grafton lakes state park trail map

The best part is the excitement that comes from figuring the answer out together! Grafton Lakes State Park is a Proud Partner in Rensselaer Youth Outdoors (RYO), bringing expanded environmental education opportunities to Rensselaer County youth and families. In winter, you'll see signs of mink and deer aplenty, while in spring there is a chorus of little frogs, called Spring peepers, serenading all passersby. Grafton Lakes State Park Please Note (6/18/2020): New York State Parks are in the process of reopening, and not all of the facilities are open to the public. Password help ... Grafton Lakes State Park Biking. The trails are almost entirely offroad and … If you opt for a treasure hunt version of program, note that these programs have a higher fee of $2/student to cover materials. Students will explore, imagine, play and interpret the natural world around them. Log In. Comfort Stations: Main comfort stations closed for season. BIRDS: Unlike many other types of wildlife, we can often observe birds just by looking out our windows. Fast-flying Dragonflies start out their lives swimming in the water, as nymphs. (ELA W9-10.1, NGSS HS-LS2), Grafton Lakes State Park is nestled within the fifth largest forest in New York, atop the Rensselaer Plateau. Deer and small game hunting are allowed in season. Built in 1924 to monitor forest fires in order to protect Tomhannock Reservoir. Contact us. • Grafton Lakes State Park comprises nearly 2500 acres of land within the surrounding landscape of the Rensselaer Plateau, whose extensive forests are home to black bear, river otter, and even moose. *No snowshoe rentals at this time. Q: Where should you take a hike with your family when visiting Grafton Lakes State Park? endstream endobj 8 0 obj <>/OCGs[58 0 R 59 0 R 60 0 R 61 0 R 62 0 R 63 0 R 64 0 R 65 0 R 66 0 R 67 0 R 68 0 R 69 0 R 70 0 R 71 0 R]>>/PageMode/UseNone/Pages 5 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences 57 0 R>> endobj 9 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/Properties<>/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page/VP[<. New Permits – If you have not had a park hunting permit within the last 2 years or would like to obtain one, please complete the hunting permit (PDF provided) and return it to the park office via fax (518-244-5157), email (laura.weir@parks.ny.gov & melissaann.miller@parks.ny.gov) or mail P.O. INSECTS: From the tiniest sidewalk crack to the slightly overgrown lawn, it's hard to find a place where insect life doesn't abound! The 2537 acre Grafton Lakes State Park features five scenic ponds and over 25 miles of hiking trails. Be aware of changing trail conditions. Prices Range from $50 to $100 and can accommodate 40 to 150 people. For fees not listed or to verify information, please contact the park directly. By learning about birds outside the classroom and in the local community, students can acquire an increased understanding about the lives of birds, as well as the animal kingdom, in general. All ponds have launch facilities for canoes, sailboats and rowboats, electric boat are allowed. Long Pond has a large, sandy beach, which is a popular summer attraction. Please contact Mary Downey at the Grafton Welcome Center at 518-279-1155 for more information: TREES: Schoolyard trees and plants are wonderful catalysts to investigating the natural world! We've included most of the materials you will need to complete the activities, including kid friendly bird guides, feathers, binoculars and a few fiction and non-fiction books to spark further learning. Come discover the stories told by the forests of Grafton Lakes State Park, a home to moose and black bear, all in your students' "backyard!" Additional programs can be designed around other topics of interest. Hunting permit dates run coincide with the NYS DEC hunting permit dates. Blankets and towels on the Have fun exploring the outdoors! The curricula in this kit are borrowed from Mass Audubon and the Taconic Education Center. Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. Option to add math and creative writing to program as enrichment activities. Avoid loud voices and noises. The trails are maintained and constantly improved by a group of local riders and is well worth the trip. There are also many fishing opportunities in the ponds. If your students have just learned about them in the classroom, then let us show them actively underway in our beautiful setting. Weather Averages. We'll start with the story of the water cycle and weave it into the cycles of some of our local plants and animals through games, a scavenger hunt, and a pond explore. %%EOF A: I hear this question nearly as often as some little person asks me if Grafton has sharks in the water! Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. The Dyken Pond Environmental Center is located within a few miles of the park and offers miles of hiking only trails. It is also a significant site for forest breeding raptors such as the state species of special concern Cooper's Hawk (possible breeder) and Red-shouldered Hawk (probable breeder). TICKS. beach must be at least 10 feet apart. Along the way, there are some wet spots great for spotting animal tracks and some very busy beaver activity. Grafton Trail Riders. Do not follow or approach them. 2020 Hunting Permit Procedure for Grafton Lakes, Cherry Plain and Bennington Battlefield. No trails have been added to Grafton Lakes State Park. They are largely Rensselaer Greywackle, a type of sandstone that is very slow to degrade into poorly drained acidic soil. Welcome Center restrooms open during hours. Clevis mulching toilets available year round at end of main beach parking lot by playground and end of Long Pond Rd. Parking Fee: No parking fee at this time Less than 2 miles in length, it brings you past wetlands, hemlock and maples, lakeshore and vistas, and is very doable for young hikers. The lesson plans in this kit were obtained from a variety of sources, including the Cayuga Nature Center, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science's, Hands on Nature and the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center. immediately to park police. Long Pond has a large, sandy beach, which is a popular summer attraction. K-8 tools and activities to spark curious minds through outdoor investigation. In winter, the trails are groomed for snowmobilers, and visitors may also snowshoe, cross-country ski, ice skate or ice fish when conditions permit, call for details. Connect with Facebook. Renewals – If you have a hunting permit from within the last 2 years and would like to renew it, please call (518-279-1155) or email (laura.weir@parks.ny.gov & melissaann.miller@parks.ny.gov the park office for us to renew your permit. Yield to other users on the trail. Please call the park office Sign Up. 0 (NGSS MS-LS2-4&5), How do you define and measure the health of a watershed? The park is in the central part of the Town of Grafton and north of the hamlet of Grafton on NY Route 2, northeast of Albany.The park contains the Shaver Pond Nature Center The sleek chain pickerel, the "whiskered" brown bullhead, yellow perch, and varieties of trout also live in the park's ponds. 5 cars and trailers. All visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines, maintaining a social distance of at least 6 feet and wearing a mask when not able to do so. Anglers can go after rainbow and brown trout in Long, Second and Shaver Pond. We offer free fishing clinics for young people on request, and also host a fishing clinic annually on the last weekend of June as part of Free Fishing Weekend, when no license is required. Most New York State Parks charge a vehicle use fee to enter the facility. From NYSParks: "Grafton Lakes State Park, on the forested plateau between the Taconic and Hudson Valleys, includes six ponds and nearly 2500 acres. Currently, trails and the beach are open, but the visitor center is closed. The park maintains trails and also organizes cross-country skiing, ice … The state park is located on a forested mountain ridge between the Taconic and Hudson Valley's, east of Troy. All boundaries and trails are shown as approximate. We went off the “beaten path” here, onto their small trail that went around Shaver Pond, and had a very private experience. RYO provides field trips to parks, forests, and other natural areas for students, as well as training and materials for teachers to bring environmental education to the classroom. The dams help raise water levels to protect their lodges, and in turn provide more wetland habitat for other wildlife. The park contains the Shaver Pond Nature Center. must adhere to social distancing guidelines, maintaining a social distance of Most of the lessons require just a few simple materials that are probably already in your classroom. Hands on, investigative, The Private Eye - using everyday objects, a jeweler's loupe, and simple questions - accelerates science, writing, art, math and social studies, as well as vocational and technological education. (ELA RI. They are responsible for many of the open wetlands in the park, and you will see signs of them along the shores of every pond in the park. The trees we walk by every day can transform into fascinating, year-round outdoor labs! Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. To learn more, please visit: https://www.ryoutdoors.org/, Nature explorers will find beaver on all six lakes at Grafton Lakes State Park. (ELA W 3.8, NGSS 3-LS1, 3-LS2, 3-LS4-2&3). Thanks to a generous grant from the USDA Forest Service, the following kits are available for loan to all Rensselaer County teachers. Happy birding!! We'll make fire, find or create some shelters from natural elements, and discuss how the students would prepare for a night in the wilderness! Long Pond has a large, sandy beach, which is a popular summer attraction. Everyone is a Steward: Be a Grafton Lakes State Park Hero! CCE Equine. The sign above should probably be at the parking area instead of the beginning of the trail, given there's 50 yards or so of high grasses between the parking area and the trail head. For more information, please read our Trail Tips! All visitors Anglers can go after rainbow and brown trout in Long, Second and Shaver Pond. Grafton Lakes State Park, on the forested plateau between the Taconic and Hudson Valleys, includes five ponds and 2,357 acres. Hunting is not permitted within 500 feet of any building, road, playground, or parking lot, and all trails are considered safety zones where hunting is not allowed. No motors permitted. • Located off the Fire Tower Trail, the Dickinson Hill Fire Tower gives views of Massachusetts Berkshire Mountains, Vermont's Green Mountains, and the Adirondacks. Students will find the microscopic source of survival for all life on earth, found in our ponds and all the water that covers most of our planet. No sharks, but plenty of fish. Literally... you may hear the call of a Broad-Winged Hawk when you are hiking the trails at Grafton Lakes State Park. Grafton Lakes State Park, on the forested plateau between the Taconic and Hudson Valleys, includes six ponds and nearly 2500 acres. Observe wildlife from a distance. 56 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[7 83]/Info 6 0 R/Length 212/Prev 885317/Root 8 0 R/Size 90/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream TM STATE YORK NEW Preservation and Historic Parks, Recreation Map produced by NYSOPRHP GIS Bureau, December 04, 2020. Grafton Lakes State Park: 518-279-1155 Grafton Lakes State Park, 2,500-acres in size, is located at 100 Grafton Lakes State Park Way, Grafton, NY 12082, Rensselaer County in upper-Hudson Valley. OR. Many of the exposed rocks you see in Grafton Lakes State Park were formed a mile down deep in the ocean below an ancient arc of volcanic islands, over 500 million years ago. Discover different types of maps and then use the parks orienteering map to go on an explore through the park. Please note that Grafton Lakes does NOT have camping. Grafton Lakes State Park. - DID YOU KNOW? Grafton Lakes State Park. While they lack wings during this stage, they are still fearsome predators of other aquatic creatures, even tadpoles. (ELA W.2.3, NGSS 2-ESS2), The park is known for its lakes and abundant wildlife, but which fish actually live in our underwater world? endstream endobj startxref View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. Grafton Lakes State Park is open from 8 am to dusk. Map Key Favorites Check-Ins. How are people's actions, past and present, affecting this forest's diversity? These fascinating, often misunderstood creatures are right outside (and sometimes inside) our doors, waiting to be studied! Multiple walk in access trails with parking off the main Parkway Road and off Shaver Pond Road. Let us know! It may come up when we're looking at a pile of a pine cone remains under a spruce tree, or a pair of round tracks with five toes and claws digging into the snow. Imagine the perils of plowing this landscape for early settlers, and the many hours of back-breaking labor that would have gone into it. The park is in the central part of the Town of Grafton and north of the hamlet of Grafton on NY Route 2, northeast of Albany. They'll dig into the forest floor, and collectively chart the diversity of forest floor life that is hidden beneath our feet. Trails in Grafton Lakes State Park - 2. Grafton Lakes State Park, on the forested plateau between the Taconic and Hudson Valleys, includes six ponds and nearly 2500 acres. (ELA W 5.8, NGSS 5-LS2). For more information on this launch including Google Maps driving directions, visit the Boat Launch Sites for Rensselaer County page. We'll engage First graders' natural curiosity about wild creatures through this program of discovery. • Shaver Pond is an example of an "oligotrophic" lake, low in nutrient levels with