Sterling Forest State Park facts for kids

Sterling Forest State Park is a huge park in Orange County, New York. It covers about 21,938 acres (88.78 km²) of land. This park is located in the beautiful Ramapo Mountains. It was created in 1998 and is one of the biggest new parks in New York in the last 50 years.

Park History

How the Park Began

Long ago, in 1702, the land that is now Sterling Forest was part of a large area called Cheesecock. English colonists bought this land from the Iroquois people. Later, the land became home to the Sterling Iron Works. This company mined iron ore from many places inside what is now the park. The last of these mines closed in the 1920s.

Saving the Forest

Sterling Forest State Park was officially created in 1998. New York State bought about 15,280 acres (61.8 km²) of land for $55 million. This money came from both public and private groups. Groups like The Trust for Public Land and the Open Space Institute helped make this purchase happen. They worked with a special team called the Public-Private Partnership to Save Sterling Forest. This team included conservation groups from New York and New Jersey.

More land was added to the park over the years:

• In 1999, 659 acres were bought from New York University.
• In 2000, another 1,065 acres were added. Many groups and government leaders helped fund this, including the State of New Jersey and Governor George Pataki.
• In 2005, a 90-acre farm in Warwick was added.
• In 2006, the park grew by 575 acres (2.33 km²). This land, called Sterling Forge, was going to be used for luxury homes and a golf course. But local people and environmental groups worked together to save it. The Trust for Public Land helped buy this land for the park.
• In 2021, 112 more acres were added thanks to a partnership with the Orange County Land Trust.

What You Can Find in the Park

Amazing Wildlife

Sterling Forest is a very important home for many animals and plants. You might see timber rattlesnakes, black bears, and foxes. Many types of raptors (like hawks and eagles) and songbirds live here too. The park also protects rare invertebrates (like insects) and special plants.

The forest is part of a much larger natural area, over 100,000 acres (400 km²) big. This huge woodland acts like a "highway" for wildlife. It also helps keep the water clean for nearby cities.

Lakes and Trails

The park has several beautiful lakes and reservoirs, including Sterling Lake and Blue Lake. These waters are great for fishing, even ice fishing in winter!

Sterling Forest is part of the New York - New Jersey Highlands. This is a large natural area that connects different parks and forests. The park also protects a part of the famous Appalachian Trail. This long hiking trail crosses the northern part of Sterling Forest.

Visitor Center and Activities

You can visit the Frank R. Lautenberg Visitor Center. It has cool exhibits about the local environment and offers great views of Sterling Lake. You can also find the Sterling Mountain Fire Observation Tower and Observer's Cabin on Sterling Mountain.

The park offers many fun activities:

• Hiking
• Snowshoeing
• Hunting (with a special permit during certain seasons)
• Fishing
• Ice fishing

The park is managed by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. The New York - New Jersey Trail Conference helps take care of the Appalachian Trail section in Sterling Forest.