Family Fun, Hiking, Recreation, Winter Activities

First Day Hikes Kick Off Year of Wellness

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2025 is the year of wellness in New York State, and our First Day Hikes event series was the perfect way to start the year! For the fourteenth time, state parks, historic sites, and public lands rang in the new year by hosting group hikes. More than 90 sites statewide participated, and thousands of New Yorkers joined us to begin 2025 on a high note.

There was little snow on the ground across most of New York this year, but lots of joy, optimism and community in the air. Here are a few highlights of the day. Browse our First Day Hikes 2025 Flickr album to see all the photos.

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2024 Centennial Celebration, history, Share Your Story

Centennial Reflections and Future Promises

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What a year we’ve had! From kicking off our Centennial in the outdoors with First Day Hikes, to lighting up New York on the official anniversary in April, to birthday bashes hosted at state parks and historic sites all summer long, it’s certainly been a year to remember. Visitors from near and far joined in on the festivities and participated in the different activities to help us celebrate.

Take a look at our year-in-review video that recaps all the fun we’ve had this year.

Still want to celebrate with us? Here’s a more in-depth look back at all the excitement we’ve had with you by our sides. 

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history, Park History, Park Personnel, Stewardship

Behind the Scenes of ‘From Land to Legacy: 100 Years of NY State Parks and Preservation’

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In honor of the 100th anniversary of the founding of New York’s park and historic site system, we knew we wanted to do something special. Telling our full story in-house in a documentary style — and ensuring that the agency’s 100-year legacy was shared accurately and completely — seemed like a daunting task for our small (but mighty!) Public Affairs team.

Above all else, it required bringing the right voices to the table:

  • Professional storytellers who value public resources.
  • Team members with vast institutional knowledge, from Indigenous history to environmental conservation and New York State’s recreation evolution.
  • Powerful visuals that do our 250+ facilities justice.
  • Staff and like-minded individuals who are passionate about our open spaces and rich cultural resources, and are working to preserve and protect them, day in and day out.
Get your popcorn ready and click the play button above to watch the full documentary.

Thankfully, from discussions early on, Capital region PBS affiliate WMHT demonstrated enthusiasm for working on a documentary that would share our state park and historic site system’s Centennial story with New Yorkers. And it was this author’s honor to play a small role in seeing the enormous undertaking come to life.

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2024 Centennial Celebration, Park History, Research

A New Outdoor Aesthetic: New York’s Postwar Park Architecture 

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Many buildings and features built for New York state parks during the 1930s mimicked the natural environment. In the period after World War II, this rustic style started sharing space with more modern designs. 

One of the busiest construction periods of the New York State Parks system was during the 1950s and 1960s, when park planners were expecting to welcome record numbers of visitors. You can learn more about that history in our Blazing a Trail timeline project. But, for a deeper dive into the architecture leading up to that era, keep reading… 

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Family Fun, Hiking, Winter Activities

Get Outside and Join New York State Parks for First Day Hikes 2025! 

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For thousands of New Yorkers, First Day Hikes are a favorite way to ring in the New Year.  

This tradition is an opportunity to get active outside with friends and family while working towards your New Year’s resolutions. 2025 marks the fourteenth iteration of the event in New York State, with hikes taking place on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. 

Ringing in 2024 at Olana State Historic Site (left), Glimmerglass State Park (center), and Saratoga Springs State Park (right). Join us to ring in 2025!

More than 90 hikes will take place across New York’s public lands, at state parks, historic sites, wildlife areas, forest preserves, nature centers, and canal trails. These family-friendly hikes range from one to five miles, based on location and trail conditions. No matter your experience level or time commitment, there’s a suitable adventure to be found! 

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The official blog for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation