Blauvelt State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blauvelt State Park |
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| Type | State park (undeveloped) |
| Location | Greenbush Road Blauvelt, New York |
| Nearest city | Nyack, New York |
| Area | 644 acres (2.61 km2) |
| Operated by | |
| Visitors | 24,529 (in 2014) |
| Open | All year |
| Website | Blauvelt State Park |
Blauvelt State Park is a large, undeveloped state park in Rockland County, New York. It covers about 644 acres (2.6 km²) and is located near the Hudson River and its famous Palisades cliffs. This park used to be a place called Camp Bluefields. It was a special training area for soldiers before World War I. The park is found just south of Nyack.
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Park's Past: Camp Bluefields
Before it became Blauvelt State Park, this land was known as Camp Bluefields. It was a huge rifle range, which is a place where people practice shooting guns. The main group that used it was the New York National Guard, a part of the military that helps in emergencies and supports the regular army.
A Big Shooting Range
In 1910, Camp Bluefields was said to be the biggest rifle range in the entire country. It covered about 335 acres (1.36 km²). However, people living nearby quickly started to complain. They worried about stray bullets, even before the range was fully finished. The rifle range was used from 1909 until 1913. After that, a group called the Palisades Interstate Park Commission took over the land.
Different Uses Over Time
After 1913, Camp Bluefields was used for many different things:
- It became a summer camp for working women from New York City, run by the YWCA.
- It was a training camp for ROTC students, who are college students training to become military officers.
- Columbia University also used it as a summer camp.
- It was a destination for kids from the Fresh Air Fund, a program that sends city kids to the countryside.
In 1930, the U.S. Army started using the property again for training. During World War II in 1942, soldiers from a nearby camp used it for training. It was also used as a place to watch for enemy planes during air raids in the war.
Cold War Defense
Next to Blauvelt State Park is Clausland Mountain County Park. This area used to have a Nike missile launch site. During the Cold War, these missiles were part of a defense system around New York City. Their job was to protect the city from enemy bombers.
What the Park Offers Today
Blauvelt State Park is mostly wild and natural. It doesn't have many buildings or facilities, just some hiking trails and a few places to park.
Connecting Parks
This park is connected to several other parks in the area. These include Clausland Mountain County Park, Buttermilk Falls County Park, Tackamack Park, and Schuyler/Bradley Town Park. Together, they form a large, connected area of parks along the Hudson Palisades.
Views and Trails
From the park, you can find amazing views of the Hudson River and the Tappan Zee bridge. A famous hiking trail called the Long Path goes through the park. This trail stretches from Fort Lee, New Jersey, all the way up to the Adirondack Mountains in New York.
Old Rifle Range Remains
You can still see parts of the old Camp Bluefields rifle range within the park. There are even tunnels that used to connect the targets to where the shooters stood. These ruins are a cool reminder of the park's past.
