How to Start a Walking Group in Your Neighborhood

Residents on the Upper West Side launched a Tuesday morning walking group last month that now draws 18 people each week from three nearby apartment buildings.

Interest in neighborhood walking groups has grown this summer as more New Yorkers seek low-cost ways to stay active after gym memberships rose an average of 12 percent citywide between 2024 and 2025.

Groups have formed along the Hudson River Park Greenway and inside Central Park’s Reservoir loop, where participants meet at the 72nd Street entrance at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that adults who walk at least 150 minutes weekly cut their risk of heart disease by 30 percent, a figure cited by the New York City Department of Health in its June 2026 walking initiative materials.

Pick a route and set a schedule

Start with a flat 30-minute loop near your block. The Hudson River Park path between 14th and 23rd Streets offers water views and benches every quarter mile, while the tree-lined paths around Washington Square Park provide shade and easy subway access for newcomers. Post the first three dates on a free neighborhood app and ask two friends to commit so the group has a core from day one.

Keep it simple and visible

Bring only a printed sign with the meeting spot and time. Charge nothing and meet rain or shine at the same corner each week. After four sessions, participants on the Upper West Side added a second Saturday route through Riverside Park South and now swap contact lists to organize occasional evening walks before sunset at 8:15 p.m.

One person can handle sign-ups through a shared phone number while another tracks who shows up. Within six weeks most groups reach 10 to 20 regular walkers and begin rotating leadership so no single organizer burns out.