Esopus Town Supervisor Diane McCord and Steve Rosenberg of Scenic Hudson
PORT EWEN – Over 100 people attended Saturday’s ribbon cutting at Hudson High Banks Preserve located at 132 River Road (County Rt.24), in Ulster Landing, just south of Port Ewen.
A total of 287 acres of wetlands, wildflower meadows, hardwood forest, and several miles of hiking trails allow visitors to enjoy nature, from the shores of the Hudson River, almost back to Route 9W, including Esopus Lake.
The private park is operated by Scenic Hudson. Last year, a similar public access area was opened nearby, Esopus Meadows Preserve. This town has the most Hudson River water frontage in New York State.
Lighthouse Park was created by Scenic Hudson in 1990. Other nearby resources
are Slatesburg Park, Esopus Meadows, Black Creek Forest, and Shaupeneak
Ridge. Projects do not stop there, said Steven Rosenberg, senior vice
president and executive director of The Scenic Hudson Land Trust.
“We are working with many community partners in Esopus and the
Town of Lloyd to create the John Burroughs Black Creek trail,” said
Rosenberg. It will link them all with a trail connecting Black Creek through
John Burroughs Sanctuary, up to Illinois Mountain and the rail trail network.
Until 1963, the High Banks Preserve was a recreational summer camp named Chi-Wan-Da, which served mostly Jewish children from the New York City metropolitan area. Former campers were on hand to reminisce.
“High Banks Preserve epitomizes Scenic Hudson’s perseverance in protecting the Hudson Valley’s scenic and ecological treasures,” Rosenberg said.
The land was acquired in 2012, after almost two decades of effort. “It was a long time priority because of its incredible natural and scenic values,” Rosenberg said. A small piece of 9W frontage was deliberately omitted from the Preserve, to encourage economic development, he added.
Improvements to the parcel include demolition of over 30 dilapidated structures, park landscaping, trail construction and interpretive signage.
“When we add a park to Scenic Hudson, it’s like adding a new member to the family,” Rosenberg said, noting that six children we born to Scenic Hudson staff members during the past work year.
“We would like to encourage tourism; it’s a big part of Esopus, and this Preserve adds to that,” said Town Supervisor Diane McCord. She praised Scenic Hudson for providing permanent public access and the enjoyment of future generations.
