Joe Nigro

With over 40 years’ experience leading AMC outings, you’d be hard pressed to find a hike
leader who knows Hudson Valley trails and parks better than Joe Nigro. Or one who leads as many hikes each year to member-favorite destinations in the Hudson Highlands or Fahnestock. Yet what many people who hike with Joe for the first time notice is the inclusiveness that he brings to every outing. As Joe puts it, “I like introducing new people to my favorite hiking places.”
It all starts with accessibility. Many New York-New Jersey AMC members live in transit-rich parts of the metropolitan area, and are able to forgo the expense and hassles of car ownership. Yet when it comes to outings in the metropolitan area’s parks and preserves, public transit access is sparse.  Even worse, many of the bus routes that brought generations of hikers to Harriman and Bear Mountain were discontinued during the pandemic, and have yet to be revived.
Joe to the rescue! A lifelong NYC resident and public transit advocate himself who frequently rides MetroNorth to his hikes in Cold Spring and Garrison. Joe begins his hikes at the train station, where hikers who have arrived by car shuttle the MetroNorth riders to the trailhead. After the hike, there’s the return carpool back to the station or to nearby points of interest like Moo’s Creamery (in season).
As you may have guessed, many of Joe’s favorite hikes start in Cold Spring, including the ever popular Mt Taurus via either Washburn Trail or Nelsonville or in Garrison, which may include the short but steep climb up Sugarloaf with its panoramic views of the Hudson River and West Point.
Other favorite Hudson Valley destinations of Joe’s are Harriman and Bear Mountain. As these are more difficult to access by public transportation, Joe does not post at these parks as frequently. But for those with cars, or with friends with cars, AMC offers at least one Harriman/Bear Mountain hike, and sometimes several, almost every week year round.
And you don’t have to wait long for one of Joe’s hikes; he posts almost every weekend, one of the reasons why the New York-New Jersey chapter is on track to offer close to 350 hikes in 2024, continuing a promising trend. And thanks to Joe and the other volunteer hike leaders, we’re expecting even more in 2025!
For people new to organized hiking, Joe advises finding your own level, adding that “Hikes that are too hard or too easy are not the right hikes. You have more fun on hikes within your physical level.” And, if you’re unsure, just ask in advance: Joe, like every AMC outing leader, is happy to figure out the suitability of his outings.
Interested in hiking with Joe? He’s on the trail almost every Saturday: check the Activities Database https://activities.outdoors.org