Where to Go Hiking in New York
New York has hiking trails from the beaches of Long Island to the border with Canada, from Niagara Falls to the Vermont border. Federal, state and local parks offer a wide variety of hiking experiences from the dunes on the beach to steep mountain trails and specialty hiking through the state's numerous vineyards. Most of the parks are open year round, so you can have a New York hiking experience any time you want.
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Instructions
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Pick the Perfect Hiking Trail
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Pick the Type of HikingBeach hiking is mostly done on Long Island, where beaches on both the north and south shores have hiking trails. Both the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains have hiking trails of different difficulty levels. If you would like to hike through wine country, you can go to the north fork of Long Island or the Finger Lakes region on the west-central border.
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Pick the ParkThere are two ways to pick a park to go hiking. One is by location and the second by the type of hiking. All of the park systems have websites with all the information you need to make your choice. Take everything into consideration. For instance, if you are going hiking in the winter, does the park have cabins for rent? If not, what accommodations are near by? Are other parts of the park open—food or concessions, for instance. Get every bit of information you can.
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Pick the Right TrailKnow your limitations. Most of the parks will have trails at different levels. If it is your first time at the park, pick a trail that you think will be easy for you, not one you think will be very challenging. You want to enjoy your day, not end up disappointed. Most of the parks also have handicapped accessible trails—even the beach ones, thanks to the invention of beach wheelchairs.
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Call the ParkA couple of days before you want to arrive, call the park. Make sure the trails are open and no act of nature has caused them to be shut down. Find out if there are any restrictions in place. Confirm any reservations you made for cabins or camping sites. Ask park officials for recommendations on what to bring. Park rangers will know current conditions of trails.
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Pack the Right GearBring clothes that can be worn in layers. The weather can change, especially in the spring and winter. Pack healthy snacks and plenty of water. Wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots. Don’t forget good sunglasses and a hiking hat.
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Tips & Warnings
Hike with a group. It is much more fun when you have company to share your experience.
Pick a type of hiking you have not tried before. Variety is the spice of life.
Obey the rules. In many cases, you will be hiking in wildlife areas. Respect the wildlife. This is their home and you are the visitor.
Resources
- Photo Credit New York State Dept. of Parks
