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February - March 2018 42 Find Us On Facebook at Boating On The Hudson
New Paltz, New York its at the base of the
Shawangunks and boasts lovely views of the
Ridge’s striking cliffs. For decades, access to the
beautiful wilderness on the horizon has not been
easy for the community below, since hikers and
cyclists setting out to explore the “Gunks” have
been forced to hug a narrow and dangerous
highway shoulder.
In 2015, building on our decades of work in the
region, OSI announced a transformative new
community project. Our “River-to-Ridge Trail”
is a highly-anticipated scenic and recreational
off-road loop which will meander through farm
fields and over gently rolling hills, providing
direct access from downtown New Paltz to 90
miles of recreational carriage roads and trails at
the Mohonk Preserve and the Minnewaska State
Park Preserve.
Currently under construction, the project will
feature trailhead parking, kiosks and a picnic
area.
In 2015, we completed the New Paltz-Foothills
conservation corridor with the acquisition of
the 135-acre “Watchtower” property for $2.1
million. In this scenic farmland landscape we
have protected over 1,200 acres in the area
surrounding the River-to-Ridge Trail route.
In developing the route, we gave careful
consideration to avoiding sensitive wetland
areas, accommodating neighboring farming
operations, identifying designated parking
options and choosing proper trail materials and
design.
The River-to-Ridge Trail marks another
milestone in the long legacy of the Shawangunk
Ridge carriage roads and trails that have
provided pathways to nature for over a century.
It is our hope that like the carriage roads, the
Trail will continue to serve the community for
generations to come.