Caleb Smith State Park Preserve

Description

Checklist

Attraction Type:  park, kid-friendly
Number of accessible spaces:  *2
Location of accessible spaces:  near the museum building
Surface of lot:  paved, stone and grass
Distance to venue:  close
Transportation to venue offered:  na
Terrain:  somewhat uneven
Places to rest:  The gazebo and benches near the lake
Paths and walkways:  concrete, gravel, wood chips
Location of accessible entrance:  main entrance
Doors:  single door to museum building
Number of floors:  1
Elevators:  na
Ramps:  ramp to entrance of visitor center
Steps and staircases:  4 steps to wooden porch and etrance to visitor center
Width of aisles:  adequate
Places to sit:  chairs and benches in visitors' center
Location of restrooms:  in visitors' center
Type of restroom:  multi-stall, with an accessible stall
Ease of entry and exit:  OK
Baby changing station:  yes
Available food services:  none
Friendliness of staff:  very friendly volunteers
Notes:  *Accessible parking spaces are located next to visitors' center. Even though it says "no cars allowed beyond this point" you can drive up the road if you have a handicapped sticker.

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We had not been to Caleb Smith Park since Covid.  We remembered it as a pleasant destination but unfortunately, lacking places to sit and rest. That has not changed. It is still a lovely venue and it still doesn’t have enough places to sit!

The 543 acre preserve has a “variety of habitats that change with the season.” It has freshwater wetlands, ponds, streams, fields and upland woods. It is a “passive park,” meaning that pets, bikes, picnics, are not permitted. It is meant as a place that “…allows visitors to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy the quiet serenity…” (website) that surrounds you when you are here.

It is  easy to get to, its entrance located on Jericho Turnpike.   The small parking area (paved and stone) has no accessible parking spaces. There are two, aressible spaces near the museum and visitors’ center.  If you have a handicapped sticker you can park here, even though the sign at the bottom says the road is not open to visitors.

As you walk up the paved road you come upon Willow Pond, a beautiful, serene place.  If you know a kid that might like fishing, or you would like to introduce him/her to it, the park offers clinics for kids.  The park offers nature programs for all ages, year round.

You can continue to walk, as we did, along  1/2 mile of paved roadway through the park.  This  is an  “all access” trail.  It is a relatively straight, paved  path  with several inclines.There are other trails for varying abilities (not paved) that can be accessed from this main road. Unfortunately, the only places  to sit are a gazebo about one third of the way north and several benches near the lake.   It would be a good idea if they added some benches along the way. On one of our previous visits  here, we spoke with the park manager about the possibility of adding some benches. As of today, there are still none.

There are four steps up to the Museum and Visitor Center, as well as a wooden ramp.   The single door entryway has a high threshold into the museum building.   In this building you can usually find a paper map as well as a scale model of the park.  If you are planning to walk the trails, stop here for a map before you begin.

Just inside the building entrance are multi-stall, restrooms, with an accessible stall and baby-changing station.

The museum and visitor center is a lovely place, especially for younger kids.  There are several rooms offering kid-oriented, natural history exhibits about forests, ponds, rivers and wetlands, with some hands-on activities for kids.

This is a lovely park that is open year-round ( not on Mondays or Tuesdays). When they are able, they  offer a variety of family programs and fishing from April – October.

As always, we at Destination Accessible advise you to check a venue’s website, www.nysparks.com, when planning a visit, to “know before you go.”

Location

Nearby