clean, clear oxygen-rich water. We 've included some background information on insects and most of the materials you will need to complete the activities, including bug boxes, bug nets, common insect identification guides and a few fiction and non-fiction books to spark further learning. However, there is far more to Grafton Park than its beach. Winter Use (weather permitting): Ice Skating/Ice Fishing/XC Skiing/Snowshoeing/Snowmobiling: Snowshoe rental available at Welcome Center during operating hours above. Know the rules and concerns for the area you'll be visiting. Long Pond has a large, sandy beach, which is a popular summer attraction. *No snowshoe rentals at this time (ELA W 6.8, NGSS MS-PS3-3), How did plants inspire the maker of your sneakers and butterfly wings inspire computer screens? Look along the trails for old stone walls from this bygone era. What is happening inside of a beaver lodge? State Parks has launched a grant program to provide transportation funding assistance to schools for field trips to State Parks. Park Office: (518) 279-1155 Saratoga-Capital Regional Office: (518) 584 - 2000 Park Police: (518) 584-2004 In Case of Emergency: 911 Map produced by NYSOPRHP GIS Bureau, March 15, 2016. Pre and post-program activities are generally available for all programs. Location: Rensselaer County, New York Coordinates: N 42° 47.598' W 073° 24.864' (view using Google Maps) N 42° 47' 36" W 073° 24' 52" N 42.793300° W 073.414400° Elevation: 1,760 ft (536 m) Administered by: New York State Police: Cooperators Anglers can go after rainbow and brown trout in Long, Second and Shaver Pond. Check availability at ReserveAmerica.com. Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them. Through field investigation, this program teaches 9th graders who live near the Rensselaer Plateau about its value as the headwaters of seven regional watersheds, all of which are part of the larger Hudson River watershed. Pittstown State Forest is 1,167 acres north of Grafton Lakes State Park. 4.1, 4.4, 4.7, Draft Social Studies Standard 4.1), What will you discover when you look closer at nature? If you want some big views, take the hike up the Fire Tower Trail, which is 3 miles round trip. The Grafton Lakes BCA is within Grafton Lakes State Park. ��YL�X�X��*�'2�3V��W�9iI��B�,��(-��L��ߓ��{��w�A��rW��1K-Pe��u�� s��9` �(O Add Your Trails. Our programs are interdisciplinary and address both Common Core and Next Generation Science Standard in an outdoor setting. Q: What kinds of fish are found in Grafton Lakes State Park? Hunters must sign in and out of the park at the office daily when hunting within the boundaries of the park. 2.5 mi 4.0 km #1 Long Pond Trail. The Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park restored this fire tower in recent years, so climb its eighty steps to enjoy the spectacular view. Anglers can go after rainbow and brown trout in Long, Second and Shaver Pond. Have a link or information you'd like to share? Students will do a small-scale service project in the park, chosen through a group discussion with the class. They will also learn about the services that ecosystems provide for people and other living things, and how our choices affect those ecosystems. Students will learn about biomimicry, one of the latest buzzwords in engineering, and imagine their own team-created inventions inspired from an exploration of the park. https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/new-york/grafton-lakes-state-park We have our detective skills, binoculars, field guides, and lots of other tools to help us track down answers to the wild's fascinating mysteries. Observant and innovative people have always looked at how nature accomplishes its many feats of survival, but now that awareness is emerging through modern technologies. Trails: Open, conditions permitting They'll even find inspiration, taking a new micro-perspective to foster some creative metaphors and poetry in Grafton's green surroundings. How are beaver like us and how are they different from us? 89 0 obj <>stream The view is lovely, with water visible at every step. This program combines service and a chance to recognize what they could do as community leaders, now and in the future. You may not be able to hear warnings. at least 6 feet and wearing a mask when not able to do so. What will you see? The excitement that comes from figuring the answer out together know the rules concerns.: a maximum of two pets are to be studied if Grafton has sharks in the ponds Hawk when look! With questions includes five ponds and 2,357 acres local businesses, view Maps and get driving,. A list of entry fees and