Rockland Lake State Park is a state park located in the hamlets of Congers and Valley Cottage in the eastern part of the Town of Clarkstown in

Rockland County Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of t ...

, New York, United States. The park is located on a ridge of Hook Mountain above the west bank of the

Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...

. Included within the park is the Rockland Lake. Development of the park as part of the

Palisades Interstate Park system A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure. Palisade, palisades or palisading also may refer to: Software * PALISADE (software), an open source cross platform software library that p ...

began in 1958. Rockland Lake State Park is functionally part of a continuous complex of parks that also includes Hook Mountain State Park,

Nyack Beach State Park Nyack Beach State Park is a state park in Upper Nyack, Rockland County, New York, Rockland County, New York (state), New York. It consists of a small parking lot and a riverfront pathway, the southernmost section of the Hudson River Valley Gree ...

, and

Haverstraw Beach State Park Haverstraw Beach State Park is a state park located in the Town of Haverstraw in Rockland County, New York. The park is included within the Palisades Interstate Park system and is functionally part of a continuous complex of parks that also incl ...

History

Rockland Lake was known as "Quashpeake Pond" to the region's Native American population, prior to the lake being given its current name, which refers to the county in which it is situated. The adjacent hamlet of Rockland Lake was originally known as "Slaughter's Landing" before its name was changed to match the lake.

Ice production

Prior to the establishment of the park, Rockland Lake served as an important supplier of ice to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

after the

Knickerbocker Ice Company The Knickerbocker Ice Company was an ice company based in New York State during the 19th century. Early history Knickerbocker Ice Company, an Ice trade company, was founded by John J. Felter, John G. Perry, and Edward Felter in 1831 on the easter ...

was established on the lake's northeastern bank in 1831. Rockland Lake eventually became known as the "Icehouse of New York City", with a reputation for having the cleanest and purest ice in the area. During the 1850s, the Knickerbocker Ice Company operated a dozen steamboats, 75 ice barges, and employed 3,000 people. Ice harvests typically began in January, and blocks of ice were stored in large icehouses before being shipped to customers during warmer weather. The icehouses, insulated with sawdust, could store up to 50,000 tons of ice. The nearby Knickerbocker Fire House was established 1862.Fire Company Serving Rockland Lake Celebrates 150th Anniversary
/ref> The Knickerbocker Ice Company closed in 1924. In 1926, workers who were demolishing one of the ice houses accidentally set fire to the structure's sawdust insulation. The fire spread extremely quickly and destroyed much of the village of Rockland Lake. The old foundation of the ice company remains today, marked by a historical plaque and bench.

Recreational history

Rockland Lake has been formally used for recreation since 1873, when a picnic area known as "The Grove" was established near the north end of the lake. This was followed by the installation of a second recreation area near the south end of the lake known as the "Quaspeck Park Beach Club and Casino". At the turn of the 20th century, special trains delivered visitors to the lake's recreation areas. The

Palisades Interstate Park Commission The Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) was formed in 1900 by Governors Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Foster Voorhees of New Jersey in response to the quarrying operations along the Palisades Cliffs of New Jersey. The Palisades, a Na ...

purchased its first parcel of what was to become Rockland Lake State Park in 1958, which consisted of the lake and of land. By 1964, a total of had been purchased to form the park. During the intervening years, additional land acquisitions increased the park's size to its current total of .

Park description

Rockland Lake State Park features a swimming pool, in addition to a smaller pool for children. The park also has scattered picnic tables and grills, a car-top boat launch and boat rentals, hiking trails with views of the Hudson Valley, and six tennis courts. Anglers on Rockland Lake may catch bass,

perch Perch is a common name for fish of the genus ''Perca'', freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which three species occur in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Per ...

and norlunge, while walkers, bikers and joggers may use the paved trail that circles the lake. Rockland Lake also has its own fire department, Knickerbocker Engine Company 1, located at the rear of the park. It is the second-oldest fire department in Rockland County and is still in operation today.

Golf courses

Rockland Lake features two 18-hole golf courses, the Championship and Executive courses. The Championship course is a regulation

golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". ...

measuring 6,864 yards from the back tees, with a par of 72. It also features a

driving range A driving range is a facility or area where golfers can practice their golf swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range att ...

and clubhouse with snack bar. The Executive course is par 3 and measures 2,780 yards.

References

External links

New York State Parks: Rockland Lake State Park

Palisades Parks Conservancy: Rockland Lake State Park

The Friends of Rockland Lake and Hook Mountain, Inc.

Knickerbocker Ice Festival

NY-NJTC: Rockland Lake State Park details and trail info
{{NewYorksportsvenues Palisades Interstate Park system Parks in Rockland County, New York Golf clubs and courses in New York (state) Nature centers in New York (state) Ice trade 1958 establishments in New York (state) Rugby league in New York (state) Former villages in New York (state) Villages in Rockland County, New York