Best Parks in Troy
Upstate New York features wide swaths of park land, including the best parks in Troy. With three major parks within the city limits and a state park not far away, your outdoor needs are sure to be met by the best parks in Troy.
Frear Park
Frear Park is a 247-acre park off Lavin Court and Park Boulevard that was originally designed as a 9-hole golf course in 1931. In 1964 it was expanded to an 18-hole course, and today it features a hockey area, a playground, tennis courts, a pro shop and a restaurant, among other features. The Rensselaer County Men's Golf Tournament has been played at Frear Park each year since its inception in 1940, and if you're looking for some good youth hockey, then Frear Park is the place -- the Troy Albany Youth Hockey Association plays at the park's rink.
Prospect Park
Prospect Park is 80 acres of land located in a central spot off Congress Street in Troy. The 14-court tennis facility on the property accounts for more than half of the tennis courts in the Troy area. Additional recreational facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, basketball courts, handball courts, a picnic pavilion, volleyball courts, a playround and fields for softball and soccer. The park offers 20-mile panoramic views to the south, west and north.
Knickerbacker Park
Knickerbacker Park is most famous for its ice hockey arena, where a number of hockey teams have either practiced or played their home games since 1990. The park itself has been around since the 1920s and includes an outdoor ice rink, a baseball field, a 400-meter track oval, three softball fields, a soccer field, a football field, basketball courts and a playground. The ice hockey arena boasts the only female locker room in the area and is the home territory for the Troy/Albany Icecats female hockey team, as well as the Hudson Valley Junior B Eagles mens team.
Grafton Lakes State Park
Grafton Lakes State Park is a New York State park located a mere 15 minutes from Troy. The park boasts 25 miles of nature trails open for walking, biking, running and even horseback riding in some cases. If you're more of an aquatics person, Long Pond is open for swimming while fishing, and boating activities are available on Shaver, Long, Mill and Second Pond within the park's boundaries.
Posted on May 19, 2011 by Matt Delman
