Day Hike Destinations

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Explore All Day Hike Destinations in NYC & Vicinity

There are thousands of miles of trails around NYC to hike on. We picked the best of them for kids, meaning, not too long, fun stuff to see and easy to get to… download/visit AllTrails (most of the hiking destinations here have convenient links to AllTrails app/website with lots more info) or TrailLink apps and websites for the local information, trail maps with GPS and directions to trailheads… both have great free versions, you just have to register…

Jump to Day Hike Destinations in: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Upstate NY, Pennsylvania

MANHATTAN

  • Central Park– “Of course”… it’s what makes Manhattan so special after all and there are plenty of places to stroll around…
  • Hudson River Greenway– It runs “from Battery Park to George Washington Bridge and beyond” and there’s plenty to do… but best spot for kid-friendly hiking is near GWB bridge, Little Red Lighthouse and the “Beach in Fort Washington Park and Sisyphus Stones” areas 1/2 mile south of GWB…
    • Trailhead & Parking: You’ll have to park on the streets near by, we recommend walking down (west) on 158th St from Broadway, getting down the ramp under West Side Highway and heading north once you hit the river… GW Bridge will be 1.5 miles north from there and you’ll pass all the fun spots including grills and a great playground…
  • Inwood Hill Park– “Some very old woods” line it’s paths, from before settlers came, also an overlook and some historical landmarks……
  • The Giraffe Path– Definitely an urban hike, but leads you through six of the upper Manhattan’s parks including great views and lots of history with a few street blocks to cross in between the parks and lots of local food options on the way…

BROOKLYN

  • Prospect Park– Tried and true park to walk around in with lots for kids to see and discover, paths and lawns and trees too…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Street parking around the park
  • Brooklyn Marine Park– An “easy stroll through tall grass and birds”…
  • Brooklyn-Queens Greenway– Solitude abounds in some parts, but it’s a 40-mile continuous pedestrian and cycling route from Coney Island to Ft. Totten on the sound in Queens… an incredible way to discover some of the best parts of these boroughs with many, many entrances…
    • Website/Full Guide
    • Trailhead & Parking- Mostly on streets, just pick a spot along the route

QUEENS

  • Alley Pond Park– Besides seeing the “oldest and biggest living thing in NYC” you can also spend your kids’ time at a nature center, an adventure park, or just enjoying the many trails…
  • Eastern Queens Greenway– Hopefully a future greenway in Queens, connecting eastern Queens parks. Still a work in progress. Starts in Flushing (grab some Chinese food to take with you) and ends by Throgs Neck Bridge…
  • Forest Park Preserve– Hike “under gigantic trees” or watch the birds at the “water hole”… most trails for hiking are in the eastern portion…

BRONX

  • Bronx River Greenway– “Once abused waterway” is now a 23-mile long trail connecting many parks and points of interest through interconnecting trails of rolling landscape that makes you feel “far, far away from urban hustle”. Popular with kayakers and anyone with swim-gear on too…
  • Pelham Bay Park– See the remnants of Hunter Mansion Garden on Kazimiroff Nature Trail or just amble around the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, Heck, if you get bored, there’s always Orchard Beach near-by…
  • New York Botanical Gardens– Technically, yes, it’s a garden. But there’s plenty of walking to do and “incredible flora to see”…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Pay to park at the main entrance lot, or on the street on eastern parkway (free)

STATEN ISLAND

  • Latourette Park– Park by the nature center and find your way to best Greenbelt trail for younger sort on the Greenbelt…
  • Great Kills Park– Easy walk to Crooke’s Point or the Great Kills Beach is the best bet with younger children…

