New York State Parks Rank Among Nation's Top Tick Hotspots

Key points

• World Atlas ranked Green Lakes State Park in Onondaga County No. 2 and Harriman State Park in Rockland and Orange counties No. 3 for tick-borne illness burden in the U.S.
• New York averaged over 17,500 new Lyme disease cases annually in recent years, with nearly 19,000 reported in 2024 alone.
• Tick submissions to the SUNY Center for Vector-borne Diseases increased by 145% between 2024 and 2025, with rising reports of lone star and dog ticks in Central New York.
• Green Lakes State Park, a 2,030-acre park, had infected deer ticks confirmed along its trails by SUNY Upstate Medical University researchers.
• Harriman State Park, covering over 48,000 acres, faces high tick numbers due to large deer populations and heavy foot traffic.
• The CDC reports approximately 31 million tick bites and 476,000 Lyme disease treatments annually in the U.S.

Background

This story follows earlier coverage of U.S. state parks battling Lyme disease, which highlighted Northeast and mid-Atlantic sites as high-risk areas due to overlapping deer, mice, and infected ticks. New York has also seen emerging cases of tularemia, another tick-linked illness, in Suffolk County, underscoring broader vector-borne disease concerns in the state.

Why it matters

Rising tick activity and Lyme disease cases in New York pose significant public health risks for residents and visitors. The ranking of state parks as top hotspots emphasizes the need for proactive prevention measures to reduce exposure and ensure timely treatment, which is critical for preventing complications from tick-borne illnesses.

What to watch

Health officials and park authorities are likely to continue promoting prevention strategies and monitoring tick populations. Increased public awareness and adherence to safety guidelines may help mitigate the rising trend in tick-borne illnesses across New York state parks.