You might have found the best outdoor gear online bargains and so updated your wardrobe, but what challenges have you set yourself to use them for, well here are a few ideas from one area of the USA who want people to make more of the State Parks in New York.

The trails at Thacher State Park are introducing new challenges to test even the most experienced walkers and climbers. One new trail hugs the pale cliffs of the Helderberg Escarpment, which lies above a steep embankment overlooking the forest and leads to a rock arch that towers almost 100 feet above a low horizontal entrance to a cave. The cave itself can only be accessed via a narrow stone crevice angling down to a narrow trail; however this is exactly the kind of place people are now wanting to access and New York are keen to help so that they can exploit a growing interest in adventure sports.

Under the new access plan hikers can access Helmes Crevice, spelunkers to explore the confines of Hailes Cave and climbers to scale some of the cliffs which lie to the southwest of Albany. The park reports that there has been growing interest in stiffer challenges being offered and introducing these makes New York a more appealing possibility for a trip for those who want to experience this type of challenge.

Many of the 179 state parks in New York now offer permits for pursuits as varied as wind surfing, white water rafting and kayaking, as well as hosting various triathlon events. In addition in the winter months they are able to issue permits for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

Thacher State Park covers 2,155 acres and even had a swimming pool until 2006 so was looking for ideas to regain its own individual identity. After asking the public what they wanted to see and hearing from various outdoor groups including climbers, cavers and mountain bikers they have come up with these new challenges and they aren’t stopping there.

Even with safety being paramount in every challenge they are looking to add ice climbing on the more stable vertical cliffs, away from the popular Indian Ladder hiking trail, and with it offering just small holds and horizontal cracks in the limestone face it should attract a number of skilled climbers.

So if you are off to the States anytime soon, winter or summer make sure you have your outdoor gear online packed and ready to go, as you never know what you are going to find.