Orange County, NY Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Local Law No. 13 of 2001, § 4(h)
- Where allowed
- Designated picnic areas and campgrounds only
- Elsewhere
- Requires Commissioner's advance written permission
- Supervision
- Must be under Park staff control
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 90 days jail
Summary
Orange County bans open flames and portable stoves or grills in its parks except in designated picnic areas and campgrounds, or with the Commissioner of Parks' advance written permission. Even then, cooking must happen under Park staff supervision.
starting or maintaining a fire or open flame; operating a portable stove, grill or any other device for the heating, cooking or preparation of food, except in designated picnic areas and campgrounds, or with the advance written permission of the Commissioner, and then only with the approval and/or under the direct supervision and control of the Commissioner and/or Park staff.
Full Breakdown
Section 4, subsection h, of Local Law No. ' In practice a charcoal kettle, propane grill or camp stove can go unpermitted only inside a picnic area or campground the Parks Department has marked for that use; anywhere else in the park system, from trailheads to the Heritage Trail to golf course grounds, cooking equipment needs the Commissioner's written sign-off in advance and direct Park staff supervision while it is used. The same subsection also folds in fireworks, rockets and dangerous chemical or electrical devices, which are barred outright unless the Commissioner specifically approves them in advance.
The Parks Department, part of the Orange County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, keeps a current copy of the site-specific rules governing which picnic areas and campgrounds allow grilling at its headquarters, with the County Executive and the Clerk of the Legislature.
Violations & Fines
Grilling or lighting an open flame outside a designated area, or without the Commissioner's advance written permission, is a violation of Section 4(h). Section 6 makes it punishable by a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both, per offense, enforceable by any local, county or state police officer working in the park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring a portable propane grill to an Orange County park?
Are campfires allowed?
What's the penalty for grilling in a restricted area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Orange County to another location·View the New York outdoor cooking overview
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