One of the things I love about writing about all the great places in New York State is getting to experience some seriously cool places firsthand. This is one of those places. The more we explore New York the more we discover that it is filled with uncommon places that are often some of the best-kept secrets in the state. Rock City Park is one of those places. While we have visited a few of the giant outcroppings of exposed conglomerate rocks, each of them is a little different from the others.
World’s Largest Exposure of Quartz Conglomerate Rock
Rock City Park holds the distinction of having the largest exposure of quartz conglomerate rock in the world. The sheer size of these rocks is awe-inspiring. You just can’t help but feel minuscule in comparison. These ginormous rock formations were formed around 320 million years ago. There are many unique formations throughout the park, that are highlighted for visitors, such as the Three Sisters Rocks, The Balancing Rock, and the Indian Stairs.
Visiting with Kids
Kids will love Rock City Park. They really discourage climbing on the rocks at Rock City Park and try to make the park as safe as possible. Although, it is not a good idea to bring real young children here. It is absolutely not a stroller-friendly destination. Children either need to be in a frame pack, which I would not recommend or they need to be extremely agile on their feet and as well as be able to follow directions.
The kids we saw there were school-aged and older and they were just having a ball. Our kids are teens and they positively loved hiking here. There are other fun touches that make this place a fun destination for kids. There are several statues that kids can pose with. We noticed a lot of little kids loved to ring the bell at the top when they finished their hike.
Safety & Touring Rock City Park
When you when arrive, make sure you use the restroom that is located near the parking lot. There are no bathrooms on the trail. Once you pay for your admission, make sure to take the pamphlet that they give you. I know in many cases people like to be green and save the literature for others, but if you haven’t visited before you are going to want it. There is a very much-needed map and interesting facts about some of the more interesting rock formations.
You will notice a vast temperature difference once you head down into the rocks. We went on an extremely hot and it was a relief to hike in the cooler air. However, I would imagine that it could be uncomfortably chilling on a much cooler day. I would suggest bringing along a sweatshirt on a cool day. Like my mother always told me, “You can always take it off but you can’t put it on if you don’t have it.”
There are numerous signs posted all over the place prohibiting climbing on the rocks. This seems well advised here as these giant conglomerate rocks are covered in moss, unlike other places we have visited, and it is extremely slippery. When we visited we actually witness two people slip and fall off a rock. One appeared to have injured their knee, while the other gashed their head open on one of the giant formations. While they weren’t seriously hurt, it could have been much worse.
It is incredibly beautiful walking around the enormous rocks, like walking into a mythical realm. The formations are spectacular. There are very defined trails through the rocks, as well as alleys and crevices that guests can explore. However, the trail route isn’t exactly easy to follow. There are markers on the trees but it is easy to miss them and get off track, especially with all the alleys. This is where the map comes in handy.
Gems in the Gift Shop
It is not often that you will find me gushing over a gift shop but this one is fantastic. We are all rock hounds in my family. We love collecting weird rocks, minerals, and gems. The gift shop at Rock City Park has a massive collection of rocks and gems. They are all so reasonably priced, that it was hard to not buy the place out. I was overwhelmed by the vast amount of stones and gems to choose from. I think we spent almost as much time perusing the gift shop’s collection of rocks and gems as we spent on the trail hiking through the gigantic conglomerate rocks.
Hours
May 1st through October 31st
9 am to 5 pm daily
The park will close if the weather is bad, so it is not a bad idea to call ahead to check if you are in doubt. 1-866-404-ROCK
This is a pet-friendly park and dogs are welcome as long as they are leashed and you clean up after them.
Getting to Rock City Park
It is really easy to find Rock City Park. It is very well advertised and you honestly can’t miss it. Our GPS did go in and out of service as we drive through the surrounding hills. Address: 505 Route 16 South, Olean
Google Map Link
Have you visited Rock City Park before? What did you think of it? Did we miss anything? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.