Connecting people to nature one stop at a time!
Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy and CDTA are partnering once again to connect Albany City residents to nature. This free bus service brings you to popular outdoor locations where you can enjoy free programming on most weekends. Take a guided walk, try out bird identification, or simply get to know nature... there’s so much to do!
Nature Bus 2023 service begins in Albany on Saturday, May 27 and runs through Saturday, October 14.
Get involved! Volunteers are needed to greet the bus at Fisher Trail as a Nature Bus Ambassadors. SIGN UP HERE
ECOS: the Environmental Clearinghouse and MHLC have teamed up with the CDTA to bring a limited Nature Bus trolley service to Schenectady! During three weekends this summer, enjoy free bus service and free programming at natural spaces within Schenectady County.
Schenectady Nature Bus has ended for 2023 - stay tuned for news about Nature Bus 2024!
Visit the CDTA website for the Nature Bus - 872 schedules: www.cdta.org
Check out the FAQ sheet for helpful tips to plan your day.
Beaver Line – Starting May 27 and every other Saturday through October 7 (view pdf schedule)
Albany Pine Bush and City of Albany Water Department Six Mile Water Works
Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm
MHLC’s Fisher Trail in partnership with DEC’s Five Rivers
DEC’s Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Warbler Line - Starting June 3 and every other Saturday through October 14 (view pdf schedule)
Albany County Rail Trail Veterans Memorial Park
Albany County Rail Trail Slingerlands Trailhead
Thacher Park Visitor Center
NEW at THACHER PARK!
Calling all birding lovers! Thacher State Park has started a “backpack birding” program, where you can borrow all of the items needed to start birding. Stop by the Visitor’s Center to borrow a backpack with binoculars, a birding guide, and other supplies to teach you how to identify all of the amazing birds living in the park! This backpack issuitable for everyone, from beginnings to expert birders.
Stop by the Visitor’s Center to learn more!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Creature Feature: WILD ABOUT WOODCHUCKS: 10:00 AM
Woodchucks, also known as groundhogs or whistle pigs, are rotund members of the squirrel family. Do they eat wood? Do they whistle? We’ll sort out these mysteries and many more duringan indoor presentation about this impressive rodent. The program will include ashort walk looking for woodchuck activity at Five Rivers.
Space is limited.Call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, September 27, to register.
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Guided Walk: WALK THE BEAVER TREE TRAIL: 2:00 PM
Stroll along the Beaver Tree Trail with an educator from Five Rivers. We’ll journey around the pond, over the stream, and through the spruces to see what animals are up to as we move into autumn.
Space is limited. Call 518-475-0291 byWednesday, September 27, to register.
Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail
(Kenwood Ave entrance in Slingerlands)
Albany County Fall Fest: 11 AM - 4 PM
Chalk the Walk: 11 AM - 1 PM
Join the fun at the 2nd Annual Fall Festival! The event is free and open to the public and will also start at 11 AM at the Slingerlands trailhead area of the County Rail Trail as well as the Firefighter’s Memorial Park at 1510 New Scotland Avenue, Slingerlands, NY through a partnership with the Town of Bethlehem. Fall Fest will feature a kids fun run, yoga sessions, food, drink and other vendors, a bounce house, dunk tank, rock climbing wall, face painting, a tug-of-war competition, and musical performances from local entertainers Rick Bedrosian, Ten Most Wanted, A-Blast, and Bethlehem Traditional Irish Dance.
Art of the Rail Trail is also hosting Chalk the Walk at the same location from 11 AM - 1 PM. For details and to register for the chalk art contest visit www.mohawkhudson.org/art.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7
Thacher State Park
Walk Through the Paleozoic :10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Ages 16+. Meet at the Thacher Visitor CenterOn this one-mile walk, participants will be introduced to the rock layers of the Indian Ladder Trail and the fossils found within them. We will return along the top of the escarpment which offers spectacular views of the valley and mountains north and east. This trail requires going up and down multiple flights of stairs.
Registration encouraged. Call 518-872-0800.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Program details coming soon!
Funding for this project in 2023 was provided by the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission, the NYS Environmental Protection Fund through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Bureau of Environmental Education, and Adirondack Mountain Club, Albany Chapter.