Top 3 nature walks that are easy to get to from
New York City
About an hour away: Harriman State Park, right off the Palisades Parkway. Try Reeves Brook Loop or the Diamond Mountain Trail. At Ten Mile River, where this tributary joins the Delaware River, in Narrowsburg, NY, there is a hike up Tusten Mountain that offers a beautiful view in every season.
Two hours away: Come upstate for a special weekend at Livingston Manor Fly Fishing Club! This special retreat has 5 acres of waterfront on the Willowemoc Creek and access to nearby hiking. I also enjoy leading foraging walks there.
With The Outside Institute: Check out their website calendar! (And sign up for their mailing list to stay informed.) New listings will be posted before the end of March.
The perfect inn if you want to make weekend out of it
The Stickett Inn in Barryville, NY, is a wonderful place to stay. There is also a list of local resources on our site.
Make your own Butterfly Kiss “Walktail”
Made from fermented milkweed blossom cordial and Catskill Provisions’ Pollinator Gin, which is infused with verbena, chamomile and angelica. Laura’s recipe for the milkweed cordial will be coming out in the spring issue of Edible Hudson Valley.
Makes 1 cocktail
2 ounces Pollinator Gin
1 ounce fermented milkweed blossom cordial
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
Wild thyme blossom garnish
Combine the gin, cordial and lemon juice in a shaker with lots of ice. Shake until well chilled, pour into a rocks glass and garnish with the thyme blossom.