom situation was pretty good as well, with ample restroom options in the parking lot albeit without plumbing. You get what you get, but I'll take a clean bathroom situation in a heartbeat, regardless. Okay wildlife sightings. The rain I'm sure kept some of the good quality shizzle away, but I got a cool shot of a black vulture and saw an edgy newt. Worth the trek and will return for further investigation shortly.

I think this may be my favorite state park within a short driving distance from my home. There are…read moreso many hiking trails of different levels, and carriage road trails too! And the views are amazing, plus there are a bunch of waterfalls! While it does get crowded, especially in the parking lots, I find the hiking trails to be a little less crowded than the parks that are a little closer to NYC. Even though I am not a rock climber I do also enjoy seeing the climbers out there doing their thing.

This is a brand spanking new campground, and it shows! The location is great for access to…read moreMinnewaska State Park and also very close to New Paltz which is convenient for picking up supplies. The sites themselves are tiny and fairly close together. The close together aspect is standard in my experience when it comes to car camping. The small size of the individual sites was a bit of a shock. Their website says only two tents are allowed per site, but it would be impossible to fit more than two tents on the pad designated for the tents, and there is not enough room anywhere else at the site to put up a tent. I use an ultra light weight 2 person backpacking tent and my friend had a larger 3-4 person tent and there was barely enough room on the pad to set both tents up. Basically, if you have two backpacking tents you'll be fine. If you have one car camping style tent and a smaller tent you'll be able to make it work, but if you have two large tents you definitely want to measure before you go because there is a good chance they both will not fit. There is a nice picnic table at each site and a stone tile is provided to cook on top of with a stove. Which brings me to the biggest downside to this campground, fires (including using coals) are not allowed at individual campsites. There is a communal fire at the pavilion with the showers and dishwashing stations, but that's it, which was disappointing. Some of the pros for this campground are that the small camping sites pretty much eliminate large groups, so you'll have pretty quiet nights. Flush toilets at the pavilion and showers for 16 quarters are pretty nice too. Closer to the campsites is another restroom with fancy port-a-potties and sinks with running water. Perhaps my favorite touch was the power strip in this bathroom for easy phone charging, as long as you have a charger. There were also some power outlets at the pavilion, and the washing stations for dishes were awesome. Overall I enjoyed my stay here, and found the staff to be very nice and helpful, but the campsite fire restriction may have me looking somewhere else for my next trip. Rates were about $36 per night per site.

Beware ! I booked what I thought was a campsite cause its called Samuel Pryor campground. We…read moreconfirmed we were coming on the day to campsite # 1. We arrived and set up our tent only to find out via txt message at 6:30 pm it was a vehicle site # 1 and It was $22 a night for a parking spot and I was expected to sleep in my car. I've never heard of a campsite where you pay for a parking spot to sleep in your car. We had to take down our tent in the dark and leave cause there were no available campsites. The person who worked for the campsite was rude over the phone and didn't care. Better campsites in the area. They don't have flush toilets and smell was overwhelming. Never going back!!

Surprise lake camp is great I went there as a child and…read moreteenager. My 3 daughters go there and love it. They are out in nature doing sports, hikes, boating, swimming and more. It fosters independence and builds strong friendships. There are no phones or screens for weeks.

We recently stayed at Suprise Lake Camp for a friend's wedding. We stayed 2 nights in one of the…read moreprivate cabins. The cabin was spacious and had 3 bedrooms with full size beds, 2 bathrooms and a kitchen area. Since its almost autumn, we all brought extra blankets, which we needed because it was chilly! From the moment we arrived, the staff were nice and accommodating. We had a bonfire, that staff lit and kept going throughout the night both nights that we were there. We also had meals provided in the main lodge that were good, fresh and filling. The most fun we had were the activities available. We zip lined and played soccer, kickball and volleyball. We were supposed to rock climb, but rain had us retreating to our cabins. The wedding was beautiful and everyone had a wonderful time. We'd definitely come back for a family reunion or a weekend getaway with friends.

It has been decades since I was last here. Used to go backpacking with a friend. We'd bushwhack…read morethrough the woods until we found a suitable spot, set up the tent and wander around. Nowadays, all of us would rather rough it at a Hilton ;) The forest is still there, but some of the trails are blocked off. There must be a reason. It brought back happy memories, cooking on a tiny Coleman stove, using an actual compass to navigate, sometimes waking up with snow outside, always some little adventure. It's a lot more civilized now.

What an incredible park !!! We love the hiking and hunting opportunities here…read more Gorgeous terrain