Find Your Adventure - The Greater Niagara Section of the NYS Birding Trail is Live!

Greater Niagara Segment of NYS Birding Trail Now Open

The Greater Niagara segment of the NYS Birding Trail is now open and is the second region completed. The Greater Niagara segment of the trail includes 36 locations throughout Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.

From the awe-inspiring Niagara River Corridor, which is part of a designated globally important migratory bird area designated by the National Audubon Society, to Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve’s 292-acres of forests, ponds, and wetlands, the Greater Niagara region offers multiple opportunities to observe migratory birds. In the summer and fall, take the Discover Niagara shuttle to Fort Niagara State Park, Stella Niagara Preserve, Art Park, and multiple locations along the Niagara River Corridor. Visit Tifft Nature Preserve and Buffalo Outer Harbor State Park on the southern tip of the Niagara River to take in views of Lake Erie and observe over 200 bird species. Knox Farm State Park is a premier destination for grassland birds and hosts a display of bluebird boxes. Learn more and start planning your adventure.

Stay tuned for future announcements on the birding trail.

Celebrate Black History Month

February marks Black History Month, a time to pay tribute and celebrate the contributions and achievements of Black individuals in the United States. This year’s theme focuses on Black health and wellness, highlighting the activities, rituals, and initiatives that Black communities have done to be well. In this spirit, please check out and support some of the organizations working to promote Black voices and experiences in outdoor spaces, right here in New York State.

• When LaTasha D. Bulluck noticed the absence of women that looked like her out on hiking trails, she immediately knew she wanted to find a forum to encourage more Black women to try hiking and to get outdoors. This realization inspired her to launch the Buffalo chapter of Black Girls Hike, a safe, fun, and inclusive community for all women to share in hiking and nature experiences. Now, with more than 2,400 members, Black Girls Hike Buffalo has grown from a small idea into a local, hiking movement, helping to improve the health and well-being of Western New York women!
• GirlTrek is a self-care and wellness group that is challenging women to get outside and walk. With over one million members nationwide, GirlTrek is the largest public health nonprofit for Black women and girls in the United States. In New York, GirlTrek has chapters in Brooklyn and Rochester.
• Outdoor Afro is a national nonprofit that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. With group outings featuring hiking, camping, biking, swimming, fishing, and kayaking, Outdoor Afro has activities for everyone. Currently, New York is home to two local Outdoor Afro chapters: Albany and New York City.

Enjoy the Erie Canal this Winter

Take the winter canalway challenge! Have fun and stay fit this winter with the FEBRUARY 15 Challenge. Walk, run, hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski 15 miles anywhere in the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor to earn your 15 Miler badge.

Experience the Erie Canal in new ways! Plan your trip using one of the Erie Canalway National Heritage’s itineraries to find your way to a great trip. Visitors can choose from Erie Canal samplers in greater Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany; a village-to-village tour of canal towns; multi-day cycling trips in western and eastern New York; and paddling and sightseeing excursions along the Cayuga-Seneca Canal and Seneca Lake.