Otsego Outdoors

July Mushroom Walk with OCCA
2024-07-07 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Vibbard Road, Cooperstown, NY, Vibbard Road, Cooperstown, NY, 13326
Please note: This program is full.
Walk leader, Margret Grebowicz lives locally and aims to broaden your understanding of mushrooms and inspire you to learn more. In early July we will be hunting for chanterelles plus other early summer goodies. The group will meet at the highest point of Vibbard Road, Cooperstown.
Participants should dress for a walk through the woods and make sure to wear shoes that can get wet and muddy. If you want to bring mushrooms home, bring a bag along and knife for cutting. Sign up at occainfo.org

Aquatic Invasive Species Training
2024-06-30 08:00 - 16:00 | SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Boathouse, 7016 NY-80, Cooperstown, NY, 13326
The CRISP Watershed Steward Program is offering a free community partners training session at the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Boathouse.
The program will focus on Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) identification, impacts, locations, and how to prevent AIS spread with decontamination methods and education. It will also introduce collecting data techniques and ensure that you learn more about your waterbodies and those who use them.
So that we might plan for the number of participants, please email your intention to attend at wspcrisp@gmail.com. Complimentary lunch provided.

CANCELED! Otsego Outdoors Paddlepalooza at Brookwood Point
2024-06-29 09:00 - 14:00 | Brookwood Point, 6000 State Route 80, Cooperstown, NY, 13326
Due to the forecast for rain and high wind, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Paddlepalooza on Saturday, June 29.

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Join us for Otsego Outdoors Paddlepalooza at Brookwood Point Conservation Area on Otsego Lake. This fun and free event will feature guided paddles, music, demonstrations, and more. This event marks the 25th anniversary of the Glimmerglass Historic District, and celebrates Otsego Lake and area waterways as natural resources that enhance our quality of life. Beginner paddlers welcome!
Need to rent a kayak, canoe or paddleboard? Contact Canoe and Kayak Rentals and Sales. Use the code “otsegooutdoors” to get a 10 percent discount during Paddlepalooza. Book in advance by calling 607/286-7349 or online. They will have free 15-minute demos during Paddlepalooza if you want to try out kayaking, canoeing or paddleboarding, but if you want to go on a guided paddle, you’ll need to rent a boat or bring your own. If the cost of a rental will prevent you from participating, please contact outdoors@otsego2000.org.
All Day Activities

Free Kayak and Paddleboard Demos (Canoe and Kayak Rentals & Sales)
Boat Washing (CRISP)
Paddle Itineraries (Canoe and Kayak Rentals & Sales)

Ideas for where to paddle on your own from Brookwood, with distances/time.

Lawn Games (Upper terrace)
Information Tables

Otsego County Conservation Association
Otsego Land Trust
Biological Field Station
Otsego Lake Association
Otsego Outdoors and Nature Backpacks (Otsego 2000)

Scheduled Activities
9:15 am: Glimmerglass Historic District Talk and Paddle (Otsego 2000)
Find out about the landscape and history of Otsego Lake. The Glimmerglass Historic District marks its 25th anniversary on the National Register of Historic Places in 2024. Paddle led by Jessie Ravage, architectural historian and author of the Glimmerglass Historic District National Register Nomination
9:45 am: Kids and Parents SUP with Otsego Land Trust
Join Cherise Tolbert from Otsego Land Trust with her kids for a stand up paddle board (SUP) gathering! Parents and kids will SUP along the shoreline together. Please have at least one adult with your child/children.
10:00 am: Boat Parade and Guided Paddle (Canoe and Kayak Rentals & Sales)
Meet at 10 am for an overview of paddling and Otsego Lake, and then head out on the lake at 10:30 am.
10 am – 1 pm: Music by The Woodshop Project
11:30 am: Paddle with Cooperstown Friends of the Parks
12:00 pm: Brookwood Point Garden Tour (Otsego Land Trust)
12:00 pm: Otsego Area Rowing Pop-Up
12:30 pm: Pride Paddle (OCCA Queer Outdoors)
Sign up to attend PADDLEPALOOZA and reserve your spot on a guided paddle!
*Paddles may be changed due to weather and conditions on the lake. Additional activities may be added.
Brookwood Point Conservation Area is located at 6000 State Highway 80 in Cooperstown.
For more information, contact us.

