Wilber Park
Located near downtown Oneonta, the upper level of this park can be accessed via Center Street and has a large picnic pavilion, basketball court, modern playground structure and the beautiful Applebaugh Gardens. The lower level is accessed via Spruce Street and includes a small picnic pavilion, Briggs Swimming Pool, the George Waddington Tennis Courts, and two multi-use practice fields. Intermingled throughout Wilber Park’s 56 acres are a host of quiet walking and biking trails.
If you’re up for a challenge try the Van Cleft Trail which you access from mountain biking trails. Please note the Van Cleft Trail is not on the main trail map or the kiosk map, see notes and links below.
Wilber Park Trails
The trailhead for the Wilber Park Trails is located in the upper level of Wilber Park, northeast of the playground area. Permissible uses of the trail include hiking, mountain biking, snow shoeing and cross country skiing. Upper level trails have an intermediate trail difficulty rating. Lower level trails are easier. Trail Map – Trailhead Sign
Van Cleft Trail (2+ miles, managed by the Otsego County Soil and Water District) Accessed through Wilber Park. The trail markers for the Van Cleft Trail are red and silver, a red background with either a silver hiker or a silver arrow.
*Van Cleft Trail notes from an ADK Hiker: At the trailhead kiosk at the upper level of Wilber Park, we looked at the map to get a general idea of where we were headed. The Van Cleft Trail is not pictured on the map, as the map pre-dates the creation of the trail. We took a short link of the yellow trail to the blue trail up through the woods to the orange trail. The orange trail splits, we took the left trail. It goes uphill, past a stream bed. It levels out at a muddy old road/trail with telephone wires, we went to the right on that muddy section and after a bit we found a Van Cleft trail marker on the left. After that the trail and markers were easy to spot. The trail to the overlook near the upper level of the Wilber Park Apartments is a slight diversion from the Van Cleft Trail. The Van Cleft trail markers lead back to the Wilber Park orange trail, which leads to the blue trail, which leads back down to the trailhead. (The distance from the trailhead kiosk to the Van Cleft Trail is about half a mile, once you reach the telephone wires you can choose to go to the right and look for the wooden “Van Cleft Trail” sign.)
The Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club recommends this map. The Van Cleft Trail is also featured on this Oneonta Trail Association map from the MTB Project. Read about the creation of the Van Cleft Trail in The Daily Star.
Wilber Park Facilities
- Applebaugh Gardens: Open spaces are a key element to any park system. Applebaugh Gardens provides a beautiful, serene setting for all to enjoy.
- Briggs Pool (open mid-June through late August, pending available staffing). In addition to the main pool and wading pool, Briggs Pool also houses a diving well. Daily pool operations are managed by the Oneonta Family YMCA. For more information call 607-432-0010.
- Waddington Tennis Courts: The eight tennis courts at Wilber Park are home to the Oneonta High School Varsity Tennis team. During the summer months, the Oneonta Tennis Club offers lessons and tournaments for both youth and adults.
- 2 multi-use practice fields
- a basketball court
- playground structures, and
- lots of informal wooded trails and open spaces.
Directions:
From I-88—Use exit 15. From the bottom of the exit ramp turn onto Lettis Highway (Left turn if exiting 88 eastbound, right if exiting westbound). After the first light, Lettis Highway becomes Maple Street. At the second light turn right onto Center Street.
To access Upper Wilber Park—Continue straight on Center Street up the hill. Upper Wilber Park entrance will be on your left.
To access Lower Wilber Park—From Center Street take the first left onto East Street. At the first light turn right onto Spruce Street. Lower Wilber Park entrance will be on your left.
What Octet-ers are saying:
6/18/25: “Very nice walk!”
6/1/25: “Walk and playground–kids tried out their new waveboard–lots of bikers–had no idea this park existed!”
6/1/25: “Nice park and trails from the upper area. Will have to come back and explore further!”
5/23/25: “Damp but came across a sleeping deer–very sweet.”
6/30/22 “Hiked the Lower Track Trail and added a couple extra trails.”
6/30/22 “Check for ticks, we had some on us!”
6/29/22 “Loved the quiet. Miss the fairy houses.”
