In The News

February, 2017

Cuomo's $200M trail project gets close scrutiny from lawmakers

The Daily Star

Environmental and recreation groups strongly supportive of Empire State Trail.

Letter: Empire State Trail will be major recreational asset

Albany Times Union

A letter to the editor from Parks & Trails New York's Executive Director, Robin Dropkin in support of the economic benefits of the proposed 750-mile Empire State Trail.

Outdoors: Empire State Trail details still murky

Albany Times Union

A promo for PTNY's March 2 Trails Advocacy Day is featured alongside this article looking more in-depth to the proposed Empire State Trail as well as questions raised regarding the Governor's plan.

January, 2017

Canal Clean Sweep 2017: Join us Earth Day weekend

Madison County Courier

Celebrate Earth Day & the Erie Canal bicentennial by organizing an event for the 2017 Canal Clean Sweep April 21 through 23. Event registration is now open.

Registration opens for Cycle the Erie Canal

Webster Post

Registration is open for Parks and Trails New York's 19th annual Cycle the Erie Canal tour, an opportunity to bike across the state and take in the history of the canal that transformed America. The eight-day, 400-mile recreational bicycle tour from Buffalo to Albany is scheduled July 9-16. This year marks the start of the bicentennial celebration for the Erie Canal.

OUR VIEW: Empire State Trail would benefit upstate

Union Sun & Journal

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s suggested Empire State Trail is a bright idea. There is much potential in a plan to “connect” Buffalo, Albany, the north country and Manhattan, for bikers, hikers and off-road explorers generally.

Trail system could bring more bicycle tourists to region

Post Star

Lake George, Saratoga Springs and Fort Ticonderoga will be stops on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed “Empire State Trail,” a statewide system of bicycle and walking trails. Tourism officials and trail advocates say the proposed 750-mile trail system, about half of which already exists, will expand an already robust bicycle touring economy in the region.

Grassroots groups for NY state parks raised $9M in a year

Times Herald Record

A new report shows grassroots groups supporting New York state parks raise millions of dollars a year. The report on non-profit "friends" organizations that support state parks and historic sites says the groups raised $9 million in 2015. The report from Parks & Trails New York also found that the groups donated 10,000 volunteer hours.

Governor Wants to Make New York a Hiking and Cycling Paradise

Skift Travel News

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is proposing to complete and connect two greenway trails crisscrossing the state from Manhattan to Canada and from Albany to Buffalo to create a 750-mile paved biking and hiking route that will be marketed as a national tourist destination.

New York eyes largest state-run trail in U.S.

Press Connects

Cuomo pitches 750-mile biking-hiking trail plan for NY state

Fox News

ALBANY, N.Y. – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is proposing to complete and connect two greenway trails crisscrossing the state from Manhattan to Canada and from Albany to Buffalo to create a 750-mile paved biking and hiking route that will be marketed as a national tourist destination.

Editorial: Always there for our area parks

Press Republican

An editorial from Plattsburgh, NY applauds the results of our 2016 You Gotta Have Friends annual report.

Cuomo calls for statewide trail system

Daily Gazette

To the excitement of hikers, bikers and cross-country skiers, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday proposed extending the state's off-road trail system to span the state, from Buffalo to New York City and New York City to the Canadian border.

Grassroots groups for NY state parks raised $9M in a year

SF Gate

A new report shows grassroots groups supporting New York state parks raise millions of dollars a year. The report on non-profit "friends" organizations that support state parks and historic sites says the groups raised $9 million in 2015.

December, 2016

Long Island underspends on pedestrian safety

The Suffolk Times

A group of parks and transportation improvement advocates, including Parks & Trails New York, recently called attention to a lack of state spending on sidewalks and bicycle lanes and trails in Suffolk and Nassau counties, saying the region lags behind the rest of the state.

Grant paves way for rail trail completion

Granville Sentinel

A letter of support from Parks & Trails New York helped the town of Granville receive a grant to help fill in the “missing links” of the Delaware and Hudson Rail Trail. The trail will extend from Salem in New York to Castleton, Vermont, when it’s finished.

November, 2016

Harlem rail trail opens new section

Register-Star

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association broke ground on a new 1.5-mile section in the town of Copake Thursday, November 17, with an anticipated completion date slated for Memorial Day 2017.

October, 2016

New map program provides friendliest bike routes in Albany

Albany Times Union

The Albany Bicycle Coalition is working with Parks & Trails New York to develop an online map that would allow users to insert their starting point and destination and be directed to the most bike-friendly route throughout the City of Albany.

September, 2016

Preserve federal-state partnership that shaped Onondaga Lake Park

Syracuse.com

A commentary supporting the Land Water Conservation Fund. The author, Bob Geraci, is one of our board members who was commissioner of Onondaga County parks from 1995 to 2009

2nd competition launched for state park funds

Press Republican

Friends groups of state parks are eligible to apply for $500,000 in competitive grants through the State Park and Trail Partnership. This, a second round of competition, is funded through the State Environmental Protection Fund.