Taconic State Park
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Taconic State Park is a New York state park in three disconnected segments along the border with Massachusetts in southern Columbia County and northern Dutchess County, about three hours from midtown New York City. The park encompasses about 5,000 acres (20.2 km²) of forest and supports a rich variety of wildlife. Beavers, deer, cranes, foxes and hawks are commonly seen. Black bears inhabit the park, but are nocturnal, as are coyotes. The park plays host to many migratory birds. There have even been rare sightings in the park of the American Bald Eagle. On Alander Mountain during the summer months care must be taken as rocks at the higher elevations are home to the timber rattlesnake.
This wilderness area is laced with an extensive set of hiking trails. These trails rise across hills in the Taconic range to vistas across the Berkshires and the Hudson River Valley to the Catskills. Trails range in difficulty by steepness and length of rise from medium to difficult (greatest difficulty trails rise almost 1000 vertical feet with a gradient of 20 to 30 degrees). This region gets snow cover from December though March and provides excellent snowshoeing. Although hunting is prohibited in the park, you are best advised to wear bright colors during the November-December deer hunting season. Trail maps are available from bookstores, camping and hunting/fishing stores in the area.
There are two camp sites which support tenting in the park. The park charges a nominal fee per night. Cabins are also available for rental from the park service. There are two ponds available near these camp sites which have lifeguards for swimming during the summer months. There is a baseball field and volleyball court in the campsite near the town of Copake Falls. There is also a paved bike trail that runs from the park along a former railroad bed that skirts through the forest and bordering farmlands.
Bash Bish Falls is a scenic waterfall, just over the border in Massachusetts, about 2 miles east; an easy hike from the campground near Copake Falls. Taconic State Park adjoins thousands of acres in Massachusetts's Mount Washington State Park and Mount Everett State Park. The network of trails from Taconic State Park connect through Massachusetts to the Appalachian Trail about 5 miles (8 km) to the east.