Free Fishing Days in NY
2024-06-29 - 2024-06-30 | New York
Free fishing days offer New York State residents and non-residents who are 16 and older* to fish without a freshwater fishing license or recreational marine fishing registration (*Kids under 16 can always fish for free!).
2024 Free Fishing Days Schedule

June 29-30
September 28 (National Hunting and Fishing Day)
November 11 (Veterans Day)

These days offer the perfect opportunity to try out fishing for the first time, to get back into the sport, or to take a friend or the whole family along to fish! Even though a license is not needed, all other fishing regulations apply.
See the I FISH NY Beginner’s Guide to Freshwater Fishing

Get the Kids Out: Emmons Pond Bog
2024-06-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Emmons Pond Bog Preserve, 2028 White Hill Road, Oneonta, NY, 13820, United States
Another fun OCCA event!
It’s a day off of school, so bring the kids out to Emmons Pond Bog to explore the trail and get some of their wiggles out. We will talk about trees and flora we find along the trail and have fun rambling through the woods. Dress for the weather and expect mud.

Summer Wildflower Walk with OCCA
2024-06-15 13:00 - 15:00 | SUNY Biological Field Station at Thayer Farm, 7027 State Hwy 80, Springfield, NY, United States
Come join OCCA Board President and botanist Donna Vogler for a midsummer walk in the woods. We will amble through the Thayer Farm woodlands, and down to a pond. The hike is moderate and will highlight the identification of trees and blooms bustin’ out in June. The hike will begin at 1 pm. Dress for the weather.
Free, sign up in advance at occainfo.org

Hanford Mills Exploration Days Bird Walk
2024-06-15 08:00 - 10:00 | Hanford Mills Museum, 51 County Road 12, East Meredith, NY, 13757, United States
Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society will host a morning bird walk starting at 8am on June 15 in conjunction with Exploration Days at Hanford Mills. Veteran birders Suzanne Gaynor and Kathryn Davino will co-lead the walks around the Hanford Mills property. We invite both beginners and experienced birders. The walk covers fairly level terrain and will last about 90 minutes. The trail traverses a variety of surfaces: grass, gravel, and boardwalk, and does include an occasional step up/down and a few gentle slopes. The total distance traveled is about .5 miles. There are no rest areas along the route, but there are benches near the pond, and picnic tables at the parking lot. Accessible bathrooms are available. Participants should meet in the event parking lot (south side of Rt. 12, opposite museum buildings) and bring binoculars, insect repellent, water, and curiosity about birds! When we return to the parking lot, we invite folks to join us as we drive a short distance to see a Bald Eagle nest that currently has a pair of adults caring for one or more fledglings. This is a free program. Call Kathryn Davino (607-746-7396) with questions.

Image: Yellow-rumped warbler; Photo by Landa Palmer, 2019.

Summit Sunday
2024-06-09 10:00 - 13:00 | Mohican Farm/OCCA offices, 7207 St. Hwy. 80, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
Join OCCA, CRISP (Catskills Regional Invasive Species Partnership) and CR-PRISM (Capital Region Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management) for a fun, informative, and meaningful day removing European frog-bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) from Summit Lake and Weaver Lake in Springfield. Frog-bit is an invasive aquatic plant that can form dense mats on the water that blocks sunlight, alters habitats, and impedes recreation. Help us slow the spread! You may bring your own watercraft, or reserve a space in an OCCA canoe. This program is free, but registration is required.
We will meet at Mohican Farm, 7207 NY-80, Springfield at 10am and carpool to our sites. To volunteer, visit CRISP’s website.

New York State Forest Owners Assn. Meeting and Walk
2024-06-08 08:30 - 15:30 | Meadows County Office Compex, 140 County Highway 33 W, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
Join OCCA and the Central New York Chapter and the Southern Tier Chapter of the New York State Forest Owners Association for a morning of presentations on topics of interest to those who own forested parcels, including hemlock woolly adelgid, treatment options for forest pests, “obese trees,” conservation easements, and county forest management. In the afternoon, Otsego County Forester Dan Zimmerman will lead a guided walk at the Forest of the Dozen Dads in Middlefield that shows forest management in action. Meeting takes place in the classroom at the Meadows Office Complex, 140 County Highway 33W.
Free and open to all. Bring your own lunch. For further information, contact Dan Zimmerman at (607) 547-8337, ext. 4, or zimmermand@otsegosoilandwater.com.

