CT/NY Hiking Recommendations for June 2022
Summer is (finally) here! Well, at least it will be by the end of the month and there’s no better way to celebrate the sunshine by having some summer hiking fun on a local trail! Whether you’re a family looking to get outdoors, or an experienced hiker looking for a local challenge, we have a recommendations for you!
For June 2022 I am recommending the following parks/trails:
Hidden Valley Preserve (Washington Depot, CT)
Westmoreland Sanctuary (Bedford, NY)
Bear Mountain (Simsbury, CT)
Anthony’s Nose (Cortland, NY)
Two of these are great family-friendly trails to get the little ones exploring nature and the other two are much harder climbs to some really great views of Connecticut and New York.
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Hidden Valley Preserve in Washington Depot, CT
I think that Hidden Valley Preserve is truly one of the most underrated parks in Connecticut. Although it might be a trek to get here (depending on where you’re located in CT or NY), it’s entirely worth the visit.
The park itself has many trails with really cool features including multiple suspension bridges, a decommissioned train track and tunnel, and a rock quarry where you are almost guaranteed to find some quartz while hiking.
It’s a great park for kids and families because they trails aren’t hard and have some really cool features to explore to keep the kids entertained.
If you want to know where to start check out my guide to the Bee Brook Loop which will take you to explore the Thoreau suspension bridge.
Westmoreland Sanctuary in Mt. Kisko, NY
Another super underrated and not-well-known park that entirely deserves more credit is Westmoreland Sanctuary. It’s my most highly recommended park for families to visit.
Westmoreland Sanctuary has several easy-to-lower-medium trails. One of my favorite is the easy educational trail that takes you on a tour in the woods with markers highlighting trees and other plant life so you can learn more about the nature around you.
Additionally, this park has a small indoor nature sanctuary with several educational exhibits and live animals. Not only is this great to see but it’s entirely free!
Before heading to this park check out my guide to Westmoreland Sanctuary so you can choose the trails and experiences best for you.
Bear Mountain in Salisbury, CT
Many people know of the Bear Mountain, NY but far fewer know about the Bear Mountain in Connecticut. And what a shame too, because the Connecticut Bear Mountain is a great hike and has some beautiful views.
There are two ways to get to the top of Bear Mountain: the out-and-back trail, or the loop trail. The out-and-back is a steady climb to the top, but doesn’t have any serious rock scrambles to hike, making it better for kids to do (if your kid has some hiking experience). The loop trail has a pretty steep rock scramble, and I recommend taking that trail counterclockwise so you’re going up the scramble instead of down it.
Bear Mountain is also a part of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut so you’ll likely get a chance to chat with some of thru-hikers making their way to Maine.
Check out my guide to hiking Bear Mountain in Connecticut.
Anthony’s Nose in Cortland Manor, NY
Both a challenge and a perfect instagram hiking photo – Anthony’s Nose is a popular trail to get incredible views of the Bear Mountain Bridge and of the Hudson Valley.
If you’re looking for a shorter trail, you can start at the bottom of the mountain and only have around a ~2 mile climb to the top. For a harder challenge you can start at the Camp Smith Trail and make the day a 7.0 mile round trip journey to and from the Bear Mountain Toll House.
Either way, be prepared for some incline and come prepared to hike (meaning proper shoes and enough water). This is a VERY popular hike, so you should also expect crowds.
Want to learn more? Check out my guide to the Anthony’s Nose hike.
I hope you’ve found a hike in our CT/NY Hiking Recommendations for June 2022 that you’ll be hiking this month. Remember to check in with us again for July’s recommendations, or subscribe below to receive our monthly recommendations directly to your inbox!
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