Harriman State Park has it all. This website will try to answer as many questions about Harriman as we can, so you don’t have to call the information number from New York State. (Dog — unmuzzled! — at Lake Kanawauke) ©www.myharriman.com
“Our parks and historic sites have countless amenities and activities to make your visit fun and enjoyable. Accessible indicates that, to the extent practicable, this facility or activity meets the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards. It is strongly recommended that you contact the facility in advance for a full description of what you can expect.” — New York State’s Amenities page for Harriman State Park.
Really, New York State?
Can’t you serve the public better by actually providing answers about Harriman State Park online?
Suppose you’re looking to, say, go camping in Harriman State Park, or do some camping. You do a Google search. The top site in your search leads you — understandable enough — to the New York State site for Parks, and Harriman’s site. Here it is: http://nysparks.com/parks/145/amenities-activities.aspx
The quote above is taken from the New York State “amenities” page for Harriman (this, and a note that dogs must be muzzled).
And it’s not always accurate, either. Check out what New York State offers, by way of information, about swimming in Harriman State Park (it’s an un-clickable icon):
New York State Park’s “wealth” of information about swimming in Harriman State Park.
I know there’s a budget crisis in New York State, but I think we can do better than this.
Harriman State Park is an incredible, accessible, beautiful resource, so very close to New York, but underutilized, especially in the back country.
When I launched this website a month ago (in early July), I hoped to (and still do) provide a site that will, eventually, be able to answer every reasonable question about Harriman State Park that’s out there.
Camping, swimming, fishing, biking, hiking*, driving, boating, kayaking, canoeing, geocaching, metal-detecting — even searching for a 40-year-old airplane wreck — all those are some of the diversions that Harriman offers.
But it’s hard to tell from the NYS Parks website.
Appalachian Trail marker at the top of Bear Mountain, Bear Mountain State Park. ©www.myharriman.com
I believe that the best thing you can do for Harriman State Park is to visit it. Go for a hike in the back country. Take an (illegal) dip in a swimming hole; pick some berries at the height of the blueberry season. Find an airplane in the swamp.
Harriman State Park is better than the website would have you think.
Harriman, to my mind, stacks up against any state park out there, and even some national monuments. It just has a little bit of an exposure problem, a publicity problem. Maybe New Yorkers only know it for its crowded beaches because that’s what we see from the road. There’s so much left of Harriman that remains unexplored.
Thanks for checking in on my blog. If you’d like to contribute with some information or corrections, just let me know in a comment, or send me an email (suzy@suzyallman.com). I’d love to hear it!
Thanks.
*The very best website on the subject of hiking in Harriman State Park is of course the New York New Jersey Trail Conference site. Trail descriptions, links to purchase the maps and apps, and so much more.
