ALBANY COUNTY — The public is invited to become inaugural Five Rivers “5Rs” this fall.

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center’s annual Fall Festival has connected families and people of all ages and abilities with the outdoors for decades. While the pandemic precludes holding this year’s Fall Festival, the spirit of this popular event is captured with a new trail challenge.

Five Rivers Center, at 56 Game Farm Road in Delmar, has numerous trails traversing a variety of habitats at the 450-acre property, which is located in the towns of Bethlehem and New Scotland.

Participants will register with the Friends of Five Rivers and hike five different trails at Five Rivers from Sept. 22 through Oct. 12 to become Five Rivers 5Rs. Commemorative 5R prizes will be given to all registrants.

Participants follow this five steps to become a Five Rivers 5R:

— Register for the Five Rivers 5R online at www.FriendsofFiveRivers.org, paying a $5 fee per registrant;

— Pick a Five Rivers trail to hike and take a picture of yourself at the trailhead kiosk, showing the trail’s name;

— Enjoy your nature hike;

— Repeat for four more trails; and

— Email the five trailhead photos to DevFriends5Rivers@outlook.com.

For the safety of all Five Rivers 5Rs, visitors are reminded to socially distance while on the trails, including wearing a mask when a six-foot distance cannot be maintained.

Participants’ rewards include spending time in nature, setting and achieving goals, calling yourself a Five Rivers 5R, receiving a commemorative prize for your hikes, and being highlighted on Friends’ social media.

To register, visit www.FriendsofFiveRivers.org. Call Five Rivers at 518-475-0291 for more information.