Town of Clifton Park
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COVID-19 UPDATES CLICK HERE     |    CLIFTON PARK OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Open Space Contact Info

Jennifer Viggiani
Open Space Coordinator
Town Planning Department

phone icon (518) 371-6054
fax icon (518) 371-1136
email icon Email
map icon One Town Hall Plaza
      Clifton Park, NY 12065

Committee Leadership

David Miller – Co-Chairman
                          – Town Board Liaison


Office Hours

Monday - Friday
9:00am - 5:00pm

Open Space, Trails & Riverfront Advisory Committee


New!  Click here for nearby Trails & Paths in Clifton Park and immediate vicinity.

New!  Please click here for locations of  Parks, Preserves & Natural Areas in Clifton Park.

See the Open Space Program's website:  www.cliftonparkopenspaces.org

The OPEN SPACE, TRAILS & RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE's next meeting is Wed., September 14, 2022, at 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Clifton Park Town Hall. Please call the Open Space Coordinator to confirm.  There is no meeting in July or August.  Subcommittees will meet as needed.  The Open Space, Trails & Riverfront Committee meets monthly. Meetings are open to the public. The committee conducts its work through multiple, active subcommittees: Stewardship, Trails, Farmland Protection & Agriculture, Communications/Website, Events/Activities/Programs, and Land Preservation & Acquisition.   Councilman Anthony Morelli is the Town Board Liaison.  Please contact the Open Space Coordinator for information.

The Open Space, Trails & Riverfront Advisory Committee's 2022 Members are:

  1. David Miller
  2. William Connor, Jr.
  3. Gerald Burr
  4. Frank Berlin
  5. Raymond Seymour
  6. Isabel Prescott
  7. Alicia Jacobs
  8. Michael Hartnett, Esq.
  9. James Flaherty
  10. Leonard Casper
  11. Gurinder Garcha
  12. Petra Holden 

UPDATED TRAILS MAP - HAYES NATURE PARK 

Eagle Scout Christian Blood conducted park improvements at Hayes Nature Park recently, working closely with the Stony Creek Park District I and Town of Clifton Park, including updating the Hayes Nature Park Trails Map and creating a QR code for easy reference for visitors. Below is his new 2022 Trails Map for Hayes Nature Park:Hayes Nature Park 2022 Map by Christian Blood volunteer

Visit KINNS ROAD PARK -- Virtually!

As part of a Girl Scout Gold Award Project completed in 2021, Alison Szczesny, has created a video series showcasing Kinns Road Park, posted January 2022, for viewers to experience the park when they are not able to be there in person!

Nature Trail Videos of Kinns Road Park

Below please find a collection of recent videos for visitors to screen and experience 14 trails at Kinns Road Park, during Spring and also during the Fall. 

“Over the course of a year, I decided to walk and document each of 14 trails in Kinns Road Park. I recorded my hikes in the hopes of creating an online library of videos that would highlight the beauty of the park. I hiked each trail in both the mid fall and late spring. Over the course of the summer of 2021, I took the raw videos and smoothed them over, carefully editing them in ways that would highlight their natural wonder. Then, I worked with the Town of Clifton Park to add these virtual hikes to a new page off the Town’s website. I hope that my Girl Scout Gold Award Project makes this beautiful forest park accessible to all.”

 --Alison Szczesny, Girl Scout Troop 2505, introducing her Girl Scout Gold Award 2021 Project

  • Spring Videos of Kinns Road Park - Click here for videos of 14 trails and what you would experience in Spring at Kinns Road Park.

  • Fall Videos of Kinns Road Park Videos - Click here for videos of 14 trails and what you would experience in Fall at Kinns Road Park.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ROCKS IN CLIFTON PARK!

  pdf GEOLOGY WALKS (1.87 MB)

As part of a Girl Scout Silver Award Project, Katherine Johnson, of Troop 2158,  developed a "Geology Walks" informational brochure highlighting information about the geology of Clifton Park, in September 2021. The brochure, prepared as a community benefit project, offers educational information about rock formations in a visually interesting format, linked to locations where you can hike, walk, and stroll to see the "rocks of Clifton Park"!  Some hard copies are now available at the Town of Clifton Park Town Hall Reception Area and the Parks & Recreation Department Offices.  A digital brochure is also available by clicking below on the 2-page brochure:

image GEOLOGY WALKS Brochure - Page 1 of 2 (1.86 MB) ;

image GEOLOGY WALKS Brochure - Page 2 of 2 (609 KB) .

