What we’re about
NJ/NY Hiking, Cycling and Kayaking is a volunteer organization, aiming to provide a platform where like minded hikers, cyclists and outdoors enthusiasts come together.
All of our trips, activities, events, etc will come from our members and organizers. Everyone is encouraged to make suggestions and throw out ideas for planning our next activity, trip, or adventure.
Hikes: They are graded by difficulty of terrain, distance and pace. The Hiking grades are: Easy: These hikes are 3 to 5 miles in length and should have no significant hills. Moderate: These hikes are 5 to 8 miles and may take up to 5 hours, including time for trail lunch. They should not generally have multiple long steep hills, and should be at a moderate pace. Moderately Strenuous: These hikes are 5 to 8 miles with multiple steep hills or 8 miles or more which are mostly flat walking. They can last up to 6 hours, including trail lunch. Pace to be moderate. Strenuous: Not for novices. Hikes are 8 miles or more and last 6 hours or more, including time for trail lunch. These may have many long steep hills and may be at a brisk pace. Most hikes get back about 4:00 in the afternoon. But that is not a certainty. Conditions may force an early end, or hikers may be slower than expected.
Kayaking: This group is for all skill levels. We meet regularly in late spring and summer. If you are a beginner, this is the place to start. Neil can give you advice before you buy any gear. If you are an experienced paddler, this group is an ideal way to meet other paddlers to talk about gear, local paddle spots, and to plan trips.
Cycling: Our cycling is flat rides to moderately difficult, mid- to long distance, 10-25 miles. We are never in "race mode" and our aim is to encourage cycling and socializing. The details will be posted for each ride so you can decide if it will be suit your level of fitness. We strive to be a cohesive group.
Our camping trips will include a wide variety of camping types: Backpacking, tent camping, and car camping. Some of the trips may involve visiting established campgrounds with water, campfire rings, restroom facilities and fees (these trips will have a cost to help cover the site reservation costs)
Know your limits
Our Organizers are not tour guides. Neither are we rangers. Going out with us is the same as going out with a few friends. Expect the same risks, take the same precautions. As Organizers, we will do our best to give accurate descriptions of the hikes we post. If you are a beginner in hiking, the elevation over the length of the hike and distance may not mean much to you. Likewise, difficulty ratings are subjective, and a hike that is 'Easy' to one person may be 'Moderate' to another. Err on the side of caution. You're much better off going on a hike that's too easy for you than a hike that's too hard or too dangerous for you. As you go on more hikes with us, you'll become more familiar with our ratings and our descriptions, and you'll learn more about your own limits. Ultimately, it's up to you to keep yourself safe out there. Hike within your abilities
Donation:
Meet Up charges a fee to maintain the website and all groups need to pay this to continue to post activities for their group. So, we are asking for a $5 annual donation per member. This is NOT a membership fee but a voluntary donation to keep the group going. If you are unable to make a donation, no worries; you are still welcome to hike with our group.