On the Trail of Art
2024-06-08 - 2024-06-09 | NY
The Butternut Valley Alliance will transform a state forest in the Butternut Valley into an art gallery, with works by local school children as well as by professional artists with ties to the Butternut Valley.
There will also be art demonstrations, participation art, strolling performance artists, and plein air painters.
On the Trail of Art is a free arts festival, but reservations are required.
Venue and more details to follow.
Photos from 2023:

Homeschool Nature Walk with OCCA
2024-06-07 13:00 - 14:30 | Forest of a Dozen Dads, 325 Blacks Road, Cooperstown, New York
Join OCCA Educator, Shelby MacLeish for a ramble at Forest of The Dozen Dads through the woods and along the pond as we learn common trees and flowers and look for signs of animals living in the forest. This is the perfect time of year to listen for birds, observe efts and watch for beavers. Dress for a walk in the woods as the path may have long portions and plan for mud.

June Mushroom Walk with OCCA
2024-06-02 14:00 - 16:00 | Vibbard Road, Cooperstown, NY, Vibbard Road, Cooperstown, NY, 13326
OCCA mushroom walks are back! Walk leader, Margret Grebowicz lives locally and aims to broaden your understanding of mushrooms and inspire you to learn more. In early June we will be hunting for reishi. The group will meet at the highest point of Vibbard Road, Cooperstown. Participants should dress for a walk through the woods and make sure to wear shoes that can get wet and muddy. If you want to bring mushrooms home, bring a bag along and knife for cutting.
Sign up in advance at occainfo.org.

Paddle and Pull on Goodyear Lake
2024-06-02 13:00 - 16:00 | Portlandville Fishing Access Site, Route 28, Portlandville, NY, 13834, United States
Get a jump on New York’s annual Invasive Species Awareness Week (June 3-9) with a pleasant day on Goodyear Lake! Join OCCA for a fun day on the water to search for and remove water chestnut (Trapa natans), an invasive plant that has troubled Goodyear Lake since 2005.
Don’t know what it looks like? OCCA will teach you!
Bring your own watercraft or borrow a canoe from OCCA (it’s free). Meet at the New York State Fishing Access Site on NY-28 in Portlandville.
Please register in advance at occainfo.org and let us know if you need to borrow a canoe.

Trail Volunteer Training
2024-06-01 10:00 - 12:30 | Arnold Lake State Forest, 767 County Road 46, Hartwick, NY, 13820, United States
Learn the basics of hiking trail maintenance at Arnold Lake State Forest with the Otsego County Conservation Association. We’ll cover some of a variety of topics, including rules and regulations, tree trimming, brush removal, minor drainage, and more, and we’ll put our learning into practice on the actual trails. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to sign up to adopt a section of trail in either Arnold Lake State Forest or Basswood Pond State Forest. Note that all participants are required to fill out a New York State individual volunteer application. Meet at the small parking area on Arnold Lake Road. A limited amount of tools will be available to use, or you may bring your own (hand pruners, hand saw, loppers).
Please sign up in advance at occainfo.org

Race the Lake Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10K and 5K
2024-06-01 08:00 - 15:00 | Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Highway 31, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
The Race will circle clockwise around the picturesque Otsego Lake. Runners will travel through Cooperstown, Springfield, Middlefield and the Town of Otsego. You will have views of the lake almost all the way as you pass the Glimmerglass Festival, The Farmers’ Museum, the Otesaga Resort Hotel and several other landmarks. Both of the races will be challenging, not only for the mileage, but also the elevation changes. It’s the perfect setting for a marathon!
The 26.2 race will begin at 8:00am, starting and ending at Glimmerglass State Park. The 13.1 race will begin at 8:00am, starting on State Highway 80, near the Fenimore Art Museum. The 10K and 5k race will begin at 9:00am in Glimmerglass State Park. All races finish together in Glimmerglass State Park. This year, Race the Lake has teamed up with America’s VetDogs to raise funds and awareness for this outstanding cause. America’s VetDogs supports our veterans and first responders. Their mission is “To help those who have served our country honorably live with dignity and independence.”
Register at clarksportscenter.com

Hike with ADK at Hunt's Pond State Forest
2024-05-28 09:45 - 12:00 | Hunt’s Pond State Forest, 433 Hunts Pond Road, New Berlin, NY
Join the members of the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club for a guided hike. Meet at Meet at 9:45am for announcements and sign-in. Hike commences at 10 and ends around noon.
See https://susqadk.org/outing-schedule/ for details and contact info for hike leaders.

