Organizers of both events say it gives people a unique way to kick off the new year.
BY CHRISTINE LEE
For The Express-Times
Organizers of two area hikes on New Year’s Day hope they will offer participants a different way to kick off 2014.
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center in Bushkill Township is hosting a hike through the old growth forests of Henry’s Woods and the fields of the Homestead Trail. Those who wish to participate can meet at the parking lot of the center’s headquarters, 400 Belfast Road. The hike starts at 10 a.m.
Participants in the 29th annual New Year’s Day Hike at Kittatinny Valley State Park will hike 4 miles on the Paulinskill Valley Trail. That hike also starts at 10 a.m. The meeting place is Footbridge Park on Route 94 in Blairstown Township.
Hosted by the Paulinskill Valley Trail Committee, the hike will be led by Martin Grossman, a member of the committee’s board of directors. Grossman describes the hike as easy, noting the trail is primarily on an old railroad bed.
“It’s all in the railbed with the tracks removed so it’s very level because the old steam trains couldn’t go up steep hills,” he said.
Grossman said participants on the hike are allowed to bring their children and have dogs on a leash; snowshoes and cross-country skis also are permitted if the conditions are right.
The hike includes a stop at the Blairstown Airport for rest and refreshments.
“There’s a little airport diner there where we usually stop in for a snack, coffee or hot chocolate,” Grossman said. “Plus they have a restroom and it’s a good place to warm up if it’s cold.”
Grossman said the hike is a good New Year’s Day activity because it gives people a chance to enjoy the trail’s scenery after reveling in New Year’s Eve festivities.
“It gets people out of the house fairly early after a night of celebration on New Year’s Eve and it’s a beautiful area,” he said.
Grossman advises those participating to bring hiking boots and a backpack or fanny pack with a sandwich and beverage. Laminated maps and a book on the history of the trail will be available for purchase the day of the hike. He said he usually gets a good turnout and encourages people to bring friends or relatives on the hike with them.
As for the Jacobsburg hike, it will be led by center educator Lauren Forster. It’s one of a series of hikes taking place at 19 Pennsylvania state parks on New Year’s Day.
Center manager Rob Neitz said the 2.5-mile hike is an easy to moderate one and said hiking at this time of year provides a unique experience.
“Winter is a great time to be in the woods. It has a whole new appearance, a whole new attitude; it’s very quiet, very calm, it’s a very peaceful time to be in the woods,” Neitz said.
However, he said participants should be prepared by dressing in layers, wearing comfortable but sturdy hiking shoes and bringing water.