With More Than 64,000 Acres To Explore, New York's Largest State Park Is Worthy Of A Multi-Day Adventure
By Christy Articola|Published July 29, 2022
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Christy Articola
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Christy Articola has lived in Colorado since 2013 and considers herself a Centennial State enthusiast and expert through and through. She's based in Denver metro, but over the past decade, she has traveled to every corner, river, village, park, town, and city in the state and continues to explore it deeper and further whenever she can. Christy simply can't get enough of Colorado, and loves sharing all her adventures with you through Only In Your State! She graduated with a degree in journalism from Fordham University and is thrilled to be working as a full time travel writer for this and other sites - she finally found her perfect niche - and is so grateful for that.
Allegheny State Park is huge! At 64,800 acres, or just a little over 101 square miles in size, this state park is one of New York’s best. It’s located on the border of Pennsylvania on the western side of the state. This park is so big that it’s divided into two sections for easier management – The Red House Area and The Quaker Area. There’s so much to see and do in both areas of the park that you might as well make your visit a multi-day trip. That way, you can give both halves of the park the equal focus that they deserve.
Allegheny State Park opened in 1921, although at that time it was not developed at all. The first cabins were built in 1926; the roads, bridges, camping areas, trails, picnic areas, and ski resort were built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers from 1933 to 1942.
Since then, the park has gained many additional amenities and features. However, thanks to the vast size of this park, you'll also feel like you're getting away from it all.
Allegheny State Park has 18 different hiking trails of varying length and level of difficulty. Also, the 4,000-mile North Country Trail passes through this park. Bridal Falls, shown here, is a very short and popular hike.
There are numerous interesting and beautiful man-made structures within the park. The Thomas L. Kelly Covered Bridge was built in 1989. It's striking to view and fun to drive, walk, or bike over.
The Stone Tower is another popular attraction within the park. It was built in 1934 to be an observation deck for park visitors. It stands at 2,250 feet.
The administration building is a 1930s Tudor-style mansion. Inside are the offices of the park police, cabin rental offices, a natural history museum, a restaurant, and a gift shop.
It's a great park for boating, fishing, and swimming. Even if you don't have your own boat to bring, the park offers boat rentals. You can also rent bikes in this park, too!
There's lots of wildlife in the park, so you're sure to see some. To learn more about the creatures here, check out the natural history museum in the Administration Building, or ask a park ranger or naturalist.
Your kids will love the playgrounds! There are several. You'll also find tennis courts, volleyball courts, softball fields, and more at Allegheny State Park.
This park is amazing! Even just one overnight won’t be enough time to explore and enjoy everything it has to offer. Consider planning a longer trip, or plan to come back each year for more. Allegheny State Park is a state park that everyone will love.
