First Day Hike

It's the first day of a brand new year! First Day Hikes is a nationwide initiative that takes place annually on New Year's Day. The event encourages people to get outdoors and be active and explore the nation’s parks.

Come join us outside for our First Day leisurely hike at Rockwood Hall, the former home of William Rockefeller. Then we'll continue into Rockefeller State Park in TARRYTOWN.

ROCKWOOD HALL is a distinct bucolic section of Rockefeller State Park Preserve with commanding views of the Hudson River and Palisade Cliffs. Between 1886 and 1922, it was the estate of William Rockefeller consisting of 1000 acres with a 202-room mansion, a working farm, and a landscape designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, father of American landscape design. While the house and buildings are now gone, massive rock walls around the former house site and extensive grassy fields with magnificent specimen trees harken back to the heyday of the estate during the gilded age.

ROCKEFELLER STATE PARK PRESERVE offers quiet countryside walks of all lengths through forested hills and valleys surrounding sunlit pastoral fields. Thirty miles north of New York City, the property is the former Pocantico Hills and Rockwood Hall country estates of John D. Rockefeller family and William Rockefeller. Since 1983, the Rockefeller Family has generously donated over 1425 acres to the State of New York to safeguard these lands for present and future generations. Managed by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, the Preserve is open to the public year-round, sunrise to sunset.

GETTING THERE: We'll meet at Grand Central to take the 9:25AM Metro-North to PHILLIPSE MANOR.

AGENDA: Once we arrive at PHILLIPSE MANOR STATION at 10:21AM, we'll walk over city streets to reach Rockwood Hall State Park where there are some spectacular views of the Hudson.

From Rockwood there are connecting trails that will take us into Rockefeller State Park Preserve.

At the end of the day from RSPP we’ll call uber for a short ride to TARRYTOWN STATION for our return train.

if anyone's interested we can also grab dinner in town before heading home.

HIKE INTENSITY: This will be an EASY BREEZY hike. There are some minor rolling hills but nothing strenuous.

PACE: Hiking pace will be LEISURELY AND NO ONE WILL BE LEFT BEHIND. There'll be lunch, water and snack breaks as needed; as well as taking time to savor the sights and sounds of nature, take photos, hug some trees, and most importantly, socialize with your fellow hikers

THE IMPORTANT STUFF:

• Dress in non-cotton layers.
• Wear appropriate shoes suitable for hiking -
• Bring at least 3 liters of liquid to stay hydrated.
• Bring lunch and snacks for yourself.
• Bring a sense of adventure and a positive attitude. A smile also goes a long way. Please leave the drama and crankiness at home.

AFTER HIKE, for those interested we’ll have dinner and drinks in Tarrytown before heading home.

WEATHER: Rain, snow, polar vortex cancels!

LIABILITY WAIVER: come prepared. Participate at your own risks. Hold no one liable .etc. etc.