Max V. Shaul State Park is a small, quiet camping area with 30 wooded tent and trailer sites. The group campsite is available to rent by calling the park office. The park has shady picnic grounds, a pavilion available for rent, a playground and hiking trails. Ball fields are available to use and equipment can be borrowed from the park office at no cost. Fishing access is available at the Schoharie Creek, a short walk from the parking lot through the ball fields.

In the winter, visitors can enjoy ice skating and snowshoeing. Ice skates and snowshoes are available to borrow from the park office at no cost. Please call head or check our Facebook page to make sure the ice rink is open.

While there, also visit Mine Kill State Park, just 9 miles south, to enjoy the beautiful Blenheim-Gilboa Reservoir, Mine Kill Falls, and miles of trails. Mine Kill State Park has an Olympic size pool, wading pool, and a diving pool available at no cost (courtesy of the New York Power Authority).

Pavilion Information
Max V. Shaul has one pavilion. The day use price is $75 and can accommodate up to 100 people. Check availability at ReserveAmerica.com.

Pavilion Reservation Information

Pet Policy: A maximum of two pets are allowed in campsites and day use areas unless prohibited by sign or directive. Pets are to be supervised at all times and either be crated or on a leash not more than 6-feet in length. Proof of rabies inoculation shall be produced if requested by staff. Pets are not permitted in playgrounds, buildings, golf courses, boardwalks, pools and spray-grounds or guarded beaches (this does not apply to service animals).

Max V. Shaul State Park

Located in the scenic Schoharie Valley, Mine Kill State Park overlooks the NY Power Authority's Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project. Providing good fishing opportunities, the lower reservoir is stocked with trout and walleye, and has several other species, including bass and is ideal for motor boating, kayaking and water skiing.

Mine Kill State Park has an Olympic size pool, wading pool and a diving pool available at no cost to anyone. Swim lessons are taught in the summer months--please contact the park office for details. Other warm weather activities include hiking and mountain biking on the parks 8 miles of trails. The park also hosts sessions of the Headwaters Soccer Camp in its regulation sized athletic fields. League play is also welcome.

Cascading 80 feet through a narrow gorge is the picturesque Mine Kill Falls for which the park is named. A separate parking area, 1/4 miles south of the parks' main entrance, provides access to the overlook viewing platforms, as well as the Long Path hiking trail to the lower falls and beyond. In winter, visitors enjoy snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

A boating permit is no longer needed to access the Blenheim-Gilboa Lower Reservoir at Mine Kill State Park. Every boater is required to wash their boat using the park's hot water boat wash station before and after entering the reservoir, and sign in at the park office or ticket booth. The boat launch is open from 7:30 am to 1 hour before the park closes. For more information, please contact the park office at (518) 827-8690.

In the fall bow hunting for deer is allowed by permit only. Hunting permits are issued by the New York Power Authority via a lottery system. Please call the Power Authority Visitor Center for more details.

Mine Kill State Park

Thompson's Lake Campground, nestled in the mountains just four miles from the Helderberg Escarpment, is a popular camping ground and recreation area. Conveniently located within Thacher State Park, this campground offers 140 wooded campsites and is comprised of a sandy beach, mixed hardwood and conifer forests, limestone outcroppings and open fields. Recreational opportunities include a volleyball court, horseshoe pits, a playing field, swingsets, carry-in boat access, canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards, fishing areas, and nature trails. Interpretive and recreational programs are offered for campers throughout the summer. During the winter, visitors can cross-country ski and ice fish.

The Emma Treadwell Thacher Center is located on Thompson's Lake next to the campground and is accessible to campers. The center opened in July 2001 and offers exhibits, interactive displays, trails for hiking and skiing, and educational programs.

A boat launch site is available and is carry in only.

