Stair Park

Quick Bits

Main Activities - Hike, Playground
Distance -  < 1 mile
Quiet - neighborhood sounds
Surface - Park area grass, trails limited maintenance and rocky
Elevation - flat
Pets - Pets not allowed
Address - Murray Hill Road, Vestal, NY

In a Nutshell

Tucked in a quiet neighborhood, Stair Park offers a gentle creek and a playground perfect for little explorers. Step beyond, and you’ll find trails that lead into the Binghamton University’s Nature Preserve.

Location and Parking

More details

Stair Park is best described as a neighborhood park within the Town of Vestal’s recreation system. Many visitors walk from nearby homes to enjoy the playground, pavilion, open fields, and the small but lively Fuller Hollow Creek, which flows north through the park toward the Susquehanna River.

For young children, this is a wonderful place to start exploring. Beyond the playground, a few spots offer easy access to the creek for splashing on warm days or spotting critters. Parents should note that some banks drop steeply into the water, so keep a close watch on toddlers and anyone unfamiliar with gravity’s lessons.

On the park’s southeast edge, you’ll notice a couple of yellow trail markers. While the path isn’t formally maintained and is fairly short, it provides a chance to cross the creek and wander among the wooded areas, where some impressively old trees still stand. Following the creek upstream eventually brings you to Fuller Hollow Road, though please respect private land along the way.

If you’re in the mood for more adventure, head across the bridge that links the park to the dead-end of Lehigh Avenue. From there, it’s a short walk to the Pipeline Trail, part of the Binghamton University Nature Preserve trail system.

To keep Stair Park safe and comfortable for everyone, the town prohibits dogs, camping, fires, and tobacco.

And in case you were wondering, the park isn’t named for the stone drops in the creek that step the water down, but for Arthur L. Stair, the developer whose name is still attached to the neighborhood — often called the “Stair Tract.”