The word “Taconic” is a Native American term from the Lenape language that means “In the Trees,” and it perfectly describes this beautiful campground. If you’re looking for a stunning campground in the Hudson Valley, this is the place to be! It offers excellent hiking trails, a historic site, and a waterfall. We had a wonderful time during our stay at this lovely state park.
Camping
The camping facilities at Taconic State Park are excellent. It offers 96 campsites, 14 cabins, and 4 cottages to cater to different preferences. It is one of the oldest state parks in the region, so the campground is full of beautiful old trees, offering lots of shade. Sites in Loop A & B are open and offer little privacy (although under a canopy of old, tall trees), and many of these sites have platforms. Loops C & D are still wooded but not nearly as shaded, and these sites also offer more privacy. We camped in Loop D, and it was the perfect setup and close to the trails.
While the campground might be old, the bathrooms are far from that. In fact, these might just be some of the nicest, cleanest bathrooms I have ever seen in a state park.
Hiking
One of the best parts of this campground was that several hiking trails were right in it. The Blue and Yellow Trails were located right in our camping loop.
Blue Trail – (2 miles -out & back) We took this trail, and it was a straightforward hike to Sunset Rock Road. The trail was beautiful and lined with ferns. This was a super easy hike through the woods.
Yellow Trail – This trail leads to Sunset Rock Rd. We didn’t hike this trail, but I imagine that it is similar to the Blue Trail.
Red Trail – (3.9 mile loop) This trail leads to Sunset Rock (It also leads to the Bash Bish Falls Trail from the Campground.
Bash Bish Falls Trail – (3/4 mile from the parking lot on the New York side)
Bash Bish Falls
While Bash Bish Falls is technically in Massachusetts, the majority of the trail is in New York. The fun part of this trail is walking across the New York Border into Massachusetts. I know it’s silly, but I got a real kick out of this, and so did our kids.
This gorgeous waterfall is absolutely worth the short hike to visit.
Copake Iron Works Historic District
Copake Falls area, of which Taconic State Park is apart, were an important of the industrialized of the eastern United States. This area was perfect for an ironworks because the area had everything needed to produce iron; a large supply of raw iron ore, a source of power (from Bash Bish Fall), and plenty of fuel (a vast forest.)
The Copake Iron Works Historic Site is one of the best-preserved examples of 19th-century industrial iron-making in the northeast. The historic site has many of the original buildings and structures, including the furnace.
This site also has a museum and a railroad that families can ride for free. The train is an iron cart that has been refitted to take passengers around the narrow gauge track. The railroad runs every weekend (and holidays) from Memorial Day through mid-October from 2pm to 4pm.
Swimming Area
There is a large swimming area is a former ore bed, from the days of the Copake Falls Ironworks. This swimming area is only open when there is a lifeguard on duty. However, there is a wading pool that is always open. And thank goodness for that. On our visit, it was sweltering, and the swimming area was closed; we were able to cool off in the wading pool. It wasn’t very deep but it did the job.
Fishing
A floating fishing dock is close to the shore, on the opposite side of the ore bed from the swimming area, and people use it for fishing. The dock floats and, although anchored to shore, sometimes can float away enough from shore that you might have to get your feet wet getting on and off.
Wildlife Warning & Precaution
This is Bear Country, so you need to be vigilant on the upkeep of your campsite. Under no condition should you ever feed a bear. As they say, “A fed bear is a dead bear.” Bears are smart and can recognize coolers and food storage. DO NOT FEED THE BEARS. This is for your safety and theirs. FYI- Bears aren’t the only wildlife that can possibly wander through your campsite and will be attracted by your food. Skunks, raccoons, and even mice will be on the search for a handout. They might look cute, but you must discourage them from seeing your campsite as an all-you-can-eat buffet.
- Don’t leave food, coolers, or garbage around your campsite (This includes pet food.)
- Store all food and coolers property. DO NOT store them in your tent.
- DO NOT sleep in the clothes that you cooked in and ate in.
- NEVER burn garbage or extra food in your campfire. Clean the grill and dispose of excess food properly.
Timber Rattlesnakes are one of the many species of snakes that call Taconic State Park home. If you should encounter one, DO NOT TOUCH IT. Call the Park office and report where and when you saw it.
Out and About with Nova
Nova loves to camp, but when she sees other dogs, she likes to greet them with the songs of her people. What made this campground nice, or at least the section we were in, was that our site was very private. Therefore, she only saw other dogs as they walked past our site, keeping her excitement to a minimum.
As with all New York State Parks, dogs must always be leashed and never left unattended. Please remember to clean up after them.
Owners will be asked to show proof of current rabies vaccination.
Getting to Taconic State Park
Address: 253 NY-344, Copake Falls, NY