WESTCHESTER

  • Croton Gorge Park– A walk in the woods and over the dam is an easy way to get the wiggles out…
  • Rockefeller State Park Preserve– This old estate is full of stone bridges, amazing views and even has “a spook rock and witches hut”… also see cows and sheep grazing on the grounds….
    • Trailhead & Parking-Try paid Main Parking Lot– Close to Swan Lake and has a visitor center, or roadside pull-off area closer to Eagle Hill (views) and Spook Rock and Witch’s Hut trailheads
  • Anthony’s Nose– When Bear Mountain is too busy and you want to laugh at the crowds across the bridge from high up, this 2 mile trek will do the trick…
  • Greenburgh Nature Center– Good for younger kids, it has short and sweet trails in addition to animals to meet and a cool playground on the center’s grounds…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Lots on the property
  • Ward Pound Ridge Reservation– Huge park with many trails and open fields, good for a classic park hike… plus a nature center and art exhibits…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Parking lots in the park here, here and finally here for some easier trails

LONG ISLAND

  • Sands Point Preserve– 6 trails through 2 historic houses, a beach-front and a “dino trail” in this former Guggenheim family estate…
    • Trailhead & Parking- At property
  • Blydenburgh County Park– “Great water-scape views and mostly shaded”, flat too so great for younger kids…
  • Cedar Creek Park– Hiking routes vary in length and are more a walk in the park, but they also have an “archery range (bring your own gear) and an aerodrome field to fly model planes (same)”… plus “the best playground in LI”…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Parking lots all around the park
  • Cold Spring Harbor State Park– A “surprisingly hilly spot” in Nassau County, with some water (and bird) views for a nice family stroll… also the northern trailhead for Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt…
  • Robert Moses State Park– Start at parking lot 5 and you can have “a nice beachy boardwalk walk” past the Fire Island Light House all the way to Fire Island proper, on the beach if you want or use the roadways…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Lot 5
  • West Hills County Park– Walt Whitman Trail: It’s long, but includes the “highest point in Long Island”…
  • Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve– “Beautiful views and a wide selection of paths” along stone trails, woodlands and the beach… equestrian center too…
  • Avalon Park and Preserve– Small and manageable with “a labyrinth, rock formations and sculptures” in five diverse habitats…
  • Terrell River County Park– A trail of “log bridges and a pretty beach with a sandbar at the end” makes you, and the kids, feel like you are on a vacation…
  • Muttontown Preserve– Teenagers will pull their heads up from their phones once they see the graffiti on the remains of the mansion once owned by an Albanian King… the trails there were named “the best nature walk in LI” by Long Island Press, but they are largely unmarked…
  • Montauk Point State Park– An “opportunity to see seals”, especially late fall to early spring…who doesn’t love seals?, plus incredible landscape with rocky beaches and great bluffs, miles of trails and a lighthouse to view the sound and ocean merging…
  • Hither Hills State Park– “Walking dunes and a barren forest”, are just some of the options besides the beach…

CONNECTICUT

  • Bear Mountain Reservation– “Not the one in NY”. Woods, meadow, river views (one of the trails leads to Candlewood Lake) and short trails perfect for short legs, or four legs- it’s a popular dog walking area… good for afternoon in the nature…
  • Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve– “Great overlooks, and a bit hilly”, limited parking near-by, but that means less people around…
    • Trailhead & Parking- See this map for trails and parking spots
  • Mt. Tom State Park– Great views from high up (from a look-out tower) and some “creepy abandoned buildings” along the way with an abandoned quarry to explore and a pond for swimming and boating near entrance. Some trails can be steep…
  • Gillette Castle State Park– An “abandoned medieval-looking castle” and lots of trails around the Connecticut River, although way on the other side of New Haven…
  • Sleeping Giant State Park– Well-marked trails and an “observation tower” on the summit of Mount Carmel overlooking Long Island Sound…
  • Mianus River Park– Rugged forest park on the border between Stamford and Greenwich with river-side, cliff-side and woodsy trails including rock formations and a nature trail…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Here in Greenwich and here in Stamford
  • New Canaan Nature Center– Get lost in a “boxwood maze” in the children’s play garden or go on a scavenger hunt or visit birds of prey…
  • Carnbury Park– 6 miles of easy walking trails, open fields and a great lawn in front of Gallagher Mansion in addition to a disc-golf course…
  • The Larsen Wildlife Sanctuary– View the birds from 7 miles of hiking trails with observation decks, bridges and “a wigwam replica”…
  • Mohawk Mountain State Forest– Admire the landscape (and fall colors) from a “lookout tower” in this large park…
  • Macricostas Preserve– “Killer views” overlooking Lake Waramaug, challenging, but OK for most kids, just bring snacks/lunch… well-maintained trails…

