The
natural world is dynamic, and so is hiking in it. Since the first edition
of this book appeared in 1992, a lot has changed. The magnificent Hudson River,
for example, long a focus for preservation, is cleaner today than ever before,
thanks to local environmental groups and government regulations. The Hudson
is also easier to get to than ever before. Recent land purchases by environmental
organizations have opened public access to the shore and preserved a number
of ecologically important areas.
Conservation
awareness has spread to riverside communities, who are backing open-space
referendums. "The suburbs of New York City have seen the consequences
of poor land use," says Tally Blumberg of the Open Space Institute, one
of four large environmental organizations working to reclaim land along the
waterway. "As a result, the area's environmental movement is enjoying
an unprecedented popularity." Since 1996, Blumberg estimates that the
Open Space Institute has preserved in perpetuity more than 25,000 acres. Another
environmental group, Scenic Hudson, can also brag about its successes in the
previous decade.
But instead
of just telling you about the newly opened areas, we thought we'd let you
explore them for yourselves. For this second edition, writer Sheila Buff has
added ten hikes to the collection. Many of these treks cross lands closed
to the public a decade ago. Poets' Walk (Hike
23), for example, opened in 1996. This park has a delicious blend of meadows,
glades, and river views. The Black Creek Forest Preserve (Hike
10), features a 120-foot suspension bridge over a waterway frequented
by American blue herring and trout. This area was acquired by Scenic Hudson
in 1992.
Other offerings
written and photographed by Sheila Buff include the Black Rock Forest (Hike
9), Cohotate Preserve (Hike 11),
Sam's Point and Verkeerderkill Falls (Hike
15), Tivoli Bays (Hike 24),
Olana (Hike 26), Swyer Preserve
(Hike 28), Bash Bish Falls (Hike
30), and Kanape Brook (Hike 41).
Each is unique, and each is chosen to complement the hikes included by the
original authors. The book now covers a greater portion of the Catskills and
the Hudson River Valley, offering a wide variety of habitats to explore. The
new hikes tend to be shorter, giving parents with young children more options
for family outings.
No matter
what the age of your youngsters, however, this book will give you a lot of
ideas for family fun. Happy hiking!
— The
Mountaineers Books
