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TT: Hiking 2021 – End of the Year Update


Photo by Nina Uhlu00edkovu00e1 on Pexels.com

Once the Pandemic hit in March 2020, I knew that running 30 or more races including one half marathon each month would not likely happen. I planned to continue to run hoping that the Pandemic would end but just in case, I knew that I needed an additional goal to stay active. Since I was working from home with no travel plans, I would have extra time. In April, I decided that in addition to running, I would visit 25 trails in my area. Before 2020, I had NO idea how many nearby opportunities there were for hiking. I wound up enjoying my trail walks, both solo and with friends, even more than my runs. So I made the effort to visit as many trails each week as I had time for. Both after work and on weekends. By June, I changed my goal to 50 trails and to also re-visit the ones I liked and in different seasons. And at the end of 2020, I had visited 72 different trails!!!!

2021 began and the Pandemic continued.  And even when things started opening up and races being held, I vowed to continue my hiking adventures. No goals other than re-visit trails that I enjoyed plus discover some new ones.

So here’s a list of the NEW trails that I visited in 2021:

  1. Indian Kill Preserve 
  2. Burden Pond Preserve  (2)
  3. Sanders Preserve 
  4. Plotterkill Preserve  (2)
  5. Secret Woods Preserve (Ft Lauderdale, FL)
  6. Grafton State Park 
  7. Ooms Conservation Area
  8. Hand Hollow Conservation Area
  9. BeeBe Hill Forest Trails
  10. Cohoes Falls Trail (Waterford)
  11. Owen D. Young Nature Trails
  12. Wintergreen Park
  13. Buttermilk (Yatesville) Falls (Montgomery Cnty)
  14. Paint Mine Trail (Thacher Park)
  15. Escarpment Trail (Thacher Park)
  16. Barbersville Falls Ridge Trail (2)
  17. Barbersville Falls – Creek Trail
  18. Ferncliff Forest Fire Tower
  19. Poet’s Walk
  20. Myakka State Park (Sarasota, FL)
  21. Falling Waters Preserve (2)
  22. Saugerties Lighthouse Trail
  23. Postenkill Gorge Trail
  24. Dionondahowa Falls
  25. Hudson Crossings Park Trails
  26. Kaaterskill Rail Trail
  27. Kaaterskill Falls (lower falls)
  28. Kaaterskill Escarpment Trail
  29. Lawson Lake Trail
  30. Indian Ladder Farms Trail
  31. The Pinnacle
  32. Sage Estates Trail
  33. Pine Neck Nature Preserve (East Quogue, LI)
  34. Hailes Cave Trail (Thacher Park)
  35. Mawignack Preserve
  36. Lincoln Pond Trail (Huyck Preserve)
  37. Bender Melon Nature Preserve
  38. Kinderhook Creek Preserve
  39. Robert Ingalls Preserve
  40. Taconic Sculpture Park 
  41. Chittendens Falls / Electric Rail Trail
  42. Opus40
  43. Thunder Mountain
Taconic Sculpture Park
Secret Woods
Lawson Lake
High Falls
Indian Ladder
Mawignack Preserve
Buttermilk Falls
Kaaterskill Falls
Poet’s Walk
Owen D Young
Paint Mine
Indian kill
Diondondahowa Falls
Hudson Crossings Park
The Pinnacle
Falling Waters Preserve
Postenkill Gorge
Plotterkill
Wintergreen Pk
Thunder Mountain
Beebe Hill
Chittenden Falls
Ooms
Robert Ingalls
Cohoes falls
Ferncliff Forest
Burden Pond
Saugerties Lighthouse Trail
Myakka St. Pk
Barbersville Falls
Lincoln Pond (Huyck Preserve)
Escarpment

GRAND TOTAL = 44 That doesn’t count the times that I have re-visited many of the trails. 

No Hiking goals for 2022. 

There are still many new trails and preserves to explore and as I did this year, I want to also re-visit my favorites. I would like to expand my hiking network as I only have a few friends who enjoy hiking.

Happy Running! Any non-running goals or accomplishments in 2021?  How about for 2022?  Any non-running goals? Please share.

 

 

 

 

Since it’s Tuesday, I’m joining the link-up organized by Zenaida and Kim (Kooky Runner)

I’m also linking up here:

with co-hosts Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Mile by Mile, Runs with Pugs, and Laura Norris Running.

34 thoughts on “TT: Hiking 2021 – End of the Year Update”

  1. Wow! That’s a lot of hiking trails! I would love to explore these, too.
    It’s awesome to think that the people back then saw the importance of preserving these areas and protecting them.
    Do you also see wildlife on your hikes?
    One of my non-running goals is to finally get into swimming. We have a community pool and the weather is great for swimming. So no more excuses!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Not a lot of wildlife. Mostly deer. I have seen a coyote once. Also many hawks and eagles.

      I doubt I’m be hiking as much this year. More racing.

      I’m not a big swimmer and have nowhere to swim. But I think it’s great exercise.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  2. Way to go on all those new trails! Very impressive!!! I love seeing all the pics you capture from your hikes…nature is truly beautiful. I don’t have any specific non-running goals, but I do plan to continue with getting in as many miles as possible on the bike!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • You are so active with working out, stairs and biking. You don’t really need any encouragement outside of running.

      I feel lucky to have access to so many nearby preserves.

      Like

      Reply

  3. Wow- I can’t even believe you have that many trails in your area. Obviously you’re making a special effort to get to some of these, but still… you’re inspiring me! I always thought there were no trails near me, then I discovered that there was actually a great one right nearby. I’m sure if I made an effort I could find others. They won’t be as pretty as yours though- I love all your photos. Maybe that should be a non-running goal for me in 2022- find new trails.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Yes. Find new trails. I did find one last year near Fort Lauderdale.

      I am fortunate. Believe it or not there are so many more that I have not visited.

      Like

      Reply

  5. You made a lot of hiking trails in wonderful places. I have never tried this experience: only normal runs on “normal” trails.
    I have just read that around here all the races are postponed or cancelled. Now I am planning with my runner mate a virtual 5 km.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I haven’t even gone to all of them… not even close.

      Your country is so beautiful.. so different from ours. I would love to go there.

      Like

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  7. I definitely enjoy my hiking, but I don’t really have goals when it comes to hiking. Or running right now. Most of those preserves are quite a bit further from us, so it can be hard to convince a certain someone to go.

    I had a place I really wanted to go for New Years, but then I had to cancel the trip to my mom and it’s a 2 hour drive — so staying over at my mom would have been good. Well the hike isn’t going anywhere but I don’t do Winter hiking.

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  11. I loved seeing all of your hiking photos the past year. It was fun to see you embrace your new passion so much. My non running fitness goals would be to keep up my strength training

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. Wow, very impressive! Who knew you would grow to love hiking with the pandemic. I love seeing the places you visited and the pictures. I have many goals this year that are non-running. I am doing doing well on the Peloton rides! Even better is that I have haven at last one day everyday this month. Well, gotta do something since I am not running. No, not an injury but I am taking a break due to the weather.

    Liked by 1 person

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