Emergency Phone Numbers Medical, Fire, Police..............................................911 Park Police (Emergency #)................1-877-851-6086 Oquaga Creek Park Police Administration...................315-492-6422 Park Office............................................607-467-4160 STATE PARK Facilities 1385 Acres 90 Campsites (Trailers allowed) 7 Rustic cabins 1 cottage (2 bedrooms, No Pets) Sand Beach, Beach Concession/Snack Bar Reservable Pavilion, Reservable Tent Trails Swing Sets Directions Picnic Areas with Tables and Fireplaces BUFFALO-ROCHESTER-SYRACUSE: Take Disc Golf Course Thruway I-90 East to Exit 36 Junction I-81. Take I-81 Hot Showers (For campers), Flush Toilets South to Whitney Point Exit. Take 206 East to Beech Hill Trailer Dumping Station Rd, 4 miles East of Bennettsville to park. Car-Top Boat Launching (No motors, sails) ALBANY: Take Thruway I-90 West to Schenectady Exit 25A. Take Rt. 88 West to Bainbridge Exit. Take 206 East Activities to Beech Hill Rd, 4 miles past Bennettsville to park. Swimming NEW YORK: Take Rt. 17 North to Exit 84 at Deposit. Hiking Go North on Rt. 8 for 3 miles. Turn left on Country Rd Fishing 20 and follow it about 9 miles to park. Hunting (Contact Park Office for permits/details.) BINGHAMTON: Take Rt. 88 East to Bainbridge. Follow Ice Fishing Rt. 206 East for approximately 5 miles to Beech Hill Road, Cross-Country Skiing to park. Sledding Snowshoeing Reservations Reservations for all New York State Park Campgrounds are available by calling the New York State Camping Accessibility Reservation System at 1-800-456-CAMP, or online at www.ReserveAmerica.com Accessible parking spaces and picnic areas Regional Office : 315-492-1756 are available within the park and are marked. 5995 Cty. Hwy. 20 Please contact the park office for specific www.nysparks.com Bainbridge, NY 13733 information. Park Office: (607) 467-4160 Fax: (607) 467-2011 Carry In - Carry Out Day Use Patrons: Please comply with the stated Produced by JMF Publishing Carry-In, Carry-Out Policy. Please take all your garbage 30 Burr, New York Mills, NY 13417 as a service for visitors to the Central Region of the New York with you when you leave the park. Thank you. State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Overnight Patrons: Please give your attention to For sponsorship information call 315-768-7137 current recycling efforts by use of appropriately marked or email [email protected] containers in camping/cabin area. Hiking and Wildlife Good Manners Recreation There are several paths for hiking throughout the park, Be respectful of others by keeping noise to a minimum Your visit to Oquaga Creek State Park can include a including an interpretive nature trail. Twelve interpretive level and keeping your campsite or picnic area clean, and signs guide visitors along this ¼ mile trail. On this route, wide variety of recreational opportunities. The park litter-free. Litter leads to more litter; don’t be the first to offers spectacular scenery, 90 campsites, 7 “rustic” visitors can observe the dams and lodges in Oquaga Creek drop it. built by resident beavers. Other trail stops focus on wildlife cabins, hiking trails, a disc golf course, concession It is illegal to collect anything on state lands. Plants, stand, picnic areas, and the 55-acre, man-made Arctic habitat and significant trees of the park such as Yellow fossils, rocks, and animals are important parts of the park Birch, Red Maple, American Maple and Black Cherry. Lake. The guarded swimming beach is open daily from experience. Please leave them there for everyone’s mid-June to Labor Day. There is also a car-top launch- Because of its rural character, Oquaga Creek abounds enjoyment and your safety. with wildlife. An occasional Wild Turkey can be seen in ing site for rowboats and canoes. Launching is available Pets are welcome, but must be properly licensed and a short distance from the parking area for personal the Red Pine reforestation plantation. The lucky hiker may proof of a current rabies vaccination must be presented. glimpse White-tailed Deer, Cottontail Rabbit, Beaver, non-motorized boats. Boat rentals are available. Anglers Household pets must be kept on a leash no longer than six can fish for Black Bass, Brown bullheads, and stocked Woodchuck, Gray Squirrel, Black Bear, Coyote and Red (6) feet, and must never be left unattended. Fox. Rainbow Trout. Bird watchers, too, can enjoy sighting many species Park History In winter, enjoy ice fishing and sledding. Cross- country skiers will want to explore the ten miles of trails, of birds, including Pileated Woodpecker, Baltimore Oquaga is an Indian word meaning “land of the wild and snowshoe enthusiasts can hike throughout the park. Oriole, Blue Heron, Rosebreasted Grosbeak, and various grape” and may have been derived from the