Check out these scenic outdoor hiking options near New York City, in Southeast New York's Rockland and Westchester Counties, on Long Island, and in nearby Fairfield County, Connecticut. The mountains, parks, and other nature areas listed here are all offer easy hiking and nature trails that kids and families of all skill levels can enjoy. So pack a picnic, get out of the city, and get outdoors!
Rockland County, New York
Bear Mountain
Palisades Parkway, Route 9W, 7 Lakes Drive, Bear Mountain, NY
Blauvelt State Park
Highland Avenue, Greenbush Road, Blauvelt, NY
Buttermilk Falls
199 South Greenbush Road, West Nyack, NY
Clausland Mountain Park
10 Nike Lane, Upper Grandview, NY
Dater Mountain Nature Park
Johnsontown Road, Sloatsburg, NY
Demarest Kill Park
57 New Hempstead Road, New City, NY
Eleanor Burlingham Memorial Park
25 Municipal Plaza, Sloatsburg, NY
Gurnee Park and Amphitheater
1052 Route 45, Pomona, NY
H. Pierson Mapes/Flat Rock Park
101 Torne Valley Road, Hillburn, NY
Hook Mountain State Park
Upper Nyack, NY
Kennedy Dells Park
355 North Main Street, New City, NY
Monsey Glen Park
140 Saddle River Road, Monsey, NY
Mountainview Nature Park
2 Strawberry Hill Lane, Central Nyack, NY
Nyack Beach State Park
End of N. Broadway, Upper Nyack, NY
Robert F. Kennedy Park
Little Tor Road and N. Main Street, New City, NY
Samuel G. Fisher Mount Ivy Environmental Park
75 Firemens Memorial Drive, Pomona, NY
Sean Hunter Ryan Memorial Park
Bradley Parkway Route 38, West Nyack, NY
South Mountain Park
164 South Central Highway, Garnerville, NY
Stony Point Battlefield
Park Road off Route 9W, Stony Point, NY
Tallman Mountain State Park
Route 9W, Palisades, NY
Westchester County, New York
Benziger Boulder
Stephenson Boulder
Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
Route 121, Cross River, NY
(914) 864-7317
Westmoreland Sanctuary (pictured)
West 260 Chestnut Ridge Road, Bedford Corners, NY
Beaver Dam Sanctuary Park
Bedford Hills, NY
Hudson Highlands Gateway Park
Cortlandt, NY
Croton Gorge Park
Route 129, Cortlandt, NY
Graff Sanctuary
Furnace Dock Road, Croton-on-Hudson, NY
Willson's Woods Park
East Lincoln Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY
Mountain Lakes Park
Hawley Road, North Salem, NY 10560
Blue Mountain
Welcher Avenue, Peekskill, NY
Kensico Dam Plaza
Bronx River Parkway, Valhalla, NY 10595
Tibbetts Brook Park
Midland Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10710
Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park
2957 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
George's Island Park
Dutch Street, Montrose, NY
Choate Sanctuary
Crow Hill Road, Mount Kisco, NY
Willson's Woods Park
East Lincoln Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY
Mountain Lakes Park
Hawley Road, North Salem, NY
Kensico Dam Plaza
Bronx River Parkway, Valhalla, NY
Saxon Woods Park
Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY
Long Island
Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park
440 Montauk Hwy, Oakdale, NY
(631) 581-1002
Belmont Lake State Park
Southern State Pkwy, Exit 38, North Babylon, NY
(631) 667-5055
Bethpage State Park
99 Quaker Meetinghouse Road, Farmingdale, NY
(516) 249-0701
Blydenburgh County Park
Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown, NY
(631) 854-3713
Caleb Smith State Park Preserve
Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, NY
(631) 265-1054
Camp Hero State Park
50 South Fairview Avenue, Montauk, NY
(631) 668-3781
