Silent Solstice Sunset Hike

Enjoy the shortest day of the year with a meditative hike. We will take a short, silent walk along the Upper Highland Lake at the DAR State Forest and enjoy the sunset together in peaceful quiet. A short (1-mile) and a long (1.5-mile) option are available.

Please remember to bring appropriate clothing (warm, non-cotton layers), a flashlight or a headlamp, and water. Traction devices for your shoes may also be useful, depending on the weather. We will have snowshoes and ice grippers available for lending.

All ages are welcome! Children must be supervised by an adult.

Due to the silent nature of this hike, we ask that you please leave dogs (except service animals) at home.

Distance and surfaces: This is a gentle, flat hike, on a graded trail. We will travel briefly over a sand beach and compacted gravel walkway before connecting with a 0.5-mile-long ADA designed accessible stabilized stonedust path. At the end of this trail, we will have our first sunset viewing opportunity on a stone and gravel beach (no seating available). Interested hikers will have the opportunity to continue to a second sunset viewing spot, 0.3 miles away on gravel roads and a sand beach. The total mileage out and back is 1.0 mile, or 1.6 miles if we continue to the second sunset spot.

Pace and pauses: We’ll be sticking together, and moving at a slow-moderate pace (1-1.5 mph). There are several benches placed along the trail, including benches and a picnic table at our second sunset viewing spot.

Snow and ice: The trails at the DAR State Forest are not cleared during the winter, and may be covered in snow and ice. We have snowshoes and ice grippers to share if you would like to borrow a pair. While there are designated accessible parking spots at the start of the ADA trail, the access road to that parking area is also closed off during times of snow and ice. We will provide updates on the conditions of the trails and roads prior to the start of the program.

Transit and bathrooms: Public transit and indoor bathrooms will not be available at this program. A roll-in port-a-potty is usually available at the parking lot, but we can’t guarantee that it will be there this year.

Fragrance policy: To be respectful of those with allergies and environmental sensitivities, we ask that you please refrain from wearing strong fragrances.

We’re happy to discuss your access needs for this event! For questions and accommodation requests, please reach out to sarah@hilltownlandtrust.org or call (413) 628-4485 ext. 6.