abundance of With the multitude of activities available at Oquaga Warblers. Perhaps the most prized sightings of all, though, wild grapes, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries that are of the State Bird of New York, the Eastern Bluebird. dot the landscape. Creek State Park, there is always a new way to relax. A successful conservation effort on the part of the Oquaga Oquaga Creek opened to the public in July of 1979. Camping Creek staff and volunteers has resulted in an increase in Although its almost 1500 acres are tucked away in a fairly the population of this beautiful bird. Many nest boxes rural area of Broome and Delaware Counties, it is the Unplug and unwind! Oquaga Creek has no cell or have been built and placed throughout the park. Boxes perfect vacation spot in a beautiful setting. Far from the WIFI service. Take advantage and enjoy the are placed in pairs to take advantage of the more aggressive cities and crowds, one can escape for a weekend of peace….slow down, read a book, take a walk, go Tree Swallow’s territorial instincts. Because the swallow camping, swimming, hiking and relaxing. And, because fishing. Get back to basics! There are 90 tenting and will not allow its own species near its nest box, the adjacent the park is open throughout the year, visitors can enjoy trailer sites, and seven “rustic” cabins available in the box is available for occupancy by the Eastern Bluebird. recreational opportunities during all seasons. park. The cabins offer protection from the elements, but From March through October, the park visitor has the The history of the land of Oquaga Creek State Park water and electric are not provided. A fire ring is opportunity to observe conservation in action. dates back to land grants issued to veterans of the provided at each site, and central hot showers are As always, it is important to remember that we are Revolutionary War. The farms established here were never provided at comfort stations. There is a maximum 14- visitors to the natural surroundings. Take only pictures particularly successful, due to the short growing season day stay at the park and reservations can be made by and leave only footprints. and the high elevations. Consequently, most were calling 1-800-456-CAMP. abandoned and the land returned to its natural state. By The cottage at Oquaga Creek State Park: Just the 1930’s, ownership had reverted back to the State of bring linens (bedding, towels) and you're ready to settle Park Patron Alert New York and remained as state forest land until the 1960s. in. This full-service cottage has everything else you need for a delightful vacation. Oquaga Creek State Park is home to a large and active The New York State Office of Parks and Recreation population of raccoons. Please secure all food in your obtained the land from the NY State Dept. of Seasonal sites are now available. Please contact vehicle before leaving your campsite or retiring for the Environmental Conservation with plans to create a new the main office for details. evening. Remember that raccoons are wild animals and state park. Groundbreaking ceremonies took place in 1974, Other Nearby State Parks should NOT be enticed into your campsite. With incidents and five years later the park officially opened to the public. Chenango Valley State Park of rabies on the rise in New York State, we ask that you do not feed, attract, or harass raccoons or other wildlife. Terrain Features (Rte 369, 13 miles N of Binghamton) If you notice any animals that appear ill, or are acting in Bowman Lake State Park 55 Acre Lake a strange manner, contact park staff immediately. Report (Rte 220, 8 miles W. of Oxford) any bites, scratches, or other contact with a wild or Rolling, Wooded Hills Gilbert Lake State Park domestic animal to park staff. Elevation: 2300 Feet (Between Rtes 205 & 51, 12 miles NW of Oneonta) CAMPER ALERT: DONT MOVE FIREWOOD A new regulation is now in effect that prohibits moving untreated firewood more than 50 miles from its source. The regulation also bans importing firewood into New York unless it has been kiln-dried to kill invasive insects. You can help protect our forests and campgrounds from tree-killing insects and diseases: • Leave firewood at home -do not bring wood from home to campgrounds or parks. •Only use firewood from local sources, or wood that has been heat-treated to kill pests. •Burn ALL your wood before leaving your campsite. Black Bear Winery Smoking Policy 248 County Rd #1 Chenango Forks Smoking is prohibited in all park Fruit Wines, Meads & Draft Ciders buildings and structures, as well as on Tue-Sun 12pm-6pm Fri till 9pm or near playgrounds, beaches, bath- www.blackbearwinery.com houses, or any other designated non- 607-656-9863 smoking areas. We’re 32 miles from your campsite County Rd 20 to Rt 206, then left.