$287,200 in visitor contributions have improved campground and day-use experiences
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) announced 15 grant recipients for its campground and day-use improvement initiative, the Enhanced Visitor Experience (EVE) program. The new EVE program empowers campers and day-use visitors to play an active role in improving their favorite state parks across New York by making donations during the reservation process. Funds are pooled and up to $10,000 can be distributed to various projects throughout the state parks system to support small but impactful campsite enhancements.
“The Enhanced Visitor Experience program invites New Yorkers to take an active role in shaping their favorite State Parks,” said New York State Parks Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser. “It helps us connect with visitors and listen to their ideas for improving the overall park experience. While our dedicated and thoughtful staff develop project proposals, many of the best ideas come directly from campers and day-use visitors. From enhanced accessibility at Allegany State Park to family movie nights at Heckscher, we’re proud to share this year’s many accomplishments, all made possible through our visitors’ vision and generosity.”
Going beyond major infrastructure improvements, examples of eligible projects include campsite beautification, ADA accessibility upgrades, public programming events, educational opportunities, and new recreation equipment.
Visitors are able to donate to the EVE program when making campsite and day-use site reservations on the ReserveAmerica website and choosing to round up the cost of their booking. An optional part of the reservation process, these small-dollar donations add up and help improve our campgrounds with new amenities and activities for visitors to enjoy. Of the more than 226,000 reservations made in 2024, nearly 23,500 donations were received. Since the donation program’s roll-out in August 2022; $287,200 have been raised for State Parks’ campgrounds and day-use facilities.
Natural Heritage Trust Executive Director Sally Drake said, “The Natural Heritage Trust is proud to work with State Parks and ReserveAmerica to administer the donations received through the campsite reservation round-up program and to support the projects funded through the Enhanced Visitor Experience initiative. As the charitable partner to New York’s state parks, we are inspired and encouraged by the generosity of those who choose to donate when booking their camping reservations, reflecting just how valued our parks are by so many. We look forward to supporting the many improvements these donations will make possible for campers across the state.”
Campground improvements funded by the EVE program’s first round of grants include:
Allegany Region
- 6 campsites in progress to be converted to accessible campsites at Allegany State Park
Central Region
- 22 rentable pairs of snowshoes at Glimmerglass State Park
Finger Lakes Region
- Swing set and fire ring replacements at Stony Brook State Park
- An accessible walkway to the water at Fair Haven Beach State Park
- Fire ring and grill replacements at Newtown Battlefield State Park
Long Island Region
- Outdoor movie nights at Heckscher State Park
- 18 Accessible picnic tables at Hempstead State Park
Niagara Region
- 5 sunset benches at Golden Hill State Park
Palisades Region
- Two upcoming projects to begin upon approval; projects include ADA improvements and recreational opportunities at Harriman State Park
Saratoga / Capital Region
- Complimentary kayaks and campground storage at Moreau Lake State Park
- Seesaw replacement at Max V. Shaul State Park
- An accessible path, wheelchair swing set, and repaved basketball court at Thacher State Park – Thompson's Lake
Taconic Region
- Environmental education resources at Taconic State Park, including furs, skulls and other supplies
Thousand Islands Region
- All-terrain beach wheelchairs for Southwick Beach State Park, Westcott Beach State Park, and Jacques Cartier State Park
Progress updates for EVE-funded projects can be found on the ReserveAmerica website and by following New York State Parks on social media.
The Natural Heritage Trust
The Natural Heritage Trust is a non-profit, public-benefit corporation with the mission to receive and administer gifts, grants and contributions to further public programs for parks, recreation, cultural, land and water conservation and historic preservation purposes of the State of New York. The NHT accomplishes its mission by accepting donations, raising funds, and through cooperative programs and projects with its agency partners: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of State (DOS). For more information visit www.naturalheritagetrust.org.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, Lin
