Acadia National Park preserves a significant portion of Mount Desert Island. This stunning island off the coast of eastern Maine is home to Cadillac Mountain, the first place in the United States to see the sun rise. The park also contains numerous lakes and over 120 miles of hiking trails to explore. As the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River, it doesn't take long to begin to enjoy its numerous features and history.

Bar Harbor, Maine is considered to be the main gateway into Acadia National Park. The town itself is flooded with culture and history, revealing a small town with a lot of personality. During low tide in the Atlantic Ocean, a pathway is revealed on the town's north side to access Bar Island of Acadia National Park by foot. Boasting much of Maine's signature flair, the town is an enjoyable and lively place to visit while not in Acadia National Park.

Bear Mountain State Park is a beautiful preserve found in the colorful and vibrant Hudson River Valley. A large mountain along the river attracts hikers and outdoor enthusiasts of all types. The popular Bear Mountain Loop Trail brings hikers up to the mountain's summit, where a lookout tower offers panoramic views of the surrounding region. In the fall, the forests come alive with all shades of bright earth-tone colors. The park is also famous for containing part of the original Appalachian Trail.

The Berkshire Mountains, or Berkshires for short, were formed hundreds of millions of years ago with the Appalachian Mountains, and have been eroded down into the beautiful mountains and hills we know today. The area is popular for all kinds of outdoor activities both in summer and winter, and receives a burst of fall tourism thanks to its extraordinary fall color displays. In addition to many farms and a vibrant art scene, the area boasts a healthy amount of public lands for outdoor recreation, such as Beartown and Tolland State Forests and Bash Bish Falls State Park just to name a few.

Blauvelt State Park protects over 600 acres in southern New York along the Hudson River Palisades region, just south of the town of Nyack. It's accessible only through limited parking areas, and from hiking trails that intersect the park from other neighboring parks. These include, Schuyler Town Park, Stephen Rowe Bradley Town Park, and the Sean Hunter Ryan Memorial County Park, all of which are included in this gallery. Together, they link dozens of miles of trails, including the Long Path, which travels from New York City to north of Albany. It also neighbors Buttermilk Falls County Park, which is featured as its own gallery.

Buttermilk Falls County Park only protects about 75 acres in southern New York, but thanks to the plentiful amount of parks it neighbors, connects to a much larger area of protection, totaling nearly 1,000 in just a few miles of trails. Likewise, hiking trails extend from the park into the other parks, which include Blauvelt State Park, Schuyler Town Park, and more. The Long Path travels just a few miles from Buttermilk Falls County Park, making it easily accessible from its boundaries. The park itself protects a section of the Hudson River Palisades on the western side, where a beautiful waterfall dozens of feet high come tumbling down into a deep rocky gorge. The park also features prominent overlooks where fantastic views eastward can be found by climbing up the relatively steep trails.

Cape Ann, Massachusetts is a rocky portion of the Atlantic Coastline near the northern border of the state. It's much more rural than Boston found a few dozen miles to the south, and features a number of small parks and quiet towns, such as Manchester-by-the-Sea and Gloucester. Parks such as the Coolidge Reservation afford both visitors and locals the opportunity to hike along the wooded and rocky coast with lookouts peering into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Catskill Mountains are located in southeastern New York and are remnants from mountains over 300 million years old. Much of the mountain area is protected under the 700,000+ acre Catskill Park, a joint effort among several aspects of the state to preserve the area for various reasons. The park, and its surrounding natural areas, are popular with a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities, including hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, camping, fishing, and much more. Campground such as Mongaup Pond Campground, among many others, provide a basecamp for people to explore the region.

Clarence Fahnestock State Park was named after a World War I veteran who died of influenza shortly after the war. Approximately 2,400 acres were donated by his brother, Dr. Ernest Fahnestock. Today, the park is over 14,000 acres, and features an incredibly diverse array of trails, welcoming everyone from novice hikers, to expert backpackers. Pelton Pond is an approachable stop for many people, and offers an easy one-mile trail around its perimeter.

Demarest Kill County Park is a 30 acre park in the heart of New City, New York that's been kept heavily wooded, with a large pond that empties near a tributary of the Demarest Kill Stream. In addition to the variety of deciduous trees, the park preserves wetlands where multiple bird species frequently can be seen, including great blue heron. Several wide and well-maintained trails radiate around the pond, while a short and easy hiking trail meanders through woods along the pond's north and west perimeter. Despite its relatively small area, Demarest Kill County Park provides a beautiful escape for anyone in the New City area.

Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park was created in 1922 and covers 960 acres, including two bodies of water, named Mohansic Lake and Crom Pond. A scenic drive circles the park, while hiking trails can be found exploring most of the land. In winter, the roadway is open to cross-county skiing and snowshoeing.

The Hardscrabble Wilderness Area is found in Westchester County, New York, and protects 235 acres of rolling hills, hiking trails, and creeks. Located just off of the Taconic State Parkway near the town of Briarcliff Manor, the dog-friendly park features several miles of trails, allowing for shorter or longer hikes within its boundaries. The park is open and accessible year-round, providing a number of outdoor opportunities.

Harriman State Park is a large preservation of land found in the lower Hudson River Valley, spanning Rockland and Orange Counties. It's the second-largest state park in the state of New York, stretching for more than 47,000 acres. The park is often associated with its northeastern neighbor, Bear Mountain State Park, the Appalachian Trail winding through each. The park features dozens of lakes, hiking trails, and recreation activities and destinations, and is popular with many outdoor enthusiasts.

High Tor State Park is a protected area in the lower Hudson River Valley of New York. It protects nearly 700 acres of a low mountain ridgeline known as the Palisades, extending from Staten Island, north to the town of Haverstraw. The highest point along this ridgeline, High Tor, is contained within the state park at just shy of 800 feet above sea level. A spur trail leads to another peak in the park with a more northern lookout, known as Little Tor, at 620 feet.

Hook Mountain State Park protects over 670 acres along the Hudson River Palisades in southern New York. The park's most prominent feature is Hook Mountain, which reaches a height of just below 700 feet above sea level. Multiple trails access the park, both from Highway 9W, as well as from neighboring Rockland Lake State Park. A main trail climbs along the ridgeline high above the Hudson River, accessing Hook Mountain, as well as many other fantastic overlooks of the surrounding area, often with panoramic views.

Hudson Highlands State Park is a large state park on the east side of the Hudson River in southern New York. The protected region covers more than 7,600 acres in two distinct sections, simply referred to as the North and South units. The northern area contains the popular Breakneck Ridge hike, as well as the tallest point in the park, Beacon Mountain. The southern sections protects over five miles of the long-distance Appalachian Trail, as well as shorter hikes, such as the Camp Smith Trail, which meets the former on top of a popular lookout known as Anthony's Nose. Also included in this gallery is the historic Bear Mountain Bridge and photos taken from its walkways, doubling also as the Appalachian Trail.

Kennedy Dells County Park is a 179 acre park in Rockland County, New York. It features a number of recreation fields, as well as a variety of nature and hiking trails that weave in and out of forests and meadows preserved within its boundaries. Crum Creek borders the western boundary, where a man-made waterfall and ruins can be found leftover from the early 1900's. They were created when Adolph Zukor owned the land and was helping to make the town of New City the Hollywood of the east. The western portion of the park contains a healthy diversity of deciduous trees native to the area.

The Rockleigh Woods Sanctuary and Lamont Reserve protect more than 200 wooded acres along the western Palisades cliffs in northern New Jersey. A variety of trails take hikers through both easy and moderate hikes, passing by creeks, overlooks, and beautiful lush forests. In addition to the beautiful and peaceful natural features, ruins can even be found within the parks' perimeters.

Minute Man National Historical Park is located in eastern Massachusetts, between the towns of Concord and Lexington. The park preserves various houses and structures, as well as significant points of interest from the opening battle of the Revolutionary War. These include places such as Paul Revere's Capture Site, a British troop burial ground, and the North Bridge, where colonial soldiers were first ordered to fire on the British. Many famous houses were also preserved, including The Wayside and the Orchard House, where Louisa May Alcott wrote her famous novel, Little Women. In total, the park protects just under 1,000 acres of history and the natural landscape surrounding it.

The Mohonk Preserve is home to the Shawangunk Mountains. The preserve sits around the base of the mountains and links many different trails to the Mohonk Mountain House, a resort at the summit. It has a variety of trails and plenty of miles to keep people entertained, as well as rock climbers for those wanting a little more recreation. In the fall, the area becomes a colorful splattering of color throughout the area, as does the rest of the region.

