Five Rivers Outdoor Exploration & Family Day

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in Delmar is promoting a late-April family day built around outdoor exploration, nature activities and health-focused time outside. The state-run center sits on more than 450 acres of fields, forests and wetlands at 56 Game Farm Road, and its trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The visitor center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except state holidays, and regular public programs are generally free. Five Rivers’ spring 2026 schedule says public programs are free unless noted, asks visitors to dress for the weather, and lists accessibility support including a battery-powered scooter and a Freedom Chair all-terrain wheelchair available at no charge. The same schedule says organized groups should call ahead to make separate arrangements. The family-day push lands as Five Rivers is already running a dense spring calendar for young children and caregivers. Nature Story Time is scheduled on Thursdays from April 2 through May 28 for ages 2 to 6 with an adult, and Nature Playdate was offered April 11 for ages 3 to 7 with an adult. Another April program, “Earth Day, Every Day,” is set for Saturday, April 25, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and includes a look at sustainable features in the building and a walk to Five Rivers’ Miyawaki pocket forest. That places the family-day message in a broader spring lineup centered on outdoor learning and conservation. Five Rivers is part of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation system, and the agency describes it as a “living museum” with more than 10 miles of trails. The department also says the site has been designated a National Environmental Study Area by the National Park Service. The nonprofit Friends of Five Rivers helps fund that work alongside the state. The group says it supports environmental education and land preservation at the center, offers family and adult programming, and relies on memberships, donations, sponsorships and grants rather than state funding. (friendsoffiverivers.org/) For families deciding whether to go, the basics are simple: parking and admission are free, pets are not permitted except trained service animals, and program details can change by listing. The center’s spring schedule directs visitors to call 518-475-0291 or check the event calendar for exact dates, times and registration rules.