Need to clear your head after a New Year’s Eve party?
We’ve got just the thing to blow away those cobwebs: a refreshing winter walk in one of New York City’s beautiful state parks and historic sites.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection cooperates with local organizations on the host Action on the first day of the trip on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
Some of these hikes are guided, some require registration, some are pet friendly, but all will start you on the right path to meeting your New Year’s resolution to be healthier.
Trips on the first day of CNY
What: Choose from two hikes at Clark Reservation State Park, a moderately challenging 2-mile walk or a family-friendly half-mile walk. Registration is required. Friends of Clark Reservation will have a raffle and refreshments at the nature center afterward.
Where: Meet at the Grand Pavilion at Clark Reservation State Park, Jamesville.
When: 11:00 a.m
What: Take a free 2-mile guided walk around Green Lake. The environmental education center will be open.
When: noon – 3 p.m
Where: Enter the park via Rt. 290 as the Rt.5 entrance (golf course side) is closed for the season. Meeting at the Center for Environmental Education.
What: In partnership with the Safe Haven Museum, Fort Ontario will host a 1.5-mile tour of the grounds to locations important to the stories of the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter. Dress for the weather, it can be quite windy.
When: 9 o’clock in the morning
Where: Safe Haven Holocaust Shelter Museum, Fort Ontario State Historic Site, Oswego.
What: Montezuma Audubon Center staff will lead a leisurely 1.5-mile hike through forest habitat, grasslands, and swamps. Wildlife watchers of all levels welcome. Binoculars will be provided as needed. Register online until December 30.
When: 1:00 p.m
Where: Montezuma Audubon Center, 2295 State Route 89, Savannah.
Special instructions: Dress for the weather. The hike will take place if there is snow on the ground, light rain or snowfall. Snowshoes provided as needed. Participants will be informed of the cancellation by 10 a.m. on December 31. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Well behaved pets allowed on a leash.
More information: Montezuma Audubon Center, montezuma@audubon.org, (315) 365-3588.
What: The Bullthistle Hiking Club will lead a hike on a 5-mile trail on relatively flat terrain winding through mature forests of tall white pines, wetlands with active beavers, streams, lakes and century-old stone walls. Shorter trip options are available. Registration is not required.
When: 10-15 hours
Where: Meet at the Nature Center Cabin, Bowman Lake State Park, Oxford.
Special instructions: Dress for the weather. Snowshoes or microspikes may be needed. All ages welcome. Well behaved animals allowed on a leash.
Additional information: Nathan Funk, nathan.funk@dec.ny.gov, (607) 251-3477; or Rita Dunlap rita.dunlap@parks.ny.gov, (607) 334-2718.
What: Guided walk on Rogers Center for Environmental Education with Friends of Rogers and Bullthistle Hiking Club. Choose between a gentle 1.4-mile loop along Channels Marsh and the Chenango River, or a slightly more challenging 1.1-mile route to Farm Tower for scenic valley views. Registration is not required.
When: 10-11 a.m
Where: Meet in parking lot, Rogers Visitor Center, Sherburne.
Special instructions: Dress for the weather. All ages welcome. No pets.
Additional information: Ariah Mitchell, ariah@friendsofrogers.org, (607) 674-4733.
What: 2-mile hike with Friends of Fillmore Glen. The trail has several steep climbs and descents and skirts a stream and old growth forest before ending in a field near a historic cemetery. There are a few remaining spots along the way. The tour leader, a naturalist, will describe the flora and fauna you will encounter. Please note that there are no toilets available on site.
When: 10:00 a.m
Where: Meeting at Main Pavilion, Fillmore Glen State Park, Moravia.
What: DEC staff will lead a 4-mile scenic walk along a level boardwalk along the Erie Canal in the Utica Marsh Wildlife Management Area, ending at a wildlife viewing platform where hikers can look for wildlife in the ponds.
When: 10:00 a.m
Where: Erie Canal Trail Parking Lot, 5625 Mohawk Street, Marcy.
Special instructions: Dress for the weather. An umbrella may come in handy. Bring binoculars or binoculars if you have them. All ages welcome. Well behaved animals allowed on a leash. Please arrive 10 minutes early to ensure ample parking. Registration required by Tuesday, December 30.
More information: Daniel Ruggiero, daniel.ruggiero@dec.ny.gov, (315) 866-6330 ext. 132
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