Mountainview Nature Park is an 83-acre park in Rockland County, New York devoted to preserving the mountainside for hiking. It was gifted to the county by Winston C. Perry in 1979 to provide a hiking experience in the busy area. A portion of the Long Path uses a section separated by Mountainview Avenue, however future plans expect to connect the path through the main section of the park. At the top of the mountain lies Bear Swamp, a wetlands area that frequently sees use from a variety of birds. True to its goal, a number of hiking trails explore the terrain, climbing hundreds of vertical feet in a short distance.

Muscoot Farm is an interpretive museum of a farm dating back to the early 1900s, the land too remote and inaccessible to develop prior to that time. The farm boasts farm animals, small museums on the property, and plenty of maintained nature trails to explore the other portions of the land. During the farm's operation, it operated a loss until it was sold off to Westchester County in 1968. It was then transformed in forthcoming years to resemble its present day appearance. Many of the nature and hiking trails explore the remainder of the property, passing through wetlands, forests, and meadows.

Philipsburg Manor preserves the historic manor house that's situated along an old dam in Sleepy Hollow, New York. The manor itself dates back to 1693 and covered 52,000 acres along the eastern Hudson River. The house is currently maintained by the Historic Hudson Valley, and tours are offered around the property's premises.

Piermont, New York is a small village along the lower Hudson River Valley, found on the western side of the river south of the Tappan Zee Bridge. Known for its small town atmosphere, the village also boasts a roughly one-mile long pier that extends into the widening Hudson River. The pier was originally used for a railroad line, but was later converted to allow for both car and pedestrian traffic looking to enjoy the vantage point out in the river. Also located within Piermont is the Piermont Marsh, a 1,000+ acre protection of vital wetlands at the mouth of Sparkill Creek. The marsh is located between the Village of Piermont and neighboring Tallman Mountain State Park.

The Rockefeller State Park Preserve is a large preservation of land donated to the state of New York by the Rockefeller family. It's located along the Hudson River, between the two towns of Sleepy Hollow and Pleasantville. With 32 miles of old carriage roads, as well as neighboring Douglas Park, the Old Croton Aqueduct, and the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, there's no shortage of outdoor recreation to be had. Many people use the trails for hiking, running, biking, and more. A number of old stone bridges, as well as Swan Lake also attract photographers and nature enthusiasts, while the park's plethora of birds draw in birders from all over.

Rockland, Maine is a small and quiet fishing town along Highway 1 of the coast of Maine. Much of its tourism comes from tourists passing through on their way to Acadia National Park, eager to spend some extra time exploring what coastal Maine has to offer. Like many towns in Maine, the architecture is beautiful and haunting at the same time.

At just shy of 700 acres, Tallman Mountain State Park protects a vital stretch of rugged cliffs along the Hudson River Palisades in southern New York. Several miles of trails encourage visitors to explore its varied terrain, including wetlands, forests, and rocky overlooks. The overlooks are featured prominently along the Palisades and perch visitors above both the Hudson River and the Piermont Marsh directly below. The Long Path also makes use of some of the trails, descending steeply to the north as it heads toward the town of Piermont.

Walden Pond State Reservation protects a large pond, called Walden Pond, that was made famous by the writings of Henry David Thoreau in the mid-1800's. His famous transcendentalist book inspired countless others to begin exploring nature as a means of escape from the busyness and corrupt politics taking place in larger urban areas. The park also has a number of hiking trails that both circumnavigate the pond, as well as the surrounding terrain, connecting with other parks in the area. A key point of interest is also the site of Thoreau's cabin, found on the northwest side of Walden Pond.

At over 4,300 acres, Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is Westchester County, New York's largest park. It features a large variety of both hiking and cross-country skiing trails, along with many other forms of recreation, including fishing and camping. The park features a popular hike called Leatherman's Loop that brings hikers to a panoramic lookout that rises high above the Cross River Reservoir and the surrounding hills. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation also features a number of historic sites, including petroglyphs, and structures from as early as the 18th century.

The West Point Foundry was created after the War of 1812, and operated for nearly a century afterward. Situated just outside of the town of Cold Spring, New York, the preserve protects the ruins from the foundry, with educational displays and kiosks explaining the uses of each structure, as well as feats of engineering for the time. Making use of a series of dams along Foundry Brook, the ironworks had a steady flow of water for its manufacturing processes.