Thompson's Lake Campground - Thacher State Park

Thacher State Park is situated along the Helderberg Escarpment, one of the richest fossil-bearing formations in the world. Even as it safeguards six miles of limestone cliff-face, rock-strewn slopes, woodland and open fields, the park provides a marvelous panorama of the Hudson-Mohawk Valleys and the Adirondack and Green Mountains. The park has volleyball courts, playgrounds, ball fields and numerous picnic areas with nine reservable shelters. Interpretive programs are offered year-round, including guided tours of the famous Indian Ladder Trail. There are over 25 additional miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, winter cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. Learn more, watch WMHT's documentary: 'The Great Ledge: Exploring Thacher' 

The Visitor Center located at Thacher State Park has geological and historical exhibits showcasing the Helderberg Escarpment and its' importance on the region. The visitor center has activities for children and adults alike, along with two rentable spaces. There is a conference room for groups under 25, and the Helderberg Room which offers stunning views and a premiere space for weddings and larger celebrations or gatherings.

Sport climbing available with signed permit application. Please email digital applications to jbthacher@parks.ny.gov before you arrive at the Visitor Center for faster service when picking up your permit. Photo ID required on pick up. All climbers must receive a permit in person before entering the climbing area. Please see website for opening date of climbing.

Camping is available at this park at Thompson's Lake Campground, which features 140 campsites with options of private wooded sites and open, adjacent sites. Sites can accommodate tents or RVs and are all close to restroom and shower facilities. Take the virtual tour!

Wild Play Adventure Course: This new adventure course offers 15 zip lines, 60 aerial games, and a 40 ft jump. For hours and pricing visit www.wildplay.com/thacher/ or call: 1-800-668-7771

The Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center is located two miles from the Overlook on Thompson's Lake. The center offers exhibits, interac

Thacher State Park

Perched atop a hill in Southern Otsego County, Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park provides spectacular views to the south and west. Nearly two thirds of the park is blanketed by a forest of hardwoods intermixed with smaller areas of conifer plantation. The remainder of this 229-acre property is occupied by gently rolling meadowlands and two ponds. The park, which is named for the generous New York couple who donated the land to the state, offers a variety of recreational opportunities. With expansive views and tranquil surroundings, Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park is a favorite among birdwatchers and other nature lovers.


On-site facilities include a picnic area and the sunset pavilion picnic shelter. The park also features an extensive network of hiking trails and a woodland stream. Another park activity includes catch and release fishing. Winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobile trails that connect to the state corridor trail system.

Located in Westford, the park is just a short drive from Cooperstown, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park is sure to be a fantastic destination for any family outing.

Pavilion Information
Betty & Wilbur Davis has one pavilion. Prices range from $100 to $125 a day and can accommodate up to 75 people. Check availability at ReserveAmerica.com

Pet Policy: A maximum of two pets are allowed in campsites and day use areas unless prohibited by sign or directive (not allowed in cottages). Pets are to be supervised at all times and either be crated or on a leash not more than 6-feet in length. Proof of rabies inoculation shall be produced if requested by staff. Pets are not permitted in playgrounds, buildings, golf courses, boardwalks, pools and spray-grounds or guarded beaches (this does not apply to service animals).

Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park

Robert V. Riddell State Park offers more than 2,000 acres of fields and forested woodlands located in the Susquehanna River Valley.  The park is named for Robert V. Riddell of Coliersville who believed that we are caretakers of the land and that we should pass it on, undeveloped to future generations.

The park spans three townships and two counties and is easily accessible, straddling I-88 in Otsego County.  It is approximately 20 miles from Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The park offers a variety of family-friendly passive recreational opportunities. As part of an extensive statewide trail network, it is a preferred destination for hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Additional activities include bird-watching, snowshoeing and fishing.

Schenevus Creek, a Class A trout stream which leads to the Susquehanna River, crosses the north side of the park. This land was formerly cultivated for agricultural purposes. Hiking trails allow visitors to explore the wooded southern portion of the park.

Robert V. Riddell State Park

Glimmerglass State Park, located eight miles outside the village of Cooperstown, overlooks Otsego Lake, the "Glimmerglass" of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales. The rolling, partially-wooded terrain is host to a wide variety of wildlife. An uphill trail through the forest affords a spectacular view of Otsego Lake; the Beaver Pond and Woodland trails are picturesque and of interest for the variety of wildflowers, shrubs, ferns and mosses.

The Hyde Hall Mansion, Covered Bridge, and a self-guided Beaver Pond Nature Trail are within park boundaries and open to visitors. Winter visitors can go tubing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, winter hiking.

Max V. Shaul State Park Maps

Fultonham, NY

Max V. Shaul State Park Description

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