Upstate New York's Glistening State Park Is A Swimming, Hiking, And Picnicking Paradise

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and discover overlooked small towns and underrated lakefront getaways in Upstate New York. For scenic lake views and a laid-back outdoor paradise, head to Glimmerglass State Park for your next vacation. From New York City, it's a four-and-a-half-hour drive to the glistening state park. Nearby, another one of New York's best small lakeside towns, Cooperstown, is just 7.5 miles away. It's also between Albany and the affordable destination of Syracuse if you're visiting any cities upstate.

Glimmerglass State Park is full of outdoor activities, many of which can be found on the shores or in the waters of Otsego Lake. The lake's tranquil scenery makes it a perfect spot for relaxing. It's also where the state park's "glimmering" name comes from, owing to the lake's beauty and based on the writings of James Fenimore Cooper. The park is open year-round but pulls in major crowds in summer. It also has some historic sites worth visiting, like Hyde Hall mansion, a National Historic Landmark, and the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge. Other things you can do in the park include renting a kayak or canoe, fishing, hiking, and biking.

The lake is a big draw for visitors, whether you're there for fun during the day or stay to camp at night. There is a small car entrance fee in the summer season from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Admission includes beach access, swimming, and use of any of the park's amenities. In the winter, you can also go cross-country skiing, ice fishing, snowshoeing, and more. 

Swimming on the beach is a great way to cool off in the summer. It's a shallow beach, good for swimming and splashing around. There are also picnic shelters and two playgrounds for the little ones near the beach area. Make a whole trip of it and go camping on the grounds for a minimum of a two-night stay. There are 50 campsites in the area, and a stay costs from $17-$25 per night at the time of writing. The campsites are well-equipped with picnic tables, grills, and a fire pit, and visitors on Tripadvisor say the bathrooms are clean. There is also a more budget-friendly primitive campsite in the Beaver Pond area.

If you're looking for something more adventurous than a day on the lake, there are five hiking trails you can try to explore. The longest trail is the Sleeping Lion Trail, which spans 2 miles. The trail is marked, but there are a few steep climbs, and you'll see glimpses of Otsego Lake as you loop back to Hyde Hall. Other trail areas are shorter, between half a mile and a mile in length, with some that are unmarked and one that is accessible for wheelchair users.

If you're interested in knowing more about the house overlooking Otsego Lake, stop by Hyde Hall after a trek along the Sleeping Lion Trail. The estate-turned-museum offers guided tours every hour on the hour on the history of the mansion and the family who lived there. Tickets go for $15 for adults and are free for kids 10 years of age and below at the time of writing. Tours run every May 25 to October 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This National Historic Landmark goes hand in hand with another iconic site at the park, the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge. Included in the National Register of Historic Places, the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge is the oldest existing covered bridge in the country and the oldest bridge in New York state. It was built in 1823 and was originally used for access to the Hyde Hall mansion. For more historic covered bridges, check out the nation's longest historic covered bridge in Indiana.