New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation

Palisades Interstate Park Commission

Sterling Forest State Park

Calendar of Events

July and August 2009

Sunday, July 5 12:30 p.m.: History Hike: Iona Island Hike
Join us as we explore the history of Iona Island Sanctuary. We will meet at Iona Island parking area by the railroad crossing at Noon. This will be an easy to moderate two mile hike.

Saturday, July 11, 7:30 p.m.: Family Nature Series: Beavers at Night
Learn about beavers and take an easy hike to see the life of a beaver at night. Bring a small flashlight and courage for this fun walk to a beaver pond in the forest.

Saturday, July 18, 12:30 p.m.: Hike of the Month: Blue Lake to the Fire Tower
Join us on a hike to the Fire Tower and then on to Blue Lake. This is a moderate to difficult five mile hike. We will need to car pool for a short distance.

Sunday, July 26, 1 p.m.: Lecture Series: Southfield Iron Plantation
The Southfield furnace was built by Peter Townsend in 1804. Come and learn the history of this area in this one hour power point presentation. There will be a hike to the Townsend plantation on August 2nd.

Sunday, August 2, 1 p.m.: History Hike: Southfield Iron Plantation
The Townsend plantation and iron furnace were built in 1804 to replace the Sterling Furnace. Walk back in time as we explore this historic area. This will be an easy two mile hike.

Sunday, August 9, 1 p.m: Lecture Series: Insects of the Park
A miniature world awaits your discovery. You will be amazed at how many small creatures live around you. The lecture will last about one hour. Plan to join our insect safari on Aug. 16th.

Sunday, August 16, 1 p.m.: Family Fun Hike: Insect Safari
Who lives on the flower, who lives under rocks, what flies in the air around your head? Join us and discover the miniature world around us. We will car pool to the first insect research site in America for a safari exploration.

Sunday, August 23, 1 p.m.: Lecture Series: Making Iron
How was iron made in the American Colonies? How did the industry grow? Where was the iron made? These are a few of the questions that will be answered in this lecture by our Park Educator, Doc Bayne.

Sunday, August 30, 12:30 p.m.: Hike of the Month: A Hike Never Done Before
This will be an unforgettable five to six mile hike, designed for serious hikers. We will need to car pool for a short distance.

Reservations are required for all programs.
SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIMES ARE FIRM
For more information or to register, call 845-351-5907

Our trails can be steep and rocky, so please wear sturdy hiking shoes. As always, our hikes will include stops along the way to interpret natural and historic features. We hike at the pace of our slowest hiker and remember bring a snack for the halfway point.

Sterling Forest® State Park is part of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, which administers 29 parks, parkways, and historic sites for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in New York as well as the Palisades Interstate Park and parkway in New Jersey. For more information about New York State parks and historic sites, please visit www.nysparks.com, for information about the New Jersey section of the PIPC please visit www.njpalisades.org, and for more information about the Palisades Parks Conservancy and the Palisades Interstate Park parks and historic sites, please visit www.palisadesparksconservancy.org.