More information about her project and additional resources on Geology can be found by clicking here: pdf Geology Project Background & Additional Resources (1.87 MB) .

 VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK & MOONEY CARRESE FOREST

Lenny Casper and Jim Flaherty, members of the Stewardship Subcommittee refreshed the Trail Markers at Veterans Memorial Park & Mooney Carrese Forest.  Please see the Updated 2021 Trail Map below:

Veterans Memorial Park & Mooney Carrese Forest - 2021 TRAILS MAP
The Blue Trail is now open at the Town's Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve!  Thank you to Eagle Scout Ryan Haug! You can start the Blue Trail at the Main Parking trailhead entrance off of Pierce Road.  Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve TRAIL MAP - May 2021

 VISCHER FERRY NATURE & HISTORIC PRESERVE: Want more info about this special place? Please see this 2002 Vischer Ferry Nature & Historic Preserve Brochure or visit www.cliftonparkopenspaces.org

WHIPPLE BRIDGE at VISCHER FERRY NATURE & HISTORIC PRESERVE:  The iconic Whipple Bridge marks the prominent entrance to the preserve, located south of the intersection of Riverview Road and Van Vranken Road.  This historic bridge was placed onsite in 1997 with the help of Union College and other volunteers, moved from its original location in Fonda, NY.  For more information about the history of Whipple bridges and this particular span, please see an excerpt of the engineering students' 1996 study, here: 

https://www.cliftonpark.org/index.php?option=com_fileman&view=attachments&e_name=jform_articletext&layout=editor&container=fileman-attachments&table=content&row=59#
 
 37-ACRE TOWN CENTER PARK PROJECT.  Update April 2022: Town consultants completed Phase 1 detailed and final design. In March 2022, project was announced for public construction bidding.  Construction of the Phase 1 public access improvements is anticipated for the 2022 construction season. 
 
Previously, the former planning and design consultant team presented the Town Park Master Plan to the Town Board on Dec. 9, 2019, for town board and public review.  The documents may be reviewed at: https://www.cliftonpark.org/projects.html.   ALso, if you missed the JUNE 5, 2020 Stewardship Subcommittee's virtual program about the new Town Center Park, you can still view it here as a PDF file:  https://1drv.ms/b/s!AlFS35U05_VXg4JH0kWk6VUbMlLYUw?e=Y2cLHP

STEWARDSHIP HIKES - ARCHIVES:  

If you missed the JULY 10, 2020 Stewardship program about GARNSEY PARK, you can still view it here as a PDF file:  Virtual Stewardship Hike_Garnsey Park_7-10-20

 If you missed the JUNE 5, 2020 Stewardship program about the 37 Acre of the new Town Center Park, you can still view it here as a PDF file:  https://1drv.ms/b/s!AlFS35U05_VXg4JH0kWk6VUbMlLYUw?e=Y2cLHP

Thank you!  Any questions?  Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

   

 

 

 
 

 Photo of wildflowers

A Field Guide to Wildflowers

Open Spaces Website Home 53

Clifton Park Open Spaces

     
Link to Open Space Documents    

 

The Open Space, Trails and Riverfront Committee offers advisory recommendations to the Town Board for implementing the Town’s Open Space Program and managing the town’s public lands. The Town’s Open Space Program is based on the Town of Clifton Park Open Space Plan adopted by the Town Board in 2003. The program includes activities such as: the acquisition of land and conservation easements to protect water quality and ensure clean drinking water, and to conserve natural areas for wildlife habitat and farmland for supporting local agriculture; the provision of additional parkland for recreation; the continuation of town-wide trail connections; and the protection of scenic and historic places. Additionally, the Trails Subcommittee provides ongoing recommendations to the Planning Board and to the Town Board for implementing pedestrian and bicyclist facilities improvements and town-wide connections. The committee meets regularly and all meetings are open to the public. The 2022 chairperson is David J. Miller.

