National Parks Near Buffalo
National Parks Near Buffalo. There’s so much more to the Empire State than the Buffalo Bills.
In this article, we’ll familiarize you with the incredible national parks that are within a day’s drive of downtown Buffalo.
I’ve been to so many of these amazing places since retiring from teaching in 2018. Did I mention that I taught history? I spent a lifetime teaching about the history behind these momentous sites. Then I got to see them firsthand. And now I’m sharing the stories of these incredible places with you. It doesn’t get any better than that!
To be clear, this list includes national park sites (as in sites managed by the National Park Service) as opposed to full-fledged national parks. To learn more about the difference between the various National Park Service designations check out our article that explains everything!
Now let’s go ahead with 4+ reasons why you’ll want to hop in your car and make a day’s drive from Buffalo to one of these truly amazing places.
Table Of Contents
- Why Trust Us About National Parks Near Buffalo?
- Meet The Parks Brothers
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Fort Stanwix National Monument
- Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
- Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
- Niagara Falls State Park
- Map Of National Parks Near Buffalo
Why Trust Us About National Parks Near Buffalo?
You should probably know that we don’t just make this stuff up out of thin air. My sons have spent their entire adult lives exploring and filming America’s national parks and public lands.
As for me, I’m a retired lifelong educator and a proud dad of these two wonderful guys who are hopelessly obsessed with the national parks. I taught history for over a quarter of a century. Now I enjoy researching and writing articles for More Than Just Parks. I’m always on the hunt for topics where nature and history intersect so please feel free to share any ideas that you might have with me.
We’ve worked with the National Park Service, the Department of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and issues. Our work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people outside of our immediate family call us experts on the national parks.
Meet The Parks Brothers
We’re Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers (and sometimes the Parks Brothers) and we absolutely LOVE the national parks.
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then please sign up below!
Best National Parks Near Buffalo
1. Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Distance From Buffalo: Four hours & 45 minutes via US-15 S.
It’s the longest hiking trail in the world. And, it begins or ends (depending on your perspective) in Georgia or Maine. Take your pick!
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a marked hiking trail that runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Just how long a hike is that? Approximately 2,200 miles.
The original concept for the Appalachian Trail was the brainchild of Benton MacKaye. MacKaye was a forester, planner and social reformer who wrote a 1921 article in the Journal of the American Institute of Architects first proposing it.
Benton MacKaye
In MacKaye’s original vision, the Appalachian Trail would put back together the various parts of American life that were rapidly coming undone in the early 20th century.
It would fuse leisure and industry, environment and labor, community development and wilderness preservation into an interrelated project.
Let us assume the existence of a giant standing high on the skyline along these mountain ridges, his head just scraping the floating clouds. What would he see from this skyline as he strode along its length from north to south?”
-Benton MacKaye
Giving City Dwellers An Escape
MacKaye wanted to give city dwellers an escape from their humdrum urban existences. His bold proposal was nothing less than a wholesale reinvention of social life, economic organization, and land use.
The trail was built by private citizens and completed in 1937. It is managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, numerous state agencies and thousands of volunteers.
It’s a truly magnificent hiking trail traversing the scenic, wooded, pastoral and wild lands of the Appalachian Mountains.
Check Out: 10 BEST National Parks In New York City
2. Fort Stanwix National Monument
Distance From Buffalo: Two hours & 45 minutes via I-90 E.
Step back in time and learn about the historic role which Fort Stanwix played in America’s history. As a retired history teacher, I believe that a short history lesson is in order, but have no fear as there’s no homework assignment.
Stanwix was known “the fort that never surrendered.” While under the command of Col. Peter Gansevoort, it successfully repelled a prolonged siege, in August 1777, by British, German, Loyalist, Canadian, and American Indian troops and warriors commanded by British Gen. Barry St. Leger.
The failed siege helped to thwart an effort by the British to take the northern colonies. This, in turn, led to American alliances with France and the Netherlands. Troops from Fort Stanwix also protected America’s northwest frontier from British campaigns until finally being abandoned in 1781.
Things To Do At Fort Stanwix
At Fort Stanwix, you can learn how the American victory at this frontier fort directly contributed to the British defeat at Saratoga in 1777; setting the stage for westward expansion through New York. You can also follow in the footsteps of the people who made history in the Mohawk Valley during the American Revolutionary War.
I recommend that you start your adventure at the Willett Center which is the visitors center. You can follow three trails which encircle the fort. One of these trails follows a portion of the Oneida Carrying Place. The other two trails interpret the events of the siege of 1777.
There’s also a museum with interactive exhibits and a living history program.
Check Out: 10 BEST Revolutionary War Sites In America
3. Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
Distance From Buffalo: Two hours via I-90 E.
As one who taught history for almost thirty years, I was always enthralled with stories of the Underground Railroad. The challenge was explaining to my students that despite the fact that those who helped runaway slaves escape to freedom were called “conductors,” this was not a real railroad by any stretch of the imagination.
