Marion Fricano Town Park

Rate this place

Last Updated: December 6, 2025

Marion Fricano Town Park is a 55-acre park located in the town of Gates, New York.


°F

°F

mph

Wind

%

Humidity

Summary

It offers a variety of recreational activities for visitors, including hiking, fishing, picnicking, and playing sports. The park also features several points of interest, such as the scenic pond, playground, and pavilions for hosting events.

One of the most unique attractions in the park is the "WOW Playground," a large wooden play structure designed to resemble a medieval castle complete with slides, bridges, and towers. The park also has a well-maintained trail system that winds through the woods and around the pond, offering scenic views of the natural surroundings.

Visitors can also enjoy fishing in the pond, which is stocked with bass, sunfish, and catfish. The park has a fishing dock and several picnic areas with tables and grills for cooking up a meal. In the winter, the park is a popular spot for ice skating and sledding.

Interesting facts about the park include its history as a former dairy farm and apple orchard. The park was named after Marion Fricano, a former town clerk who was instrumental in establishing the park.

The best time to visit Marion Fricano Town Park is during the spring and summer months when the weather is mild and the park is in full bloom. The fall is also a beautiful time to visit when the leaves change color. In the winter, visitors can enjoy ice skating and sledding, but the park may be closed during severe weather conditions.

       

Weather Forecast

Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
View more

Featured Parks