Sports Outdoors

National Trails Day is the perfect opportunity to help clean up local parks. On Saturday, June 1, the Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park and Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center will be hosting the 20th Annual National Trails Day – the nation’s annual celebration of trails. Both parks invite volunteers of all ages to help clean up and improve trails on Saturday morning and indulge in the trail activities they enjoy most in the afternoon.
Registration will begin at 9 am. at both parks; refreshments and snacks will be available. Cleanup and improvement of both trail systems will take place between 9:30 am and 12 noon and will be followed by a complimentary barbecue picnic for all volunteers.  After the barbecue, participants are encouraged to enjoy the trails and parks. Reservations must be made in advance for the barbecue by calling the Grafton Lakes State Park Office or Dyken Pond Office no later than May 30.
For more information about this event, please contact Grafton Lakes State Park at 518-279-1155 or Dyken Pond Center at 518-658-2055.

• Saturday, June 1 – National Trails Day. (See page 16)
• Saturday, June 8 – Jump, Slither and Swim from 1 to 3 pm. Join reptile and frog enthusiast Jorel to meet some local critters up close! This free program at GLSP will meet at the program tent by Long Pond beach.
• Saturday, June 8 – The War and Women, 11 am at the Bennington Battlefield. Take a trip back in time, and we will explore the different tasks that women took on during the war, how they dressed and how their status affected how they lived.  Pre-registration is required by calling 279-1155.
• Thursday, June 20  – Summer Solstice Eve Hike at 7 pm. Celebrate these longest days of 2013 with a hike in the great outdoors. The sun’s staying up late so you can too! We’ll walk the Long Pond trail and time it to see the sunset at trail’s end.  Pre-register by calling 279-1155.
• Friday, June 28  – Star Watch at Grafton Lakes State Park at 9:30 pm.  Join with members of the Albany Area Astronomers and come explore the night sky. The group meets at the Deerfield pavilion. The rain date is Saturday, June 29.  Call 658-9144 to confirm.
• Saturday, June 29 – Free Fishing Clinic from 11 am to 1 pm with DEC Fisheries Educators.
The clinic meets at Long Pond dam at GLSP, near the boathouse. As part of free fishing weekend, no license is required, but kids can always fish freely if under 16.
• Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30 –   Free Fishing  Weekend.  Enjoy fishing without a license in NYS at both Cherry Plain and Grafton Lakes State Parks.

The two local State parks kicked off the summer season Memorial Day weekend for boating, hiking and countless other recreational opportunities.  Cherry Plain State Park is open for camping, swimming and day use, on weekends only, starting  May 25. Grafton Lakes State Park is currently open daily from 8 am to dusk, and the swimming season began May 25.
The sandy beach at Grafton Lakes will be open for swimming Friday through Tuesday, May 25 through June 24 and then daily until Labor Day from 10 am to 6 pm. From July 1 through Labor Day, Cherry Plain State Park’s beach schedule will be daily 10 am to 6 pm. Both beach areas are equipped with comfort stations. GLSP’s swimming area and bathhouses are handicapped-accessible.
Boating opportunities at the parks include canoeing, rowing, kayaking, sailing and the use of electric powered motors. Rowboats and canoes are available for rental at both facilities. Kayaks are also available at GLSP.  Boat rentals will be available at both sites on weekends only until July 1. The rental schedule will be expanded during July and August. The public may launch their own boats during park open hours from designated boat launches.
Cherry Plain State Park will offer camping on weekends only, May 29 through July 1, and then daily through Labor Day.  For reservations, visit www.reserveamerica.com.
Both parks also offer numerous hiking trails and excellent fishing opportunities as well as summer programming. For summer fun enthusiasts, GLSP has playgrounds, a softball field, volleyball nets, horseshoe pits and a basketball court as well as a variety of day use tent and pavilion rentals. The park will also offer summer programs. The June calendar is currently available online at www.nysparks.com/parks.
Starting Memorial Day weekend, vehicle user fees are $8 per car when the beach is open and $6 per car when the beach is closed at both parks through Labor Day.
For more information about upcoming programs or for directions to the parks, please contact GLSP at 518-279-1155.  For more information about New York State Parks, please visit our website at www.nysparks.com.

The two local State parks will kick off their summer season on Memorial Day weekend opening for boating, hiking and countless other recreational opportunities.  Cherry Plain State Park will open for camping, swimming and day use, on weekends only, starting Saturday, May 25.  Grafton Lakes State Park is currently open daily from 8 am to dusk, and the swimming season begins May 25.
The sandy beach at Grafton Lakes will be open for swimming Friday-Tuesday, May 25 through June 24 and then daily until Labor Day from 10 am to 6 pm. From July 1 through Labor Day, Cherry Plain State Park’s beach schedule will be daily 10 am to 6 pm. Both beach areas are equipped with comfort stations. GLSP’s swimming area and bathhouses are handicapped-accessible.
Boating opportunities at the parks include canoeing, rowing, kayaking, sailing and the use of electric powered motors. Rowboats and canoes are available for rental at both facilities. Kayaks are also available at GLSP.  Boat rentals will be available at both sites on weekends only until July 1. The rental schedule will be expanded during July and August. The public may launch their own boats during park open hours from designated boat launches.
Cherry Plain State Park will offer camping on weekends only, May 29 through July 1, and then daily through Labor Day.  For reservations, visit www.reserveamerica.com.
Both parks also offer numerous hiking trails and excellent fishing opportunities as well as summer programming. For summer fun enthusiasts, GLSP has playgrounds, a softball field, volleyball nets, horseshoe pits and a basketball court as well as a variety of day use tent and pavilion rentals. The park will also offer summer programs. The May and June calendar is currently available online at www.nysparks.com/parks.
Starting Memorial Day weekend, vehicle user fees are $8 per car when the beach is open and $6 per car when the beach is closed at both parks through Labor Day.
For more information about upcoming programs or for directions to the parks, please contact GLSP at 518-279-1155.  For more information about New York State Parks, please visit our website at www.nysparks.com.