DEC Region 4 to Host 'Get Outdoors & Get Together Day' Event at Fiver Rivers Environmental Education Center and North-South Lake Campground

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 4 is hosting ‘Get Outdoors & Get Together Day’ on June 13 at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, Albany County, and North-South Lake Campground, Greene County. 

Get Outdoors & Get Together Day brings people of all abilities, ages, identities, and backgrounds together for a day of fun and healthy outdoor recreation activities at welcoming and inclusive locations across the state. Coinciding with National Get Outdoors Day, the event is part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s initiative to broaden the diversity of users and ensure inclusivity of access to State public lands.

This year’s event is hosted by DEC and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Perseveration, in partnership with the Office of the Chief Disability Officer, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Veterans' Services, the Office of Mental Health, and the Justice Center for the Protection of People With Special Needs.

DEC Region 4 is offering the following free opportunities for the public: 

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center 

Date: June 13, 2026 

Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 

Location: 56 Game Farm Rd, Delmar, NY 12054 

Contact: Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (518) 475-0291 

Free activities and demonstrations include: 

• Nature Detectives – solve an outdoor mystery with Five Rivers Educators 

• Nature crafts – leaf art, seed helicopters and more. 

• Inflatable archery range, with foam-tipped arrows and beginner-friendly bows (limited to ages 8+). 

• Soft foam hatchet toss 

• Campfire and s’mores 

• Backyard Bass – fishing simulation game with DEC Fish and Wildlife staff 

• Birding is for Everyone - try out binoculars or a zoom tube/adaptive birding scope - tools to make bird watching more accessible 

• Bird Migration Game – trace the fantastic journey of a migrating bird 

• Live Animals – Meet a Five Rivers Ambassador Animal 

• E-Bird Challenge – enter a raffle for a chance to win a nest box 

• Accessible outdoor recreation equipment demonstrations 

• Friends of Five Rivers gift shop 

• Guided Programs (meet in front of the Visitor Center):  

• Visitor Center: 

• General Information Table: 

  • Grab some Adventure NY gear (while it lasts!)  

  • Pick up an event pass– get 10 stamps to earn a prize 

  • Try out a mobility device – available for use at Five Rivers  

• Organizations with information/activity tables:  

  • Albany County Department of Health 

  • Albany County Parks and Recreation 

  • Audubon Society of the Capital Region 

  • Autism Society of the Greater Capital Region 

  • Bethlehem Public Library 

  • BOTS (Bring on the Spectrum) 

  • Cornell Cooperative Extension of Albany County 

  • DEC (I Bird NY, These Lands are for Everyone, and the National Archery in the Schools Program) 

  • Friends of Five Rivers 

  • Girl Scouts of Northeastern NY 

  • Inclusible 

  • Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy 

  • NYS Department of Veterans’ Services 

  • NYS Justice Center and TRAID (Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities) 

  • NYS Office of Mental Health 

  • NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities 

  • Scouting America Troop 75 

Accessible features at this site: Visitor center with interpretive exhibits, classrooms, and restrooms, hiking trail, wildlife viewing platform, and picnic pavilion.

Coming from the City of Albany? Ride the free CDTA Nature Bus to Five Rivers on June 13 for Get Outdoors & Get Together Day!  

North-South Lake Campground 

Date: June 13, 2026 

Time: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. 

Location: 874 North Lake Road, Haines Falls, NY 12436 

Contact: Jessie Swinehart, [email protected] or Lisa Jensen, [email protected], (607) 652-2032 

Free activities and demonstrations include: 

Accessible features at this site: Fishing/wildlife viewing platform, picnic pavilions, beach access route, and restrooms. All activities at this location are ADA accessible and offer adaptive equipment for those who need it. An all-terrain wheelchair will also be available for use. 

The event will be held rain or shine. Equipment will be provided for activities, but attendees may bring their own equipment for personal use and are encouraged to bring their own snacks, water, and sunblock.

For more information on accessibility at DEC locations, check out the Accessible Recreation Destinations Map, or reach out to the assigned ADA Accessibility Coordinator at that location. 

Visit DEC’s website for more information on Get Outdoors & Get Together Day. 

Participants are encouraged to Love Our New York Lands all year by practicing Leave No Trace™ principles and by recreating safely and sustainably and hiking in suitable conditions based on weather and experience level.