General Clinton Canoe Regatta
2024-05-26 06:00 - 17:00 | Susquehanna River
Join in the world’s longest single day flat water canoe race, 70 miles from Otsego Lake in Cooperstown down the Susquehanna River to Bainbridge.
Shorter races are held on May 24 and 25.

For schedule and more information, go to https://www.canoeregatta.org/

Andy Jones Memorial 5K
2024-05-25 09:00 - 10:30 | Wilber Park, Milford, Dave West Drive, Milford, NY, 13807
Andy Jones was a member of the Milford Fire Department since he turned 14 years old. He loved to help people and tried to bring a sense of contentment wherever he went to help ease those around him. This race was founded in his memory, after he passed away from Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
The Andy Jones Memorial 5K raises money to support the Milford Fire Department and to raise awareness about Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).
More information and to register at https://andyjonesmemorial5k.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=15643

Hike with ADK at Gilbert Lake State Park
2024-05-21 09:45 - 12:00 | Gilbert Lake State Park, 18 CCC Rd, Laurens, NY, 13796, United States
Hike the Lake of the Twin Falls Trail at Gilbert Lake State Park.
Join the members of the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club for a guided hike. Meet at Meet at 9:45am for announcements and sign-in. Hike commences at 10 and ends around noon.
See https://susqadk.org/outing-schedule/ for details and contact info for hike leaders.

Splash Path 5K and Fun Walk
2024-05-18 09:00 - 14:00 | Pathfinder Village, 3 Chenango Road, Edmeston, NY, 13335
Come to Pathfinder Village for the 11th annual Splash Path 5K and Fun Walk. The festival features vendors, food trucks and music. Proceeds benefit Pathfinder Produce and vocational programs.
For more information and to register, go to pathfindervillage.org

Glimmerglass Triathlon (paddle, bike, run)
2024-05-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Highway 31, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
The Glimmerglass Tri has returned after a long hiatus. 2024 will be bigger and better than ever before. Racers will begin the race on a kayak or canoe with a 1.5 mile open water PADDLE. Starting at the beachfront at Glimmerglass State Park, the route will follow the protected Glimmerglass bay on Otsego Lake. After the paddle and upon arrival at the beach, racers will transition to their bikes staged near the lakefront pavilion. The BIKE portion of the race will take riders 16.5 miles north of the park on secondary roads, racers will dismount from their bikes and finish the last stretch of the race on foot. A 10K RUN will pass over the Hyde Hall foot bridge and be contained mostly in Glimmerglass State Park.

Bring Your Friends!
Sign up for our team option and share the fun. Split the disciplines between a three or four person team.

What’s Included?
Race registration includes official timing from the Clark Sports Center events team, commemorative race sweatshirt, finisher medal, food and a free finish beer for those 21 and over.

Riddell State Park Bird Walk
2024-05-15 08:00 - 10:00 | Robert V. Riddell State Park, NY-28, just north of I-88 Exit 17, Davenport, New York, 13750
Join long-time birders and DOAS members Suzanne Gaynor and Sarah Root on Wednesday, May 15 from 8:00-10:00am at lower Riddell State Park. This will be a mostly-flat, half-mile walk along field hedgerows, along the Schenevus Creek, and through mature forests. A raised railroad bed makes it possible to see treetop warblers and other special migrant birds more readily than usual. We expect to see and hear a good variety of birds throughout. Meet at 8am in the parking lot just north of I-88’s Exit 17, off Rt 28 North. Wear sturdy footwear and be prepared for one wet spot in the trail. There are a few benches along the trail, and an outhouse at the parking lot. Contact Sarah Root at 607-433-2831 or sarah@radiantalignment.com for more information.
The walk will be on unpaved paths through forest and field, with some slight inclines or declines. The path may be muddy in places. There is a rest room at the parking area and a few benches along the way.

