Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Join Laura Conner, Environmental Educator, for this challenging five-mile loop hike along the Millbrook Mountain Footpath and Carriage Road. Our destination is Millbrook Mountain, a white cliff offering expansive views of the Catskills, the Wallkill Valley including New Paltz and the iconic Skytop stone fire tower, located further north along the Ridge. This hike features various terrain including steep hills, possibly slippery rock surfaces and a stream crossing. Meet at the Minnewaska Nature Center. Pre-registration is required by calling Minnewaska at 845-255-0752.

Join a New York State Hemlock Initiative(NYSHI) experienced field technician to learn about the yearly life cycle of hemlock woolly adelgid(HWA), an invasive insect that is threatening our native eastern hemlock trees. Learn how to identify HWA in the field and how to help the NYSHI gather data to improve biocontrol research in New York. NYSHI is now part of the National Phenology Network, which utilizes the Nature's Notebook smartphone app to collect data in the field. This makes it easier than ever to observe the timing of HWA's major life stages. This training is designed for citizen scientists with no previous knowledge of HWA, land managers, and experienced scientists hoping to contribute to our collective understanding of this insect. Stay after the training for a brief demonstration of tree climbing by members of the New York State Parks Invasive Species Management Team, who will search for HWA high up in the hemlock trees near the Nature Center. Pre-registration is required by calling Minnewaska at 845-255-0752.

Stop by the Minnewaska Nature Center with your family to make fun, nature-based crafts. Collect leaves and use them to make natural sun prints, decorate an animal mask, make crayon rubbings of leaves and animal tracks or create your own nature journal. This program is recommended for children between the ages of six and ten years old, accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 18. Pre-registration is NOT required.

Join Laura Conner, Environmental Educator and Stefan Ramirez, Student Conservation Association/AmeriCorps Intern for an all-day long, nearly eight-mile-long walk along three carriage roads and one footpath. After a short walk along the Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, we'll head uphill along the Castle Point Carriage Road. This route offers cliff edge views that get better at each turn. When we reach Castle Point, we'll soak up the expansive views of Lake Awosting, Sam's Point, the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. From here, we begin our hike along the Blueberry Run Footpath, which meanders through rock gardens and cool forests until joining the Upper Awosting Carriage Road for a relatively easy walk back to our starting point. Participants should wear comfortable shoes and carry plenty of water and enough food to sustain them all day. Meet at the Minnewaska Nature Center. Pre-registration is required by calling Minnewaska at 845-255-0752.