Nathaniel Cole Park

Quick Bits

Main Activities - Hike, boating, fishing, swimming
Distance - 1.25  miles of trails
Quiet - quiet except busy summer times
Surface - dirt, gravel,  and  sidewalk
Elevation - relatively flat
Pets - must be leashed
Address - 1674 Colesville Road, Harpursville, New York

In a Nutshell

Nathaniel Cole Park is one of the Broome County facilities with lots of amenities including swimming, hiking, picnic shelters, boat rentals, and concession stand. No street or road noise, but summer crowds with swimming and picnics can be heard at times. The park also has a disc golf course. 

Location and Parking

More details

The centerpiece of Nathaniel Cole Park is a large beach area. It along with boat and canoe rentals and concession stand are open during the summer months (Memorial Day through Labor Day). There are also four picnic shelters that can be reserved, in addition to the first-come-first-served individual picnic tables and grills. There are also a couple playground areas, horseshoe pits, and sand volleyball. 

A 1.25 mile trail encircles the 53-acre lake. The start of the trail to the west may not be obvious, but if you go by the parking lot for Shelter 4, you should be able to see the kiosk. Also note that one of the maps on the Broome County website for Nathaniel Cole is oriented with north at the bottom of the page. The lake is formed by a dam of Still Creek before it continues flowing east into the Sage Creek which empties into the Susquehanna River. Along the Lakeview Trail, you'll see numbered markers for a Nature Trail. However, some markers are missing and some do not seem to match the original item. There is a Nature Trail Guide though some of the markers indicated on it, may be missing.

Camping facilities are also at Nathaniel Cole. More information is on their website. Another interesting facility is the discgolf course. There are some muddy sections, but overall the comments on it have been positive. Even if you aren't a discgolf player, walking that area in the off season can add a few miles to your wandering.

Nathaniel Cole Park is also home of various events sponsored by Broome County, such as "Beach Bash", "Winter Festival", fireworks, etc.. Check the Broome County Page for more information or connect to them on social media. Links are below.

Links of Interest

• Broome County Nataniel Cole Park Page

• Nathaniel Cole Brochure and Trail Map

• Nathaniel Cole Facebook Page

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