Clifton Park - Halfmoon

Clifton Park and Halfmoon are the first two Saratoga County towns you come into as you cross the Mohawk River on 87's Twin Bridges. Down river from the 87 bridges is Crescent, where the old Erie Canal crossed over from Cohoes side of the river on a viaduct. Now, US 9 goes across the Mohawk River there. They are both suburban communities of both Albany and Saratoga, with lots of shopping areas on US 9 and NY 146 and light industry too. Geologically it is old lake bottom, so terrain is sandy and flat. 87 roughly follows the townline between Clifton Park and Halfmoon, Halfmoon to the east. There are parks and trails along the Mohawk River. The first north bound rest area is just north of Exit 9, the Clifton Park Center exit, NY 146.

There are many motels and restaurants, as well as supermarkets, parts stores, department stores and gas stations at Exit 9. Also you can use exit 8A to access the popular large chain department and grocery stores. There is literally a piece of commercial real estate called Clifton Park Center, built around the old Clifton Country Mall on SW quadrant of I-87 and NY 146 at Exit 9. While the old mall's interior is almost a ghost town, all around it surrounding the mall and all through its huge parking areas a plethora of stores of all kind sprang up including several hotels.