Enjoy Free Winter Events at Scenic Hudson Parks

HUDSON VALLEY — Scenic Hudson parks are great destinations for outdoor fun and provide the perfect antidote for cabin fever. The following free outings also offer lessons about how preserved land benefits the environment—from protecting wildlife habitat and enhancing the quality of our water and air to helping combat climate change.

For events taking place outdoors be sure to wear clothing appropriate for the weather.

For driving directions and to RSVP, see Scenic Hudson's events page. Join our e-mail list today and receive a monthly calendar of Scenic Hudson outings right in your inbox.

Saturday, Jan. 28, from 10 a.m.—1 p.m. at Scenic Hudson's Black Creek Preserve, ESOPUS, Ulster County — Snowshoe Demo and Guided Tour — Try out Tubbs Snowshoes while taking a guided, 2.5-mile trek around magnificent Black Creek Preserve. (If there's no snow, it will be a guided hike.) Enjoy exceptional views of the Hudson River and maybe even spot a bald eagle.

Saturday, Feb. 11, from noon—4 p.m. at Scenic Hudson's Long Dock Park, BEACON, Dutchess County — The Beauty of Ice (Sculpting Competition) — Come see top-notch sculptors test their creativity. Scenic Hudson and Mill Street Loft are partnering to have some of the region's noted sculptors turn river ice, driftwood and other objects found along the park's shoreline into intriguing works of art. Sculptors begin their work at noon, and the public can vote for their favorite between 3—4 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 28, from 6:30—8 p.m. at Scenic Hudson's River Center at Long Dock Park, BEACON, Dutchess County — Naturalist Lecture Series: Why Did the Salamander Cross the Road? — Each spring salamanders and frogs travel long distances to breed in small wetlands called vernal pools. Unfortunately, crossing roadways leads to the demise of many of these slow-moving creatures. Join us and a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation expert for a presentation on this migration, and learn how to help the amphibians survive their overland travel and how to pitch in with conserving important habitats in your community.

Thursday, March 1, from 7—8:30 p.m. at Scenic Hudson's Shaupeneak Ridge park, ULSTER PARK, Ulster County — Give a Hoot Owl Hike — While sitting around a warm fire, enjoy an introduction to owls and learn how to mimic their distinct calls. Then hike in the moonlight along the shore of beautiful Lousia Pond in search of these majestic birds.

Scenic Hudson works to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors. A crusader for the valley since 1963, we are credited with saving fabled Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today with more than 25,000 ardent supporters, we are the largest environmental group focused on the Hudson River Valley. Our team of experts combines land acquisition, support for agriculture, citizen-based advocacy and sophisticated planning tools to create environmentally healthy communities, champion smart economic growth, open up riverfronts to the public and preserve the valley's inspiring beauty and natural resources. To date Scenic Hudson has created or enhanced more than 50 parks, preserves and historic sites up and down the Hudson River and conserved more than 30,000 acres.

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