State park campground supervisor Matt Driver says each weekend this summer season, the Bear Mountain website can be fully full.
“They wish to be in nature, however they don't actually wish to go too far,” Driver mentioned of holiday makers who come from the realm, from New York Metropolis and from distant. “So, like I mentioned, being near New York Metropolis, it's a fairly cheap trip.”
The surge in curiosity in tenting started throughout the nation when the COVID-19 pandemic started. However a latest survey carried out by Kampgrounds of America confirmed a 68% enhance in lively campers for the final 10 years.
What you should know
- Extra Individuals have began tenting since 2020, in accordance with a Kampgrounds of America survey
- That survey additionally discovered that since 2014, 98% extra households camp no less than thrice a yr.
- Extra New Yorkers Go to State Parks, With a File 84 Million Visits to New York Parks in 2023
In accordance with park administrators, the development helps to spice up attendance at New York state parks.
“Tenting is actually one of many gateway actions in our parks that helps get individuals out into nature,” mentioned Palisades Interstate Park Fee Govt Director Joshua Laird.
Final yr, attendance at state parks hit a file excessive with greater than 84 million visits. Laird says that file might be damaged once more this yr if extra individuals look to beat it.
“Simply because it was an escape throughout COVID, now individuals have actually latched onto it,” he mentioned. “That feeling, that fantastic, fantastic feeling of being in nature and listening to the birds sing. And so they hold coming right here in file numbers.”
Driver says the state's campgrounds and parks present a low-cost trip choice whereas connecting individuals to nature, proving it's doable to have a memorable household getaway whereas additionally coping with decrease inflation. the journeys.
“We're a fairly low-cost and simple trip,” he mentioned. “It's a fantastic place to deliver the household and youngsters, and also you'll have a good time on a tenting journey.”