First Day Hikes in the Hudson Valley are the region's least crowded way to open the year with a crowd. Every January 1, New York State Parks, the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Canal Corporation invite people onto parks, historic sites and public lands for guided and self-guided walks. The January 1, 2026 edition was the 15th, with more than 115 locations statewide, and the state waived the normal parking fee at state parks and sites for the day. The 2027 edition, the 16th, is being assembled now; State Parks says host locations are still being added.

The Hudson Valley list shifts a little each year, but the anchors repeat. What follows is how the 2026 edition ran, which is the clearest template for what to expect on January 1, 2027.

The Walkway Over the Hudson

The Walkway is the regional headliner and the easiest one to join. In 2026 the hike was free with no registration, starting at 11 AM from both entrances, in Poughkeepsie and in Highland on the west bank. Walkers chose between a short walk of roughly three-quarters of a mile to the flagpole at the center overlook, or an extended loop of about three miles that crossed back over the Mid-Hudson Bridge and returned along Haviland Road.

The deck is 1.28 miles long and 212 feet above the river, a former railroad bridge that reopened as a state historic park on October 3, 2009. Up there, January wind is the main event. On January 1, 2026 the extended loop was canceled the morning of because of snow on the connecting trails, while the walk to the overlook went ahead. That is the pattern to plan around: the short version is the safer bet, and the long one depends on the ground.

Leashed pets were allowed on the Walkway in 2026 but not on the Mid-Hudson Bridge, which kept dogs to the short walk. Scenic Hudson's lot on Parker Avenue in Poughkeepsie opened to hikers first come, first served.

Staatsburgh and Mills-Norrie

Staatsburgh State Historic Site, the Mills family mansion above the river at Staatsburg, runs the gentlest guided option on the east bank. In 2026 it was a free, staff-led walk of about 1.2 miles on a woodland trail in Mills-Norrie State Park, starting at 11 AM near the mansion, with a stop at a small, little-known cemetery in the woods and hot cocoa at the end. Registration was required. It suits a group with mixed ages and mixed enthusiasm, and it is done by early afternoon.

Olana and Copake Falls

Columbia County contributed two sites in 2026. Olana State Historic Site in Greenport, Frederic Church's hilltop estate south of Hudson, hosted a First Day Hike, and past editions there have required pre-registration. The hilltop looks across the river to the Catskills, which is the whole argument for a short walk in the cold.

Taconic State Park's Copake Falls Area hosted as well. In past years the Friends of Taconic State Park have led the New Year's walk from the park office on Route 344 to Bash Bish Falls, which sits just over the state line in Massachusetts. The falls are the payoff and the footing near them is the risk, so traction devices earn their space in the pack.

Stony Kill Farm

The DEC's Stony Kill Farm in Fishkill, run with the Stony Kill Foundation, offered a 2-mile walk on the Sierra Trail from the trailhead on Red Schoolhouse Road, 11 AM to 1 PM. Registration was required by December 31, pets were not allowed, and the hike was subject to cancellation in bad weather. It is the quiet pick in southern Dutchess, open fields and woods without the Walkway's crowd.

Getting a spot for 2027

• Watch for the list in December. State Parks posts sites at parks.ny.gov/events/first-day-hikes and the DEC posts its own hikes, typically in December.
• Register early. In 2026, DEC hikes in the region closed sign-ups between December 29 and December 31.
• Expect weather calls. Hosts cancel or shorten routes on the morning of January 1. Check the host's page before leaving the house.
• Dress for the exposure. The Walkway forecast in 2026 was the mid-20s with wind over 10 mph. Woodland routes may need microspikes.
• Daylight is short. Most hikes start between 11 AM and 1 PM, which leaves little margin for a late start.

For adults 21+

Every site above is a state park, a state historic site or DEC land, and New York state law prohibits cannabis consumption on state-owned land and in public spaces. Bash Bish Falls is Massachusetts territory, and Massachusetts state law prohibits cannabis consumption in public spaces as well. Carrying cannabis across a state line is illegal under federal law, so anything bought in New York stays in New York.