The Town of Clifton Park Town Board appointed the inaugural Open Space, Trails and Riverfront Subcommittee in January 2006, following an earlier Open Space Plan Advisory Committee led by David J. Miller and Jim Romano, which had conducted a public open space planning process from 2001 through 2003, and early implementation from 2003 through 2005. The current Open Space, Trails and Riverfront Committee was formed to bring together the former Open Space Implementation Committee, the Trails Committee and a Riverfront Study Committee to work towards common, complementary and mutual goals and objectives, and fully implement the 2003 Town of Clifton Park Open Space Plan, adopted by the Town Board. The formation of the advisory committee coincided with the appointment of the town’s first Open Space Coordinator, Jennifer Viggiani, who started in 2005.

  • Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve Kiosk
    Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve Kiosk
  • Veteran s Park Milkweed
    Veteran s Park Milkweed
  • Veteran s Park Frog
    Veteran s Park Frog
  • Veteran s Memorial Scattering Milkweed
    Veteran s Memorial Scattering Milkweed
  • People walking trail in Veteran's Memorial Park
    People walking trail in Veteran's Memorial Park
  • Open Space
    Open Space
  • Open Space Trail
    Open Space Trail
  • Open Space Trail 2
    Open Space Trail  2
  • Open Space Trail 1
    Open Space Trail  1
  • Open Space Pond
    Open Space Pond
  • Open Space Mohawk Landing
    Open Space Mohawk Landing
  • Open Space AC Stevens Vischer Ferry
    Open Space AC Stevens Vischer Ferry
  • Open Space 2
    Open Space  2
  • Open Space 1
    Open Space  1
  • Photo of Wildflowers
    Photo of Wildflowers
  • Photo of Bridge over Canal Lock
    Photo of Bridge over Canal Lock
  • Go Kids Clifton Common 1
    Go Kids Clifton Common 1
  • Go Kids Clifton Common 2
    Go Kids Clifton Common 2
  • nature kids VFNHP
    nature kids VFNHP
  • Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve Kiosk
  • Veteran s Park Milkweed
  • Veteran s Park Frog
  • Veteran s Memorial Scattering Milkweed
  • People walking trail in Veteran's Memorial Park
  • Open Space
  • Open Space Trail
  • Open Space Trail  2
  • Open Space Trail  1
  • Open Space Pond
  • Open Space Mohawk Landing
  • Open Space AC Stevens Vischer Ferry
  • Open Space  2
  • Open Space  1
  • Photo of Wildflowers
  • Photo of Bridge over Canal Lock
  • Go Kids Clifton Common 1
  • Go Kids Clifton Common 2
  • nature kids VFNHP
    • Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve Kiosk
    • Veteran s Park Milkweed
    • Veteran s Park Frog
    • Veteran s Memorial Scattering Milkweed
    • People walking trail in Veteran's Memorial Park
    • Open Space
    • Open Space Trail
    • Open Space Trail  2
    • Open Space Trail  1
    • Open Space Pond
    • Open Space Mohawk Landing
    • Open Space AC Stevens Vischer Ferry
    • Open Space  2
    • Open Space  1
    • Photo of Wildflowers
    • Photo of Bridge over Canal Lock
    • Go Kids Clifton Common 1
    • Go Kids Clifton Common 2
    • nature kids VFNHP

      

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    Recent Town Documents

    • pdf 6-14-22 Planning Board minutes.pdf New Popular
    • pdf 2022 Community Action Fund Application.pdf New
    • pdf 07-05-2022 Town Board Packet.pdf New Popular
    • pdf 2022 Final Assessment Roll New Popular
    • pdf Clifton Park Senior Community Center July 2022 Newsletter New Popular

    Upcoming Events

    04 Jul 2022;
    12:00AM
    Town Hall Closed
    05 Jul 2022;
    07:00PM -
    Environmental Conservation Commission Meeting
    05 Jul 2022;
    07:00PM -
    Town Board Meeting

    Contact Us - 518-371-6651

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    Clifton Park, NY 12065
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