Image: Aud_APA-2019_Eastern-Towhee_A1-9473-5_TS_Photo-Jesse-Gordon
Eastern Towhee

Hike with ADK at the Oneonta Greenway
2024-05-14 09:45 - 12:00 | Oneonta Susquehanna Greenway trail (Silas Lane), Silas Lane, Oneonta, NY, 13820, United States

Spring Bird Walk at DOAS Sanctuary
2024-05-12 08:00 - 10:00 | DOAS Sanctuary and Franklin Mountain Hawkwatch, 52 Grange Hall Road Spur, Oneonta, New York, 13820
Join Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) Co-President, Andy Mason on Sunday, May 12 for a spring bird walk. Returning migrants at this location should include warblers, vireos, orioles, tanagers, and possibly waterfowl and raptors. The walk will last approximately two hours, and will require some hill-climbing and hiking over uneven and possibly muddy ground. A handicapped accessible port-a-john is available on site.
Participants will meet at 8am at the DOAS Sanctuary, park on the left side of the driveway on Grange Hall Road Spur. For further information, contact Andy Mason, 607- 267-8491. Directions to the DOAS Sanctuary can be found at the doas website: https://doas.us

Image: Black-throated Blue Warbler, Photo by Lorraine Minns, Audubon Photography Awards 2016.

Butternut Creek Riparian Stewardship Day
2024-05-11 09:00 - 12:00 | Bailey Road, Morris, NY, Bailey Road, Morris, NY
Join the Butternut Valley Alliance and the Upper Susquehanna Coalition for a volunteer workday to steward riparian forest buffer plantings in the Butternut Creek watershed.
Please sign up using this form. If you have any questions, please contact Glassera@tiogacountyny.gov or bva.exec@gmail.com.

Hike to the Falls with OCCA
2024-05-11 09:00 - 11:00 | Robert V. Riddell State Park, NY-28, just north of I-88 Exit 17, Davenport, New York, 13750
Enjoy spring in the woodlands of Robert V. Riddell State Park in Davenport with OCCA. We’ll hike up to the waterfall and back, about 3.5 miles total. Along the way we’ll look for wildflowers, trees, and talk a little about the park’s history. The trail requires a steady uphill climb and may be wet.
This hike is part of the Otsego Outdoors Spring Octet.
Register for hike

Oneonta Susquehanna Greenway Bird Walk
2024-05-11 08:00 - 10:00 | Oneonta Susquehanna Greenway trail (Silas Lane), Silas Lane, Oneonta, NY, 13820, United States
Join Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society Board Director, Charlie Scheim and Member Sandy Bright on Saturday, May 11 at 8:00am for a walk to view returning migrant birds on the Susquehanna Greenway Trail. This is an easy hike on unpaved but level ground which may be slightly muddy. No restrooms are available. There are a few benches along the way.

Participants will meet at 8 a.m. in the parking lot by the fields near the school district bus garage, just past the transfer station for a two-hour walk to view returning migrant birds on the Greenway trail, located on Silas Lane, off Rte. 205 in Oneonta. Contact Charlie Scheim at 607-434-4880 or scheimc@hartwick.edu for more information.

Homeschool Nature Walk with OCCA
2024-05-10 13:00 - 14:30 | Fetterley Forest, 302 Roses Hill Road, Richfield, NY, 13439
Join OCCA Educator Shelby MacLeish for a walk in Fetterley Forest on Friday, May 10, as we check out the vernal pool, explore our surroundings, and gaze over Canadarago Lake. May is the perfect time of year to wander in the woods. I hope you will join in the fun.

More information and sign up at occainfo.org

Three Mile Point Spring Clean Up
2024-05-09 16:00 - 18:00 | Three Mile Point, 6266 NY-80, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
Come volunteer with Cooperstown Friends of the Parks and help get Three Mile Point ready for a new season! Wear gloves and bring a rake.

Hike with ADK at Texas School House State Forest
2024-05-07 09:45 - 12:00 | Texas School House State Forest, Jones Road, New Lisbon, New York
