Press Release
May 03, 2006
Wendy Gibson
518.486.1868
New York State Parks Announces 20 Capgrounds Named Top In The Nation
4th Consecutive Year State Park Sites Honored as Favorite Destinations
(Albany, NY.... Wednesday, May 3, 2006) New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Bernadette Castro today announced that 20 New York State-owned and operated campgrounds have received national recognition as popular destinations throughout the U.S. Sites placed on ReserveAmerica's just-released fourth annual Top 100 Family Campgrounds list include seven family-friendly state park camping facilities and thirteen other locations identified in special categories.
"The New York State Parks system continues to offer an extraordinary array of camping experiences for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and interests," said State Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro. "This special recognition for our parks would not have been possible without Governor George Pataki's longstanding support for enhancing our parklands and facilities, the tireless work and dedication of Parks' staff, and the countless patrons who enjoy camping at these favorite destinations and all of our popular settings each season."
ReserveAmerica, a reservation service that covers national, state and private recreational facilities throughout the country, compiles the Top 100 Family Campgrounds list to help campers plan trips and recommends America's greatest "hidden gem" locations. The list was developed by park rangers, regional park management and campers who wrote testimonials, rated campgrounds and provided feedback throughout the year. Nearly 3,000 parks were reviewed and the final 100 campgrounds were chosen based on specific family friendly criteria ranging from educational programs and visitor centers to camping amenities and overall beauty and scenery.
The seven popular family-friendly New York State Parks campgrounds chosen are:
Chenango Valley State Park- Chenango Forks, NY
Stony Brook State Park- Dansville, NY
Darien Lakes State Park- Darien Center, NY
Wildwood State Park- Wading River, NY
Four Mile Creek State Park- Youngstown, NY
Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park- Carmel, NY
Kring Point State Park- Redwood, NY
Additionally, The Top 100 list includes specialty categories featuring an assortment of New York's parkland and recreational facilities. These sites receiving recognition are noted:
ReserveAmerica operates the state's camping reservation system which provides online and phone reservations for campsites throughout New York operated by State Parks and the state Department of Environmental Conservation. State-operated campsites and cabins provide accommodations for more than 900,000 people each year.
While the most popular time to camp is Memorial Day through Labor Day, many of state campgrounds are available in the spring, fall and winter. Reservations are accepted for campsites and cabins from 2 days - 9 months in advance of the date of the planned arrival by calling toll free 1-800-456-CAMP or online, www.ReserveAmerica.com.
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 175 state parks and 35 state historic sites. For more information on any of these recreation areas please call (518) 474-0456 or visit the web site at http://www.nysparks.com.