Cherry Plain State Park, just 25 miles east of Albany, is a 175-acre state park that is open year round. Tucked away in Petersburg, New York, right in the heart of the Taconic Valley, this quiet wooded getaway offers ten campsites right on the beautiful Black River Pond, as well as hike-in and trailer campsites, hiking trails, and bridle paths for horseback riding.
Black River Pond is perhaps Cherry Plain State Park’s most popular attraction. The sandy beach is the perfect place for campers and day visitors alike to enjoy swimming, boating, and sunbathing.
The park offers boat rentals, as well as boat launch sites and showers.
The pond is also known for its great fishing.
Bass, bullheads and pickerel are known to make their home in the water.
The Charcoal Kiln Site is a unique attraction that can only be accessed from the Charcoal Kiln trail, which begins at the southern corner of the park’s main parking lot.
After a steep but relatively short climb, hikers will come across the raised patch of land that was once the site of a charcoal kiln. More than 100 years ago, stacks of wood were slow-burned under a layer of dirt to produce charcoal, which was then used as fuel in the iron foundries of nearby Troy, New York.
If you're hoping for the chance to see a moose without leaving the state, you’re in luck.
Cherry Plain State Park is surrounded by the Capital District Wildlife Management Area, which is home to a host of wildlife, including beavers, black bears, white-tailed deer, and wild turkeys. Recently, moose have also begun migrating to the area from the surrounding states, and moose sightings are becoming more common.
The park stays open year round, so visitors who want to brave the cold can cross-country ski, snowshoe, and even try their luck with ice fishing in the winter months.
To learn more about everything this hidden gem has to offer, visit the New York State Parks website here.
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