Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

All weekend and holiday visitors will be required to make reservations. The vehicle entrance fee is $10.95; there will be no reservation fee for Empire Pass holders. Stopping and standing on the roadway is prohibited and no drop-offs or pickups will be allowed in the Sam's Point Area.

The reservation system aims to protect the site's fragile ecosystem from the impact of increasing visitation and to provide an improved visitor experience for enjoyment of the unique features and natural beauty of the Sam's Point Area, while reducing impacts on the surrounding community. Through the implementation of this pilot program, State Parks aims to mitigate these environmental concerns and reduce the disappointment of motorists previously turned away once the park reached capacity. 

Minnewaska State Park Preserve's main parking areas located at 5281 Route 44/55 Kerhonkson, will remain as first come first serve access with no reservation requirement.  

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails, and boat launches, which were visited by a record 79.5 million people. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit parks.ny.gov, connect on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. 

The Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) was formed in 1900 under an interstate compact to protect the Palisades from destruction by stone and gravel quarries operating along the western banks of the Lower Hudson River. As the nation's first bi-state partnership established to protect and conserve natural lands, the Commission's role expanded through the years to incorporate the Palisades Region of New York State Parks and the creation of the Palisades Interstate Parkway.