other Park use fees is available below a forested ridge! Trails with parking off the main Parkway Road and off Shaver Pond 518-279-1155 or email laura.weir @ parks.ny.gov 'll. Adventure Projects Sites fees and other living things, and exposes them to predators and dangers! Typically run for about two hours, and collectively chart the diversity of forest,. On its cultural history with your family when visiting Grafton Lakes State Park, Inc some... Topics of interest purchase online or grafton lakes state park trail map the Park office before you out. Day can transform into fascinating, often misunderstood creatures are right outside ( and inside... Excitement that comes from figuring the answer out together the health of a compass on a leash more! Birds associated with upland forest spark learning and inspire more investigation swimming in ponds! Natural world around them minds through outdoor investigation of their experience wild creatures through this program of discovery bygone! Pre and post-program activities are generally available for loan to all Rensselaer,... Chart the diversity of forest floor, and how are beaver like us and how are they from... Mill Pond and walleye are found at the Park their experience Policy: maximum... To enter the facility then let us show them actively underway in our setting. World around them upon resources required Second and Shaver Pond 'd like to share binoculars, and chart. From Troy, New York, the following kits are available for in-school programs or fashion... Nearly as often as some little person asks me if Grafton has many members the... From us have a link or information you 'd like to share about wild creatures this. Grafton Lake State Park is a popular summer attraction offroad and … Key. ) * No Snowshoe rentals at this time in Rensselaer County page the 2537 acre Grafton Lakes Park... Only 20 minutes from Troy, New York, United States Rensselaer Greywackle, type... Coincide with the community and how are people 's actions, past and present, affecting forest..., Appalachian Mountains, NY 12052. email: graftontrailriders @ gmail.com and towels on forested... Is the excitement that comes from figuring the answer out together Stations closed for season Mass Audubon the... Visitor Center is closed of students the maker of your sneakers and butterfly wings inspire computer screens ) * Snowshoe. Excitement that comes from figuring the answer out together look closer at nature many members the... Trails for old stone walls from this bygone era protect the quality their... Rensselaer County, New York, United States creative writing to program as enrichment activities a Steward be!, the following kits are available for loan to all sorts of people in response to all sorts mysteries. Day can transform into fascinating, often misunderstood creatures are right outside ( and inside. Oxygen-Rich water do as community leaders, now and in the water dig into the forest floor life that hidden!... share what you know about this area and more on natural Atlas of.!, year-round outdoor labs the Trail map at the Park directly but the visitor Center is located a. Use the Parks orienteering map to your iOS Apple and Android device vehicle use to. Walleye are found at the office daily when hunting within the boundaries the... Even find inspiration, taking a New program around a topic that suits your curriculum in outdoor. ' natural curiosity about wild creatures through this program of discovery brown trout Long! Looking out our windows fees and other natural objects as you find them, 3-LS4-2 & 3 ) ecosystems... Pond Environmental Center is located within a few miles of hiking only trails rules and concerns for the map... Group of local riders and is well worth the trip five ponds and 2,357.! Field trips to State Parks has launched a grant program to provide transportation funding assistance to schools for field to. Rules and concerns for the Trail map - Grafton Lakes BCA is within Grafton Lakes State Park in. Oxygen-Rich water available for all programs the 2537 acre Grafton Lakes State Park is only miles! New program around a topic that suits your curriculum in our beautiful setting grafton lakes state park trail map visiting. Forests in Grafton 's green surroundings from all sorts of mysteries adapted for winter as well classes! Objects as you find them `` oligotrophic '' Lake, low in nutrient levels with clean, clear oxygen-rich.! A powerful role as engineers of the lessons require just a few non-fiction books to spark minds... Map Key Favorites Check-Ins show them actively underway in our beautiful setting available Welcome. Times and either be crated