Cathedral Pines County Park
Yaphank-Middle Island Road, Middle Island, NY
(631) 852-5500
Caumsett Historic State Park
25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Lloyd Harbor, NY
(631) 423-1770
Cedar Creek Park
Merrick Road, Seaford, NY
(516) 571-7460
Cedar Point County Park
5 Cedar Point Road, East Hampton, NY
(631) 853-7620
Cold Spring Harbor State Park
Main Street/Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
(631) 423-1770
Connetquot River State Park Preserve
Sunrise Highway/Route 27, Oakdale, NY
(631) 581-1005
Gardiner County Park
Montauk Highway, Bayshore, NY
(631) 854-4949
Heckscher State Park
Heckscher Parkway, East Islip, NY
(631) 581-2100
Hempstead Lake State Park
Southern State Parkway, Exit 18, West Hempstead, NY
(516) 766-1029
Hither Hills State Park
50 South Fairview Avenue, Montauk, NY
(631) 668-2554
Indian Island County Park-Riverhead
Cross River Drive, Route 105, Riverhead, NY
(631) 852-3232
Lakeland County Park
Johnson Ave., Islandia, NY
(631) 853-2727
Massapequa Preserve
East Merrick Road, Seaford, NY
(516) 571-7443
Muttontown Preserve
34 Muttontown Lane, East Norwich, NY
(516) 571-8500
Nissequogue State Park
Saint Johnland Road, Kings Park, NY
(631) 269-4927
Norman J. Levy Overlook Park and Preserve
1600 Merrick Road, Merrick, NY
(516) 804-2000
Orient Beach State Park
North Country Road Route 25, Orient, NY
(631) 323-2440
Peconic Dunes County Park
Sound View Avenue, Peconic, NY
(631) 854-4949
The Reverend Arthur Mackey Sr. Park
Lakeside Drive, Roosevelt, NY
(516) 571-8692
Robert Cushman Murphy County Park
Old River Road, Manorville, NY
(631) 854-4949
Robert Moses State Park
Robert Moses Causeway, Fire Island, NY
(631) 669-0470
Sears Bellows County Park
Bellows Pond Road, Hampton Bays, NY
(631) 852-8290
Shadmoor State Park
Route 27 at Seaside Avenue, Montauk, NY
(631) 668-3781
Southaven County Park
Victory Avenue, Brookhaven, NY
(631) 854-1414
Sweetbriar Nature Center
62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown, NY
(631) 979-6344
Terrell River County Nature Preserve
20 Main Street, Center Moriches, NY
Theodore Roosevelt County Park
Montauk Highway, Montauk, NY
(631) 853-7879
Trail View State Park
Jericho Turnpike (Route 25), Woodbury, NY
(631) 423-1770
West Hills County Park
Sweet Hollow Road, Hunington, NY
(631) 854-4423
Wildwood State Park Beach
Wildwood State Park Beach Sound Ave., Wading River, NY
(631) 929-4314
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Audubon Center of Greenwich
613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT
(203) 869-5275
Bartlett Arboretum
151 Brookdale Road, Stamford, CT
(203) 322-6971
Connecticut Audubon Society Birdcraft Museum
314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT
(203) 259-0416
CT Audubon Society Nature Center
2325 Burr Street, Fairfield, CT
(203) 259-6305
Darien Nature Center
120 Brookside Road, Darien, CT
(203) 655-7459
Devil's Den Preserve
33 Pent Road, Weston, CT
(203) 226-4991
Earthplace
10 Woodside Lane, Westport, CT
(203) 227-7253
Indian Well State Park
Howe Avenue, Shelton, CT
(203) 735-4311
Mianus River Preserve
Westover Road, Stamford, CT
(203) 977-4692
New Canaan Nature Center
144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT
(203) 966-9577
Ordway Preserve
165 Goodhill, Weston, CT
(203) 226-4991
Weir Farm National Historic Site
735 Nod Hill Road, Wilton, CT
(203) 834-1896
Also see: Surprise! Hiking Trails for Families on Staten Island
Hiking and Nature Trails in Upstate New York
