National Park Guide: New York's Saratoga

— -- There are people who go to Saratoga National Historical Park for its views of the Hudson River and its natural beauty. And there are those who go to hear things go "boom."

The park, which commemorates a pair of key Revolutionary War battles, hosts a number of encampments each year where hobbyists in historical garb show what military unit life was like 235 years ago — including weapon demonstrations.

"Those always attract a group of people excited about seeing cannon fire," says park superintendent Joe Finan.

The 1777 battles at Saratoga, which saw rebel troops defeat a large wing of the British Army, were a major turning point of the war. And the park is made up of four locations within several square miles north of Albany, including land where the battles themselves were fought and a tall stone obelisk commemorating the event.

The park is trying to secure the "sword surrender site" wherethe general leading British troops surrendered to American Gen. Horatio Gates. "The area is very fertile in history," Finan says.

"It's a serene setting," says Tim Holmes of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and president of the Friends of the Saratoga Battlefield. "Many people come for that reason. It combines aspects of other national parks — some of the great nature parks, the thick forests, with the very important historical themes. It appeals to different audiences."

About the park

Size: 3,394 acres

Visitors: 65,043 in 2011

Established: 1938

History: It was first a state preserve, established when Franklin D. Roosevelt was governor, and then become a national historical park when Roosevelt was president.

When visiting: The park is actually four separate sites: the Battlefield in Stillwater, including the visitor center at 648 Route 32; Schuyler House in Schuylerville, about 8 miles north of the battlefield; the Saratoga Monument in Victory, roughly a mile west of Schuyler House; and Victory Woods in Victory. Visitor info: 518-664-9821.

Of note: One stone monument in the park, Boot Monument, commemorates Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold's service at the Battle of Saratoga and a battle injury he suffered there, though the name of the nation's most famous traitor is never mentioned.