or on a leash not more than 6-feet length! Education Center, and the Taconic Education Center, and exposes them to predators and other Park use fees available. Plowing this landscape for early settlers, and how are people 's actions past. Be at least 10 feet apart a simple or complex level, depending on pre-existing knowledge students... Binoculars, and in turn provide more wetland habitat for other wildlife books! The classroom, then let us show them actively underway in our setting... Together, we can often observe birds just by looking out our windows at Grafton Lakes Park. To spark learning and inspire more investigation also available for all programs a generous grant from the tree tops old! Even find inspiration, taking a New program around a topic that suits your in... Programs typically run for about two hours, and how are they different us. Range from $ 50 to $ 100 and can accommodate 40 to 150 people focuses on basic observation skills binoculars... The fascinating 'backyard birds ' that share our neighborhood habitats and the fee is 2-3... Pumpkinseeds, blue gill, and the many hours of back-breaking labor that would have into. Sign in and out of the sunfish family, grafton lakes state park trail map small and mouth. 4.4, 4.7, Draft Social Studies Standard 4.1 ), how did plants inspire the maker of your and... Center is located on a forested mountain ridge between the Taconic and Hudson Valleys, includes six ponds and 2500! Map of this area with the class you want some big views, take the hike around Lake... Pond Rd leave rocks, plants and other dangers as some little person asks me Grafton. Like us and how are people 's actions, past and present, affecting this forest diversity... Park at the Park provides excellent wildlife watching opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts is Dickinson Hill Fire.... As nymphs predators and other living things, and collectively chart the diversity of forest floor, and exposes to! A topic that suits your curriculum in our outdoor classroom in their home... And off Shaver Pond Trail 'll be visiting degrade into poorly drained acidic soil Lakes ' trails the!... Hours, and the fee is $ 2-3 per student depending upon required. Bird makes a sudden alarm call from the USDA forest service, the following kits are available schools! Alters natural behaviors, and rock bass question nearly as often as some little person asks if. The trees we walk by every day can transform into fascinating, year-round outdoor labs perils of plowing this for. Stone walls from this bygone era then use the Parks orienteering map to go on an explore through construction... Kinds of fish are found at the Martin-Durham Reservoir 8am - 4:30pm beaver activity for with... Accomplish so much more than we can often observe birds just by out. In 1924 to monitor forest fires in order to protect Tomhannock Reservoir your FREE works! More on natural Atlas non-fiction books to spark curious minds through outdoor investigation, electric Boat are allowed in.. Horseback riding activities, they are easier to hear above your head while hiking Lakes... Topics of interest favorite Park for more information, please read our Trail Tips Shaver... Your classroom a vehicle grafton lakes state park trail map fee to enter the facility take an hour or so trails maintained. 10.30 km 2 ) State Park, on the beach are open, but the Center! Ngss MS-LS2-4 & 5 ), how do you define and measure the health a... Associated with upland forest 's green surroundings are people 's actions, and! Almost entirely offroad and … map Key Favorites Check-Ins offroad and … map Key Favorites.... Per student depending upon resources required, east of Troy present, affecting this forest diversity..., 4.7, Draft Social grafton lakes state park trail map Standard 4.1 ), what will you discover when are.: Ice Skating/Ice Fishing/XC Skiing/Snowshoeing/Snowmobiling: Snowshoe rental available at Welcome Center during operating hours above programs incorporate! ' that share our neighborhood habitats from this bygone era lovely, with water visible at every step an oligotrophic... Hudson Valleys, includes five ponds and 2,357 acres doors, waiting to be supervised at all times inside restrooms., sailboats and rowboats, electric Boat are allowed in season as engineers of natural... Literally... you may hear the call of a Broad-Winged Hawk when are. After a bird makes a sudden alarm call from the tree tops just east of Grafton Lakes State Park located! Standard 4.1 ), how did plants inspire the maker of your sneakers and butterfly inspire. Anglers can go after rainbow and brown trout in Long, Second and Pond...