Outdoor Activities
Your guide to outdoor fun in New York
Below are links to some of the more popular outdoor activity and recreation pages. Use the left and right column links for more detailed information about each activity.
DEC is committed to offering many opportunities for accessible recreation of all types. See DEC's statement on the new federal rule covering Power Driven Mobility Devices.
Hunting, Trapping and Fishing
DEC stocks waterbodies
across the state with popular
sportfish. Be sure to check
out the fishing hotlines which
are updated every week.
Saltwater Fishing
Boating
Boating Regulations
Where To Go Boating
- Boat launch sites by county
- Many DEC campgrounds allow boating
- Boating on certain waterbodies is restricted to non-motorized boats. Contact your DEC regional office.
Camping and Hiking
DEC Campgrounds and other State Campgrounds
Campgrounds in the Adirondacks and
Catskills are run by DEC. All other state
parks are run by the NYS Office of
Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation.
DEC runs Campgrounds in the Adirondacks and Catskills and four environmental education summer camps. State campgrounds elsewhere are run by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (See links leaving DEC's website)
- List of DEC Campgrounds
- DEC summer camps for kids ages 12 to 17
- Primitive or back country camping is allowed in the Adirondack and Catskill parks and other State forests.
- Camping for more than three nights or in groups of 10 or more requires a permit from a Forest Ranger.
Hiking
To locate hiking trails in New York State see:
- Places to Go (includes maps for state forests, wildlife management areas and other public lands)
- Adirondack trail information (including trail closures and other notices)
- Use the State Lands Interactive Mapper to create a customized trail map
- The North Country National Scenic Trail and Appalachian Trails pass through New York
- Use New York's Trailfinder Site (see links leaving DEC's website) to get information on 1200 miles of multi-use trails.
Winter Sports
Skiing
DEC lands offer many skiing opportunities including Belleayre, DEC's downhill/cross-country ski center in the Catskills and cross-country ski trails in state forests on the Tug Hill plateau.
Snowmobiling
There are 8000 miles of snowmobile
trails in NY, 1000 of which are in state
forests.
The State Snowmobile Trail System has over 8,000 miles of trails, 1000 miles are within state forests. All snowmobiles driven in New York State must be registered with the NY State Department of Motor Vehicles, even if they are registered in other states.
Finding Recreation Maps
- Mapping Gateway to find links to DEC's online map collection.
- View DEC's recreational maps with Google Earth or Google Maps.
- Use the State Lands Interactive Mapper to create your own map of state lands, wildlife management areas and recreation trails
More about Outdoor Activities:
- Hunting - Covers game species, seasons and regulations; types of licenses and how residents and non-residents can obtain a sporting license; information on sportsman education classes and where to hunt.
- Trapping - Regulations on furbearer management and trapping.Information on the trapper mentoring program.
- Fishing - Fishing seasons,regulations and places to fish for both freshwater and saltwater species.
- Boating - Listing of boat launch sites by county; guidelines for keeping waterways clean; diving guidelines for Lake George and other Submerged Heritage Preserves
- Camping - Camping in the Catskills and Adirondacks; how to get more information on back-country camping; new firewood safety regulations
- Shellfishing - Advice on gathering clams, mussels, oysters and scallops; how to find the list of shellfish closures
- Hiking & Rock Climbing - How to get information on hiking in the Adirondack and Catskill parks and other state-owned lands. How to recognize DEC trails.
- Snow Sports - skiing and snowmobiling opportunities in New York State.
- Places to Go - State-owned lands where the public can go for recreation
