Stuffed full of turkey or tofurkey? Need to get out of the house? Check out some of these family-friendly hikes and suggested picnic spots perfect for eating leftovers.
Siegel-Kline Kill
1452 County Route 21, Ghent, NY, Route 21 may also appear as Church Street
Trail length: The Meadow Loop Trail is 0.6 miles total, with some optional spur trails less than 0.1 miles long that allow access to the Kline Kill.
Trail surface: Mowed grass paths, the spur trails along the Kline Kill are rocky. May be wet and muddy after rain.
Why you’ll love it: Siegel-Kline Kill is a great place to visit when you want to get outside and take a relatively short, flat walk through a meadow. The trails are suitable for strollers and wide enough to walk side by side, making them a good fit for multi-generational gatherings that may include folks with strollers or using mobility aids. This is a great walk for people with kids – take the Nature Quest Trail! Throw rocks in the creek! See who can find the largest sycamore leaf along the side of the trail!
Best place to eat your leftovers: There’s a picnic table in the parking lot. You can also take a short (less than 0.1 mile) walk up the Hawk Hill and sit on the bench at the overlook.
Schor
58 Shore View Drive, Canaan
Trail length: The Pond Loop is 0.6 miles total, distance to the pavilion from the parking lot is 0.2 miles
Trail surface: Combination of mowed grass paths, packed earth, and some footbridges. The trail from the parking lot to the pavilion is an old road.
Why you’ll love it: The pond at Schor is a great place for relaxing or having a small family gathering. There are plenty of picnic tables and a swinging bench at the pavilion, and the forests and streams make for great exploration opportunities. If you sit quietly at the pavilion, you may find that the woods are alive with a variety of birds.
Best place to eat your leftovers: The swinging porch seat overlooking Jon’s Pond, or the pavilion. If you’re coming with a bigger group and would like to reserve the pavilion in advance, please contact CLC. While we can’t guarantee you’ll have the place all to yourself, we can let you know if other groups are scheduled to use the space.
Overmountain
138 Catalano Road, Ancram – Catalano may also appear as Cattalino, Catalonus, or Catalino
Trail length: The Kestrel Trail to the gazebo is 0.6 miles total
Trail surface: The trail is an old road, with some ruts.
Why you’ll love it: Views, views, views! Take in the majesty of the Catskill Mountains, and imagine the days when they were three times as high and mastodons roamed the fields below. See how many mountain peaks you can count. Gaze at the sky and interpret the clouds. Watch for hawks and other large birds soaring above.
Best place to eat your leftovers: The gazebo at the top of Kite Hill – the views and the gazebo are both works of art.
