OT-Favorite Parks

[DNABB5]

As Seattle said, we got a week...if you don't like pointless off-topic threads during our next 6 days without basketball, then don't reply and move on, ok?


I am talking about little state/local parks/preserves that other posters likely have never been to, but are amazing in their own little ways.

Clifty Falls State Park in Southern Indiana

John Bryan State Park in central Ohio

Prophetstown State Park just north of Lafayette IN

And just so you I am not a total mid-westerner now, Ill go with the least know of the Ithaca area State Parks, but IMHO the coolest, that being Robert Treman State Park


Just saying, all of the above are great places to enjoy some good old fashioned mother nature. Interestingly, they all have rivers, I am an Aquarius you know. All are great places to take sorority girls to get "tutored" as well I am sure.

 

[All4SU]

I'm a big fan of Watkins Glen State Park. Hiking through the gorge is just a great adventure. For those who have never been there, I highly recommend it. BTW, is this the type of question you think about at 3:48 in the a.m.?

 

[OttoMets]

Treman is nice. Down in the Catskills, Kaaterskill is really terrific. Decent hikes, great views, and the possibility for cliff-jumping into the pools.

 

[690West]

I'd have to go with Cherokee and Chan Ho

 

[CuseTroop]

I'm a big fan of Watkins Glen State Park. Hiking through the gorge is just a great adventure. For those who have never been there, I highly recommend it. BTW, is this the type of question you think about at 3:48 in the a.m.?

Watkins glen state park is awesome. Hike up it many times growing up


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=64.844759,-147.863621

 

[samspann1]

I'd have to go with Cherokee and Chan Ho

Haha.

Bernie prefers Thornden.

 

[DNABB5]

Bernie prefers Thornden.

This isn't funny. When I was a young impressionable lad living at 523 Clarendon, I drunkenly stumbled through the park one summer's eve and cut through the woods behind the water tower and encountered a turrible sight. (not that there is anything wrong with that)

I don't think I need to go into anymore details do I?

Let's just say I stopped cutting through Thornden after that.

 

[samspann1]

Haha, yeah, I'm not judging or anything, just saying...

 

[mountaincuse]

Adirondack - all of it

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

I'm a big fan of Watkins Glen State Park. Hiking through the gorge is just a great adventure. For those who have never been there, I highly recommend it. BTW, is this the type of question you think about at 3:48 in the a.m.?

Spent every July 4th weekend growing up on a family camping trip at Watkins Glen. Will always have a place in my heart. Beautiful park.

 

[Orange46R]

Adirondacks.

Not really a hidden gem but no matter what you want to do you can find it there. Hike, bike, ski, canoe, swim, fish, snowshoe, rock climb, golf, etc. All scattered amongst awesome towns and villages of varying size.

If you want to just take a quick morning hike there are hundreds of beautiful spots to hit. If you want to disappear into the wilderness for a weeks and not see a soul or any remnants of civilization you can do that too.

I spend a lot of time in the high peaks region in the Lake Placid area.

High Peaks from Adirondack Loj Road

Lake Marie Louise on Rocky Peak Ridge

Marcy Dam / Mt Colden

The Great Range

 

[Orange46R]

oh and this happened right in Lake Placid...

 

[PoppyHart]

Rosa

Ji Sung

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Jane Park Smith

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Jane Park Smith

hubba hubba

 

[SUfanNC]

I will preface this by saying I have been to a few parks but most were in NYS. Adirondack
's have to be my clear cut #1. There are simply no moutainous area on the east coast like it. Buttermilk falls was beautiful and almost looked out of place when I first saw it (it was like waterfalls you would see when they showcase Hawaii). I thought the grand canyon of the east was beautiful as well. Pretty amazing walking across the bridge that high in the air. Central park is just wonderful for the fact that it was never developed and at some spots you could imagine you are not in the middle of a metropolis.

 

[Calcuse]

Zion. Makes anything east of the Rockies look like someone's back yard.

 

[DNABB5]

Ok, I think y'all are missing the point. I said ones people likely don't know about. And the Adirondaks is not a park, it is a region. Now, if you said something like John Brown Tract is a great little camping spot or I like to spent time at Still Water Res. then ok.

One of the most surreal parks I was in was the Badlands in SD. Like another planet. Same with Craters of the Moon in Idaho. These are the places I am talking about, awesome parks that likely most posters haven't heard of.

And whoever brought a Duke players name into this thread should immediately commit hari kari

 

[AlaskaSU]

Forest Park in NW Portland, OR. A real forest in a large city. Its the largest park within an urban city.

PS If someone thinks Zion is awesome, and it is: but they have not seen Arches or Bryce for total weirdness, although the Badlands are indeed bazaar.

 

[OttoMets]

Forest Park in NW Portland, OR. A real forest in a large city. Its the largest park within an urban city.

PS If someone thinks Zion is awesome, and it is: but they have not seen Arches or Bryce for total weirdness, although the Badlands are indeed bazaar.

Bryce is otherworldly for sure, but if there exists a more spectacular hike than Angels Landing at Zion, I've yet to come across it.

 

[MGP]

Matt. I would also be remiss if I didn't include Roy H., being an IC grad. All kidding aside, Custer in S. Dakota is the closest you can get to living in our country 150 years ago.

 

[cuseincincy]

Chittenango Falls State Park - Many day of my youth was spent there.

 

[DNABB5]

Forest Park in NW Portland, OR. A real forest in a large city. Its the largest park within an urban city.

Forest Park is cool and all, but I don't think that "largest park in a city" line is accurate. It is like what 5000 acres as I recall?

I know Jefferson Memorial Forest in Louisville is like 6500. I think the winner is that one in El Paso I cannot for the life of me remember, but my dad got lost in it overnight.

Forest Park is cool though, I was there in September and accidentally stepped on a slug that was 10 inches long. And the Rose Garden there makes the one at Thornden look like a flowerpot.


Good old Google came up with this page http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0933260.html

Forest Park ranks 19th

 

[donniesyracuse]

And the Adirondaks is not a park, it is a region.

That's strange; I think there is a sign on the Northway that says "Entering Adirondack Park."

 

[AlaskaSU]

Bryce is otherworldly for sure, but if there exists a more spectacular hike than Angels Landing at Zion, I've yet to come across it.

Second to Angels Landing has to be Escalante/Grand Staircase. Trail is much shorter but the dropoffs are frightening.
I did not have time to do Angels landing when i was at the trail head. It is on my list.