Long Island walking groups offer exercise, friendship and community

In 2019, after Anne-Marie Smith moved from Rockland County to Riverhead, the retired computer analyst was looking for opportunities to meet people. The COVID-19 pandemic put those plans on hold the following year.

A fall while hiking alone in the woods in 2023 gave her another reason to seek out walking companions.

“Luckily, I landed in a pile of leaves,” recalled Smith, 71, who reasoned that walking partners would be a safer option. “If I couldn’t get up, I could be lying there and who would find me.”

In December 2023, she learned about the Long Island East End Hiking Group online and decided that joining would be her New Year’s resolution. “I just wanted to exercise, knock off some of the weight I had gained during the pandemic and meet people,” she said.

Smith is now an active member of the group, one of many such walking and hiking clubs across Long Island attracting retirees, fitness enthusiasts and newcomers seeking exercise and social connection. The groups explore local parks, recreation trails, nature preserves and indoor shopping malls. While some are grassroots, peer-led organizations, others are established by health and advocacy organizations, hospitals, public libraries, county offices and municipalities.

Experts say such groups can serve two purposes at once: providing physical and mental health benefits while creating opportunities for socialization. Since joining the group nearly three years ago, Smith says she has made at least a dozen friends and improved her health.

“When you retire, you don’t have the work network [of friends],” said Smith, who walks or hikes up to 25 miles each week. “Since I’ve joined the group, I’ve lost 20 pounds, and I’m probably healthier now than I have ever been.”

When you retire, you don’t have the work network [of friends]. Since I’ve joined the group, I’ve lost 20 pounds, and I’m probably healthier now than I have ever been.

— Anne-Marie Smith, of Riverhead, a member of the Long Island East End Hiking Group

For Smith, the group hikes are not just a pastime; they’re an integral part of her life.

“Every week, it’s, ‘Where are we going?’” said Smith, who traveled to Greece and Spain last summer with two friends she met in the group. “It’s a huge part of my social life and health.”

The health benefits of walking together

Dr. Allison McLarty, co-director of the Stony Brook Heart and Vascular Institute, says walking is one of the best forms of exercise because it is a low-impact aerobic activity that benefits both physical and mental health.

“With walking, your natural endorphins are released, which brings stress and blood pressure down and that contributes to cardiovascular health,” McLarty said. “Things like cholesterol and glucose control are positively impacted. And studies show that if the walking is a long-term habit, it lowers the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia."

She noted the pace should be brisk — although leisure walking is better than no walking. "Those who walk 30 minutes most days of the week live longer,” she said.

McLarty emphasized that walking, especially with a companion, offers a double benefit by combining physical exercise with social connection.

More than a walk in the woods

Tim Cody, 55, of Manorville, founder of the Long Island East End Hiking Group, recognized that walking with others offered both companionship and a greater sense of safety than walking alone.

“At first, it was just a friend and I [hiking],” recalled Cody, a professional DJ. “Then six to eight people started hiking with us, and we would see people hiking by themselves. I thought, ‘wouldn’t it be safer and more social if they had a group.’”

“When you’re in the woods, no one is talking on the phone or texting,” he said. “You’re in a conversation with someone and all of a sudden, you walked four miles…Sometimes, afterwards, the group goes down the road to lunch, a winery or brewery. Socializing is a big thing.”

Rei Wolfsohn, 37, of Merrick, has heard similar stories from members of the South Shore Walking and Hiking Group, which Wolfsohn founded.

“It’s surprising how many people want to be in nature with others,” said Wolfsohn. “So many people tell me, ‘If it were not for this group, I would not have gotten out of the house. This has given me a chance to meet people.’”

Rosa Amatulli, a member of Wolfsohn’s group, says walking with someone “keeps both mind and body in shape.”

“It’s good for the soul,” said Amatulli, an adjunct college professor from Franklin Square. “Walking together is very important for the mood because someone is paying attention to you, and that’s uplifting.”

An indoor option for walkers

While some prefer wooded trails, others find comfort walking in a climate-controlled, well-lit environment on flat, even surfaces.

Beverly Tyroler, a Stony Brook resident, joined the Smith Haven Mall Walking Club nearly five years ago. At least a couple of days a week, she logs 2½ miles around the mall’s concourse while walking with club members.

“You have someone to talk to [while you’re walking],” said Tyroler, 88. “You can especially know if you are in trouble [physically] if you are talking and you get out of breath.”

Kristin Cuomo, community relations liaison at Stony Brook University, said the walking club at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove provides a space for socialization and walking while also offering health education and blood pressure screening.

Regardless of the setting, McLarty’s advice to would-be walkers is straightforward: “Just start walking without making a production about a walking routine. Little by little, you will build it into your lifestyle. After a few months, you will probably look and feel better, have less stress and a better outlook.”