State parks: Free activities on ‘Outdoors Day’ on June 9

To entice New Yorkers to explore the outdoors, the state is offering free activities, from archery to fishing to paddling, at a number of sites — including two in Suffolk County — on June 9, officials said on Friday.

The Schiff Scout Reservation in the Calverton Pine Barrens State Forest in Wading River also will offer mountain biking, camping demonstrations, hiking, bird watching and botany, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park, on its website, proposed: “Discover some of the interesting plants and animals that make our beaches so beautiful and unique! Bring sunscreen and water shoes.”

New York is holding its “Outdoors Day” on the same Saturday as the “National Get Outdoors Day,” an event held every year to promote the healthy fun the outdoors offers, the DEC said in statement with the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said his agency’s 5 million acres of land create “endless opportunities” for people of all ages.

State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey agreed, adding: “We encourage you to visit a state park or historic site and try something new at one of our special Get Outdoors Day programs or on your own by trying a new trail, stopping by a nature center or checking out a park you’ve never been to.”

For the full list of DEC events and details on registering, go to www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/113380.html