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Chestnut Ridge Park facts for kids

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Chestnut Ridge Park
Chestnut Ridge Park Oct2010.jpg
Fall scene in Chestnut Ridge Park
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Type Regional park
Location 6121 Chestnut Ridge Road Orchard Park, NY
Nearest city Buffalo, New York
Area 1,213 acres (4.91 km2)
Created 1926 (1926)
Operated by Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry
Open All year; 7:00 am- Dusk
Website Chestnut Ridge Park

Chestnut Ridge Park is a 1,213-acre (4.91 km2) park in Orchard Park, New York, originally named for the chestnut trees on its hills. It is currently the largest park operated by the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, and is open year-round.

The Chestnut Ridge Park property was acquired by Erie County in 1926, and it was one of the first parks established by the county. The park's facilities and landscapes were improved substantially by the Works Progress Administration throughout the 1930s.

Facilities and attractions

  • The park has facilities and space for tennis, hiking, disc golf, snowmobiling, sledding and other outdoor activities.
  • The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra has held summer concerts at the base of the sledding hill, which provides an amphitheater-like setting.
  • On a clear day, the sledding hill offers views of Buffalo and Lake Erie. Toboggan chutes also operate on the sled hill during the winter.
  • The Eternal Flame Falls, a small waterfall containing a natural "eternal flame," is located within the park. The falls are situated within what was once known as the Shale Creek Preserve, a wilderness area formerly owned by the Buffalo Museum of Science.
  • A tower facility used for firefighter training is located on the premises.

Although said to be one of the largest county parks in the United States, at least one larger county park is located nearby. The 2,500-acre (10 km2) Mendon Ponds Park, a county park in Monroe County, New York, is situated approximately 80 miles (130 km) away.

Gallery

  • Chestnut Ridge hill

    Chestnut Ridge Park sledding hill

  • Chestnut Ridge chutes

    Toboggan chutes at Chestnut Ridge Park sledding hill

  • Eternal flame falls 7252

    Eternal Flame Falls in Chestnut Ridge Park

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