An AMC staff-led lodge-to-hut hike in the White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire. Photo by Corey David Photography.
We’ve entered the weird part of winter: slush, freezing rain, rock-hard snowbanks, slick roads. Microspikes or mud boots? Who even knows. It’s the season that can’t make up its mind, with temperatures hovering between winter and spring.
Are you feeling the winter blues, too? We’ve put together this guide for finding joy in late winter, complete with outdoor and indoor adventures, opportunities for community connection, and recommendations for how to make the most of this time of year across the Northeast.
Southern terminus of Bay Circuit Trail, Kingston, MA. Photo by Dan Stone/AMC Photo Contest.
Boston
1. Hike the Bay Circuit Trail. The 231-mile trail and greenway, which AMC maintains with local partners, loops through the Greater Boston area from the mouth of the Merrimack River in Newburyport down to Kingston Bay near Cape Cod, passing through state parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and other preserved land.
2. March rain got you down? Try the New England tradition of candlepin bowling.
3. Get out for an AMC volunteer-led winter adventure in the Blue Hills.
4. Learn how to use ice climbing tools at AMC Boston’s Drytooling night at Metrorock indoor rock gym.
5. Head down to the Evacuation Day Parade—now part of Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities—which commemorates the departure of British troops from the city in 1776.
An AMC Worcester Chapter hike on the New England Trail. Photo by Paula Champagne.
Worcester
1. Celebrate the vernal equinox and take in the waterfalls, rock formations, and spectacular views on an AMC volunteer-led ascent of Mt. Toby!
2. Grab a bag of popcorn and head over to the Greater Worcester Land Trust’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival for 90 minutes of inspiring short environmental-themed films.
3. Take a stroll through history at Old Sturbridge Village, a recreated 1830s New England town with costumed historians, farm animals, and 200 acres of historic buildings and farmland.
4. Go for a hike with AMC Worcester volunteers in Callahan State Park, Tully Lake, Mount Grace, and more!
5. Sample global flavors from award-winning chefs at the Worcester Public Market.
Scenic viewpoint along Appalachian Trail near Mohican Outdoor Center. Photo by Corey David Photography.
New York City & Newark
1. Ice skate in midtown Manhattan at The Rink at Rockefeller Center, New York City’s most iconic skating rink.
2. Looking for a cozy retreat? Head to the quiet woods and soaring cliffs of AMC’s Mohican Outdoor Center. (Only a 90-minute drive from Newark and NYC!)
3. Help clean up Pelham Bay Park on Long Island Sound by clipping away invasive species on AMC’s Conservation Volunteering day, and then swing by City Island on the way home for refreshments and fun.
4. Enjoy dinner with a view in a heated igloo at one of these locations across New York City.
5. Treat yourself to a hiking, writing, and horseback adventure based out of Mohican Outdoor Center in Blairstown, New Jersey.
An AMC Connecticut Chapter walk in Wethersfield, CT. Photo by Jospeh Abad.
Hartford & New Haven
1. Catch a BANFF Mountain Film Fest screening. While you’re at it, stop by to say hi to AMC’s Connecticut chapter and see what’s coming up this spring!
2. Channel that epic BANFF Mountain energy and make your own story on a winter hike with new friends. From moderate hikes like Sleeping Giant and Soapstone Mountain to gentle strolls through Mansfield Hollow and Machimoodus State Park, the Connecticut AMC chapter has a hike for you.
3. Visit Connecticut’s tallest waterfall, Kent Falls.
4. Participate in a Wildlife Transect on Mt. Race to track, record, and learn about local wildlife.
5. Marvel at thousands of species of fish, marine mammals, invertebrates, and reptiles at Mystic Aquarium.
An AMC Guided Outdoors program at Carter Notch Hut, White Mountain National Forest, NH. Photo by Corey David Photography.
Portland & Concord
1. This winter’s snowfall in the Maine Woods has been legendary! Take a spontaneous road trip to explore the world-class cross country ski trails and stay at AMC’s Maine lodges before the season ends on March 15.
2. Volunteer at a Big Night event on a warm, rainy Maine evening to protect frogs, newts, and other amphibians from cars as they migrate from their winter habitats to spring breeding grounds.
3. Head to the White Mountains where winter’s still in full swing for a guided women’s+ winter hike at Highland Center, or a guided 20s & 30s snowshoe hike to Carter Notch.
4. Check out the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, a renowned air and space museum complete with a planetarium.
5. Learn to roll a kayak in a supportive environment at an AMC pool session in Manchester, NH.
A March hike in the Presidential Range, White Mountain National Forest, NH. Photo by Corey David Photography