NEW JERSEY

  • Institute Woods in Princeton– Free to public. You can visit Institute Woods, the famous Mercer Oak, or walk over Stony Brook on a swinging bridge, many, many acres of wild…
  • South Mountain Reservation– Search for “fairy houses” on the way of this nice nature walk location. Hemlock Falls and Maple Falls, plus Washington Rock observation deck with-in reach too if you follow Lenape Trail…
  • Palisades Interstate Park– 12 miles long and half a mile wide with steep cliffs and great views on the Hudson, it has multiple access points and 30 miles of trails, both on waterside and high up. Start at State Line Lookout with a view of “peregrine falcons” and take the mile long trail to the women’s monument to start…
  • Bille Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve– “Quiet, meandering trails” near/in Princeton’s Community Park, perfect for the younger kids…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Lots here and here
  • Stony-Brook-Millstone Watershed Reserve– A perfect place for families with easy trails with “a butterfly house, geo-cacheing and organic farm” tacked on…
  • Cheesequake State Park– Offers “gentle strolls through an unique eco-system”, but also swimming, mountain biking and fishing (during spring and fall), in a lake stocked with trout…
  • High Point State Park– “New Jersey’s highest point with a monument” also has great views, 50 miles of trails and a sweet lake to dip into during the summer months…
  • Wawayanda State Park– The most famous trail is Stairway to Heaven. Yes, it’s a mile up the hill and parking is a small road-side lot, but on the upside you’ll have amazing views and once back down, there’s a farm store and a great hot dog stand very close-by… the park has 50 more miles of trails, including parts of Appalachian Trail, start at the day use area, where many trails start and it has grills and swimming beach…
  • Ramapo Mountain State Forest– Castle loop (white blazes) gives you ruins of an old castle (Van Slyke Castle) and some great views, even NYC… trails can be steep and rocky and wear bug spray in the summer or go in the spring/fall…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Parking here or here
  • Sandy Hook– Circle the whole peninsula and you’ll see a lighthouse, old em-battlements, birds, NYC in the distance and some pretty great beaches both on the ocean and the sound side NOTE: Gunnison Beach is East Coasts only nudist beach…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Multiple lots once you enter the park, we always liked the Lot M near the tip for hiking or Lot C for easy beach access on ocean or sound side