Instead, The Underground Railroad was a network of people, African American as well as white, offering shelter and aid to escaped enslaved people from the South. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 empowered slaveholders to pursue these runaways to the northernmost reaches of America and bring them south once again.
This meant that runaways had to escape to Canada to be truly free. People known as “conductors” guided these fugitives. Hiding places included private homes, churches and schoolhouses. These were called “stations,” “safe houses,” and “depots.”
The people operating them were called “stationmasters.” An estimated 100,000 people were freed by their heroic efforts.
Check Out: 10 BEST Civil War Sites In America
Harriet Tubman
The most famous of the conductors was herself born a slave. In 1849, Araminta Ross, escaped a plantation in Maryland with two of her brothers. Harriet Tubman became her married name and one by which she would win eternal fame.
Tubman returned to the south to lead her niece and her niece’s children to Philadelphia via the Underground Railroad. She became a dedicated abolitionist who is believed to have personally rescued 300 people.
After the Civil War began, Tubman became head of an espionage and scout network for the Union Army. She provided crucial intelligence to Union commanders about Confederate Army supply routes and troops and helped liberate enslaved people to form Black Union regiments.
An excellent book about this extraordinary women is Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman by Sarah Bradford.
“I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say — I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger.”
-harriet tubman
Check Out: 20 BEST Black History Sites In America For You To Visit
Things To Do At Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
The Harriet Tubman Visitor Center, the Tubman Home for the Aged, and the Harriet Tubman Residence are part of the park. It’s located on a roughly 32-acre campus on South Street in Auburn, New York.
Visitors can walk the grounds, learn about Tubman’s life and achievements through exhibits, see where she lived during the last part of her life and feel the impact of a woman who was known as “Moses of her People.”
4. Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
Distance From Buffalo: Four hours & 30 minutes via I-90 E.
Our 8th president of the United States, Martin Van Buren, was an American lawyer and statesmen. Prior to that, he had served as U.S. senator, secretary of state and vice president of the United States.
Van Buren would be the last sitting vice president to be elected president until George H.W. Bush did it in 1988.
Visitors can learn about Van Buren by touring his post-presidency home of Lindenwald which is located in Kinderhook, New York. Tours cover the interior of Lindenwald, and review Van Buren’s political career, his life as a gentleman farmer, his family, and the lives of domestic servants and laborers living and working on the property. (Source: NPS)
While at the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site why not check out the the park’s trails, as well as those that pass through or are nearby. These trails will enable you to experience the beautiful scenery and interesting history while you’re getting in your steps. Exercise your body and your mind learning about Martin Van Buren and enjoying the surrounding countryside.
Check Out: 10 MUST-SEE Historic Sites In New York
5. Niagara Falls State Park
Distance From Buffalo: 25 minutes via I-190 N.
Last, but certainly not least, we have a state park. This is, however, no ordinary state park. This park is open 365 days a year and has one of the most incredible views you will ever see.
I’m talking about Niagara Falls State Park. Check out the Observation Tower, at Prospect Point, which juts out over Niagara Gorge for a view of all 3 amazing waterfalls.
Trails from the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center lead to other viewpoints.
There’s also the Aquarium of Niagara, which is home to Humboldt penguins, seals and sea lions.
While you’re there, you should also check out the thrilling attractions, interactive exhibits, miles of hiking trails, and incredible dining options.
Check Out: 25 MUST-SEE Famous Landmarks In America (MUST-SEE)
Going Over The Falls
Niagara Falls has quite a history of daredevils who have risked life and limb to say that they went over the falls. As a retired historian who loves to find the stories behind the stories, I decided to look into that history. Here are a few examples:
- October 24th, 1901: Annie Taylor was the first person to conquer the falls in a barrel. After climbing inside her airtight wooden barrel, the air pressure was compressed to 30 p.s.i. with a bicycle pump.
- July 25th 1911: The infamous Bobby Leach plunged over the Falls in a steel barrel. Bobby broke both kneecaps and his jaw during his daring event. Years later while touring in New Zealand, Bobby slipped on an orange peel and died from complications due to gangrene.
- July 11th 1920: Englishman Charles G. Stephens equipped his wooden barrel with an anvil for ballast. Charles tied himself to the anvil for security. After the plunge, Chucks right arm was the only item left in the barrel.
- July 4th 1928: “Smiling Jean” Lussier survived the trip over the brink in a large rubber ball.
- July 5th 1930: A Greek waiter named George L. Statakis suffocated to death after his barrel was trapped behind the falls for more than 14 hours.
- June 30th 1961: Nathan Boya drops off the brink in a ball-like contraption. (Source: Daredevils Of Niagara Falls)
Map Of National Parks Near Buffalo
List Of National Parks Near Buffalo
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Fort Stanwix National Monument
- Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
- Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
- Niagara Falls State Park
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