NEW YORK – The Open Space Institute has unveiled a plan to develop a multi-use trail network connecting the Hudson Valley’s network of scenic trails, diverse communities, and renown green spaces.
The visioning effort would develop a trail network that would span more than 250 miles and connect more than 20 communities in Ulster, Sullivan and Orange counties.
It would connect with the Empire State Trail, said OSI Senior Vice President and General Counsel Bob Anderberg.
“This would be a feeder trail network into the Empire State Trail and actually, the Empire State Trail is coterminous with thew Wallkill Valley Rail Trail from the Village of New Paltz north to Kingston. So, we are very excited about the Empire State Trail and this is, indeed, a part of it,” he said.
Seven existing trail corridors converge in the three-county region and the OSI plan outlines both completed and future projects that would link the:
- Wallkill Valley Rail Trail (Project Spotlight here),
- O&W Rail Trail, including the D&H Canal (Project Spotlight here),
- Catskill Mountain Rail Corridor, including the Ashokan Rail Trail (Project Spotlight here),
- Sullivan O&W Rail Trail (Project Spotlight here),
- Schunnemunk Rail Trail (Project Spotlight here),
- Orange County Heritage Trail (Project Spotlight here), and
- Shawangunk Ridge Carriage Roads, which include Minnewaska State Park Preserve’s carriage roads and the OSI-owned and managed River-to-Ridge Trail (Project Spotlight here).
