Blauvelt State Park is a 644-acre park located in Rockland County, New York, near the Hudson River Palisades. It offers hiking trails, scenic views, and a glimpse into the past. The park’s land has a rich and varied history, from being a rifle range to a summer camp to a missile site.
Camp Bluefields
The park’s land was originally purchased by the state in 1909 for the purpose of creating a rifle range for the New York State National Guard and the Naval Militia. The range was named Camp Bluefields, after the Dutch word for “blue field”. It was touted as the largest rifle range in the country at the time, occupying 335 acres of land and featuring concrete target walls, tunnels, an observation tower, and a headquarters and mess hall. The range was used for the first time in October 1910, before it was even fully completed.
However, the range soon proved to be problematic. Residents of nearby towns complained of stray bullets landing in their properties and endangering their lives. Guardsmen also criticized the range for its poor location, orientation, and terrain. The range was deemed unsafe and unsuitable, and was discontinued by order of General John F. O’Ryan in June 1912. The property was transferred to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission in April 1913.
YWCA Summer Camp
The site then became a summer camp run by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) for working women from New York City. The camp was called Camp Bluefields, and it offered a relaxing and refreshing escape from urban life. The campers slept in white tents lined in military precision, and enjoyed activities such as nature walks, reading, croquet, and singing. The camp also hosted visits from prominent figures such as Governor Charles S. Whitman and suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt. The camp operated from 1913 to 1930.
Military Training Grounds
The site resumed its military use in 1930, when it was leased by the U.S. Army for training programs. During World War II, the site was used as an air raid post and a training grounds for soldiers from Camp Shanks. The adjacent Clausland Mountain County Park was also home to a Nike missile launch site during the Cold War, part of a ring of surface-to-air missiles surrounding New York City to defend it from Soviet bombers.
Blauvelt State Park
The site became Blauvelt State Park in 1970, when it was acquired by the state from the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. The park is largely undeveloped and has no facilities other than hiking trails and limited parking. The park links with several other town and county parks, creating a seamless park range on the Hudson Palisades. The park offers several outlooks over the Hudson River and the Tappan Zee Bridge. The Long Path, a hiking trail linking Fort Lee, New Jersey to the Adirondacks of New York, travels through the park.
The park also preserves some of the remnants of its past history, such as the ruins of Camp Bluefields’ rifle range and tunnels. Visitors can explore these relics and imagine what life was like at different times in this storied land.
Blauvelt State Park is a hidden gem that offers both natural beauty and historical intrigue. It is a place where visitors can enjoy hiking, birdwatching, or simply relaxing in nature. It is also a place where visitors can learn about the history of this land and its role in shaping New York State.
If you’re interested in getting a glimpse of the tunnels and what you can expect, check out our video below!