Parks

Parks

Bainbridge boasts several beautiful parks, with a variety of activities such as camping, hiking, and swimming. Click on the tabs below to learn what unique activities each park has to offer.

General Clinton ParkPathfinder ParkBainbridge Village GreenWilliam S. Payne Memorial ParkFinger Lakes Trail in BainbridgeOquaga Creek State Park

The 45-acre General Clinton Park is named in honor of General James Clinton, who lead soldiers down the Susquehanna River from Cooperstown in 1779 as part of the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition during the Revolutionary War. Nearly 200 years later, in 1963, two canoes traveled for over 18 hours from Cooperstown to Bainbridge in the pilot trip down the Susquehanna River, and the first General Clinton Canoe Regatta took place that year. In the first few years of the race, it finished at Dix’s flat closer to the center of the Village of Bainbridge, but in 1972, the Bainbridge Clinton Park and hosted the General Clinton Canoe Regatta finish there from then on. In 2005, the Chamber gave the park to the Town of Bainbridge.

The park is busy all year, not just Canoe Regatta weekend in May. At different times of the year, you might catch a dog show, motor home enthusiasts, a car show, or horse drawn sleighs, along with other activities.

Facilities at the park include: a one-mile stone dust walking trail which circles the park, bringing walkers along the river bank, a band shell; a large, enclosed pavilion and two open-air pavilions; bathrooms and showers; motor home hookups; enclosed cooking facilities for fundraising purposes; sports fields for soccer, softball and baseball; a playground and a gazebo; plenty of parking and easy access.

Camping specifications: Fair gravel roads;  50 grass, some shaded, 38 pull-throughs (25 X 50), back -ins (25 X 50), mostly side by side hookups; 50 W, 50 E (30/50 amps), tent sites available. Dump. River, Boat Ramps, Pets OK. $25. Disc: Military. May 1 – Oct. 31. To make reservations, email townofbainbridge@stny.rr.com or call 607.967.3781.

To reserve the facility, contact the Bainbridge Town Office at 607.967.3781.

Pathfinder Park, at the northeast boundary of the Village of Bainbridge along Route 7, is in the triangle of land between old Route 7 and the present Route 7. Though the Bainbridge Lions Club installed a gazebo there initially, the park was officially created in 2005 as an Eagle Scout project for Bainbridge Troop 52. It is meant to commemorate one of the more well-known people to be born in Bainbridge-Jedediah Strong Smith, an early pioneer and explorer of the West. He lived in his family’s log cabin along the Susquehanna River for the first 10 years of his life. Born in 1799, Jed developed his interest in hunting and exploring in the wilderness nearby, good training for the pathfinder who would be the first American to enter California overland, crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains from west to east. The park is an ideal place to reflect and relax, and think about Jed’s upbringing in Bainbridge. Pathfinder Park includes a monument to Jed Smith, a gazebo, a stone bench, an information kiosk, picnic tables and a grill. It has easy access from Route 7 and is maintained by the Village of Bainbridge.

The Village Green is an attractive centerpiece to the Village of Bainbridge, located at the corner of East and South Main streets. From Memorial Day until early November, every Saturday morning, flea market vendors come to the Green, bringing an ever-changing selection of goods for bargain shoppers. This well-landscaped space provides a gathering place for other events as well and a focal point for the town. The Green is ringed by white churches and criss-crossed by walking paths. It is reminiscent of a New England village green, something that the early Bainbridge residents, who were transplants from Connecticut and Vermont, desired in their developing town. This common area was first laid out in 1875 and embellished with trees and shrubbery to establish an ornamental park. The distinctive fountain was added around 1900 along with the soldier’s monument. Other noted features of the park include a classic white gazebo that hosts concerts by the Bainbridge Old Time Band in the summer and monuments to the Vietnam War, the Korean war, and World Wars I and II.

A village park that is especially appealing for families is the William S. Payne Memorial Park on the corner of Front Street and Walnut Ave. In warmer weather, the park’s large pool and playground is especially inviting, and it becomes a magnet for children on summer vacation. Many youth also use the volleyball court and basketball court in the park. Groups can reserve the open pavilion that has picnic tables, barbecue grills and a lovely view of the Susquehanna River. Also in the park is a car-top boat launch for easy access to the river. For questions about summer swimming lessons or reserving the park pavilion, contact the Bainbridge Town Office at 607.967.3781.

One of Bainbridge’s loveliest outdoor locations is along the Finger Lakes Trail that cuts through the town and village. The main Finger Lakes Trail is 549 miles from Allegheny State Park in the west to its junction with the Long Path in the Catskills in the east. This trail is the longest continuous hiking trail in New York State, located on state and private land. A six-mile section of the Trail takes you from the western edge of the Town into the center of Bainbridge on private land but with Trail right of way. The recognizable yellow Finger Lakes Trail signs and white blazes on trees mark the path from Case Road to Route 206. Near the Welcome to Bainbridge sign on Route 206 west of the Village is the most dramatic spot on the trail in that section. Follow the marked trail from the welcome sign to the Newton Creek ravine where the creek cuts over some stone ledges to create a picturesque waterfall. This site was a historic picnic spot for many early Bainbridge residents and the site is still worth visiting today. For information on the Finger Lakes Trail, go to http://www.fltconference.org/trail/.

Oquaga Creek State Park, part of the New York State Parks system, is just over the southeast border of the Town of Bainbridge, and is a picturesque setting for residents to spend a few hours, the whole day or even overnight. The park is surrounded by state forests and gentle hills, with six miles of trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, and snow shoeing. In the middle of the park is 55-acre Arctic Lake, a man-made body of water with a sand beach for swimmers, and black bass, bullheads and rainbow trout for fisherman, along with a car-top boat launch and boat rentals. In the winter, ice fisherman set up on the frozen lake, and sledders enjoy the rolling, wooded hills. It’s a great place for families to enjoy the day, with a playground, a nature trail and food concessions. For those who want to camp, 95 sites are available and six rustic cabins, with dumping stations. There is also a full-service cottage to rent.

For more information, phone: 607.467.4160

See more at: http://nyparks.com/parks/27#snformation