Sprague Brook Park is a

county park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...

in the hamlet of Glenwood in Erie County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. It is operated by the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, and it is the only park managed by Erie County that offers overnight camping facilities. Access to the park is free and it is open year-round.

History

Much of the land that currently comprises Sprague Brook Park was obtained by Erie County in 1963 as part of a larger acquisition of that also included parkland near Eighteen Mile Creek, Beeman Creek (near Clarence Center), and Larkin Woods (now Franklin Gulf Park). An additional of land was purchased by the county to expand Sprague Brook Park in 1964.

Facilities

Sprague Brook Park has dedicated facilities for

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

and

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

. Several ponds offer opportunities for

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

, and a sledding hill is available for use during the winter. Trails for

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

and

snowmobiling A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

are found throughout the property. A groomed

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...

loop and an associated warming shelter are maintained during the winter. Several shelters are located within the park and may be reserved for events and gatherings. The park's

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...

trail system was expanded after proposed improvements were submitted by the Western New York Mountain Bicycling Association. These proposals were incorporated into the county's master plan for the park (released in 2003), and enacted in the following years. Some potential future improvements outlined in the county parks' 2003 master plan include installation of scenic overlooks, development of a 'natural' hillside

amphitheater An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...

, and ceasing to mow underutilized fields to allow them to undergo re-naturalization.

References

External links

Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry: Sprague Brook Park

Map of Sprague Brook Park

Sprague Brook trail descriptions
{{Protected areas of Erie County, New York Parks in Erie County, New York