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Glimmerglass State Park

Selfie on the beach 2019
Glimmerglass State Park - Beach - Photo Courtesy of NYS Parks
Snowtubing at Glimmerglass State Park
Boat Rentals at Glimmerglass State Park
Pointing at Hyde Hall from the beach
Hyde Hall
Hyde Hall Covered Bridge - Oldest WOODEN covered bridge in USA.
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Central New York Region
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Glimmerglass State Park overlooks beautiful Otsego Lake, nicknamed "Glimmerglass" by James Fenimore Cooper in his Leatherstocking Tales. Open year-round, each season brings a multitude of outdoor recreational activities for visitors to the park.  Seasonal rates apply.  See trail maps HERE! During your visit, take time to tour Hyde Hall, a beautiful, historic 50-room country house (see Hyde Hall's website for admission rates and details). Rental facilities available includes picnic pavilion, two enclosed rooms (up to 70 and 100 people). Boating/Recreational Activities Car-top launch available with admission during season (Memorial Day to Labor Day).  Car-top launch available with NO admission fee after Labor Day.  Camping, Hiking, Biking, Fishing, Swimming, Canoe & Kayak rentals, Picnicking, Cross Country Skiing Snowshoeing Tubing, ice skating, and ice fishing are also available in the winter.     Fishing AccessA state boat launch with ramp is located on the south end of the lake off of Lake Street in Cooperstown.  At Glimmerglass State Park a car top launch is located on the northeast side of the lake. Fish Species Over 45 species of fish can be found in Otsego Lake, including, but not limited to: Rainbow Trout, Atlantic Salmon, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Lake Trout, Rock Bass, Bluegill, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Walleye and numerous species of Shiners.   Ice Fishing is permitted.  Please note there is a daily limit of 1 brown trout, 1 landlocked salmon, and 1 lake trout. 5 Hiking Trails including one accessible trail -  the Sleeping Lion Trail at Glimmerglass State Park Seen from the south, Mount Wellington, on the eastern shore of Otsego Lake, is said to resemble a sleeping lion.  The loop trail that climbs it from Glimmerglass State Park offers a lovely forested walk through majestic white pines, hemlocks, and hardwoods.  In addition to this trail, the park offers cross-country ski trails and other recreational facilities. Hiking Access The entrance to Glimmerglass State Park is on County Highway 31, 4.3 miles south of US Highway 20 and 8 miles north of Cooperstown.  After the entrance booth, drive .7 miles, passing a service road on the right, and park on the left.  To reach the trailhead, return to the service road, pass the gate, and bear left of the road, toward Hyde Hall.  The trailhead is on the right. Hiking Trail Information The Sleeping Lion Trail, about 2.5 miles long, is marked with orange paint blazes.  It climbs moderately steeply through the hemlock forest and then levels out along the shoulder of the mountain.  (The summit is on private land.) Parts of the trail are quite wet, even in the summer; boots are recommended.  This is also a good trail for snowshoeing.  The descent on the west site of the mountain offers views of Otsego Lake through the trees.  The trail comes out on a road just west of Hyde Hall.  Turn left on this road, passing Hyde Hall on the way back to the parking lot. Hyde Hall Covered Bridge - Located just inside the Glimmerglass State Park, the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge is the only covered bridge still standing in Otsego County. Built by Cyrenus Clark, Andrew Alden and Lorenzo Bates in 1825, this 53-foot-long, single span structure incorporates the Burr arch design patented in 1817 by Theodore Burr of Torringford, Connecticut. It is one of two authentic Burr arch truss bridges in the state and is located at the northern tip of Otsego Lake in Glimmerglass State Park. The Hyde Hall Covered Bridge is not only the oldest existing wooden, covered bridge in New York State but the oldest in the United States. It is one of three covered bridges in New York State with horizontal siding. The bridge was listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places on December 17, 1998. Note that our community is active in the research and mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) affecting our nation's waters. For more information on how to keep yourself and your pets safe, click here.

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Camping
  • # Electrical Sites: 37
  • # Sites Total: 50
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Amusements/Family Fun
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Nature
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Outdoor Adventures
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Winter Activities
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  • Total # of Trails: 5
  • Trail Fee: Free
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  • XC-Marked Trails (#): 5
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