John Boyd Thacher State Park
| John Boyd Thacher State Park | |
|---|---|
View from the overlook
|
|
 |
|
| Type | State Park |
| Location | Albany County, New York, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°39′21″N 74°01′09″W / 42.655833°N 74.019167°WCoordinates: 42°39′21″N 74°01′09″W / 42.655833°N 74.019167°W |
| Area | 2,155 acres (872 ha) |
| Created | 1914 |
| Operated by | New York State |
John Boyd Thacher State Park is a state park located 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Albany, New York, near Voorheesville, in Albany County on State Route 157. Located mostly atop the Helderberg Escarpment, the park has several hiking trails that offer panoramic views of the Green Mountains in Vermont and the Taconic Mountains of the Hudson Valley.
The Indian Ladder Trail is open from May 1 to November 15, 8:00 am until sunset, weather permitting. All other trails are open year-round. It is located on the Helderberg Escarpment, one of the best fossil-bearing formations in the US. There are over 12 miles (20 km) of trails in the park including the famous Indian Ladder Trail. The park has an Olympic-sized swimming pool (closed since 2006 and currently fenced off and overgrown), volleyball courts, children’s play areas and numerous cooking/barbecue areas both open and covered.
Nearby at Thompson's Lake, is the Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center, which opened in July 2001 and has permanent and occasional displays for the public to view. The center also offers educational programs and visitor information.
From the top of the escarpment, which reaches 1300 ft (400 m), there are fine views of the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys as well as spectacular panoramas of the Adirondacks and Green Mountains of Vermont.
The history of the park area dates back around 400 years to a time when the trail now known as the Indian Ladder Trail was used by the Mohawk Iroquois Indians to reach the trading post run by Henry Hudson.
...
Wikipedia