UPSTATE NY

  • Bear Mountain– “Tried and true” family destination. Walk around the lake or up to Perkins Tower (as part of Appalachian Trail) where you can see Manhattan on a clear day…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Multiple parking lots at the park, including the main one here
  • Harriman State Park– This massive beast of a park offers anything from hard mountain climbs to easy lakeside trails. Start at the Reeves Meadow Welcome Center and then use the map you got/purchased, to go to either Lake Sebago, or explore some of the Appalachian Trail passing through… or wonder around the two beaches…
  • Fahnestock State Park– A loop around the Pelton Pond, or anything ending with “a dip in the water at Canopus Lake Beach” is a good bet…
  • Minnewaska State Park Preserve– Amazing place for hiking with 2 lake beaches, sweeping views and wide carriage trails, but can get insanely busy during holidays and nice weekends…
  • Walkway Over The Hudson State Historic Park– This “mile-plus-long repurposed railway bridge will give you vertigo”, but is great to walk or bike over…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Multiple free and fee-based lots. These lots in the West or in the East are just examples
  • Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve– Near Cold Spring, this park has many trails including “Little Stony Point for younger feet”, weird old mansion ruins to discover, or Bull Hill/Breakneck Ridge trails for the “way, way more adventurous” set…
  • Mohonk Mountain House– Expensive and advanced reservations required, but its grounds and 85 miles of trails are great for all skill levels. Book a lunch/brunch/dinner in their awesome dining room and entrance is free for a day, so it makes (at least a little) sense… day hiking passes available too…
  • Storm King State Park– “Lesser know than Bear Mountain”, but close, it’s a bit steep in the beginning, but then great mountaintop trail to some equally great views… definitely a wilderness adventure…
    • Trailhead & Parking- A couple of road side parking areas including this parking lot
  • Arden Point and Glenclyffe– Part of Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve. a bit south of Cold Spring, this hike includes a waterfall, views of West Point, some ruins and “a bamboo forest” of all things…
  • Kaaterskill Falls– “Jaw-dropping in any season”, the falls are also only a mile or so from the parking lots (there are two open) and it is a classic Catskills hike, but insanely popular(for a reason) during the summer/fall season, so go at other times…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Parking lots, Laurel House (Closest to viewing platform on top), Scutt Road (a bit farther), Note: The town will tow all vehicle sparked on road sides illegally!
  • Cooper Lake Reservoir– A crystal clear lake in the Catskills ( 3 miles from Woodstock), it makes a serene day with no crowds with easy trail and a picnic perhaps, no swimming, but great photo-ops…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Turn left onto Cooper Lake Road of coming from Woodstock, parking is road-side pull-off only
  • Slide Mountain Wilderness– Home of the highest peak in the Catskills (Slide Mountain). Many trails in this wilderness area, but “big, spectacular payoff views” at the end of 1.6 mile “Giant Ledge Trail” will work with kids… see DEC website (below) for more trail suggestions…
  • North-South Lake– The more adventurous kids can hike to Artist’s Rock from the North-South Lake parking lot to be rewarded with “one of the best views in the state” … or visit Catskill Mountain House Site with equally great views… plus a dip in the lake itself afterwards…
  • Overlook Mountain Wild Forest– Starting from one of the best small towns to visit in NY, this trail features “ruins to explore and a fire tower at the summit”…
  • Poet’s Walk Park– A’ created landscape” representing outdoor rooms separated by trees and rock walls, especially lovely in the summer and fall, but free and open year around…

PENNSYLVANIA

  • Bushkill Falls– Near Delaware Water Gap. Privately owned with 8 waterfalls and a few miles of picturesque hiking/walking trails. Fairly easy (with stairs) and great falls to look at, plus a small Native American exhibit and a maze for kids, but can get crowded…
  • Damascus Forest Trail– A classic 2-mile walk in the woods, not too hard on younger sort… not too many people and open year round
    • Trailhead & Parking- Lot
  • Tanner Falls– North-east corner of PA. Super “photogenic spot” in the middle of nowhere, you can drive almost to falls and wonder/scramble around with no real walking required… some swimming opportunities too as we hear…
  • Labyrinth Garden– Built by hand by one woman, largest labyrinth in the area. Free for kids, $3 for boring elders (i.e. adults)… more of a serene spot than a hiking trail…
    • Trailhead & Parking- At property
  • Delaware Water Gap– Huge park with lots and lots of trails, here’s info and some suggested trails:
  • Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve– Trails wind through 134 acres of beautiful gardens, meadows and woods…
  • Tyler State Park– Great state park that has trail traversing a stream and a covered bridge, plus disc-golf and rental canoes you can take on the river…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Multiple lots once you enter the park
  • Ringing Rocks County Park– A “unique field of natural melodious rocks” and a waterfall, bring a hammer, seriously…
    • Trailhead & Parking- Lot
  • Ralph Stover State Park– Views from the cliffs (of climbers) and walking trails along the millrace. Or watch people whitewater rafting during high water season… picnic tables too

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