New York State Parks Announces Camping Photo Contest

ALBANY, NY (10/18/2011)(readMedia)-- The state's Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced a camping photo contest to highlight the best of New York's great outdoors.

The contest runs through November 30, 2011 and prizes include a week-long stay at any state-owned campground with weekend stays for top runners-up. In addition, images will be used in statewide publications, on the web, and highlighted through promotional campaigns.

"From snapping summer fun with the family to capturing autumn's rich colors, we're encouraging New Yorkers to share their special moments and memories," said State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey. "Sleeping under the stars is a wonderful way to connect with nature, and public parkland in the Empire State offers no shortage of incredibly scenic settings to photograph. So gather the best of your images from this season or grab your camera/smart phone and plan to get out there!"

"There is no better way to tell the story of New York's environment than through photos of a special place," said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. "Our state campgrounds offer world-class outdoor recreation experiences to thousands of visitors each year and we'd like campers to share their memories to inspire all New Yorkers to take time to connect with nature."

The six categories for the photo contest are: camping set-up; water sports; campfire; sunrise/sunset; seasons and nature. Finalists will be determined by a process including top vote getters through social media and a selection committee. Hosted through ReserveAmerica and Liveshare, additional information regarding contest rules, eligibility and prizes is available at http://newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com/marketing/photo-contest/index.html

OPRHP operates 178 state parks including 65 campgrounds with 8,400 campsites, 750 cabins and 50 vacation rentals across 11 park regions. DEC operates 52 campgrounds in the Adirondack and Catskill regions of the state.

Camping reservations are available through ReserveAmerica, which provides online and phone reservations for campsites throughout New York. Reservations are accepted for campsites and cabins, from one day to nine months in advance of the planned arrival date by calling toll-free 1-800-456-CAMP or online, http://newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com.