Wallkill Valley Rail Trail
Encyclopedia
The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail is a 23.7 miles (38.1 km) rail trail
and linear park
that runs along the former Wallkill Valley Railroad rail corridor in Ulster County, New York
. , it stretches from Gardiner
through New Paltz
, crossing the Wallkill River
as it reaches Rosendale
. The trail is separated from the Walden–Wallkill Rail Trail by two state prisons in Shawangunk
, though there have been plans to bypass these facilities, and to connect the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail with other regional rail trails.
Plans to create the rail trail began as early as 1983, when New Paltz considered uses for the then-defunct Wallkill Valley corridor; the railroad had ceased regular traffic in 1977, and by 1983, had begun to remove its tracks. In 1991, a local land trust
purchased the 12 miles (19.3 km) section of the former rail corridor between New Paltz and Gardiner, and conveyed the New Paltz section to the town and village of New Paltz. The trail was formally opened between New Paltz and Gardiner in 1993, though Gardiner did not purchase its section from the trust until 2007. The length of the trail was effectively doubled by a county land seizure in 2009, extending the walkway north from Rosendale through Ulster
to Kingston
. The extension included the Rosendale trestle
, a 940 feet (286.5 m) bridge across the Rondout Creek
. There are several other bridges that carry the trail, though none are as long.
The trail serves hikers, joggers, bikers, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers. It passes through several historic districts, such as Huguenot Street
in New Paltz, and the Binnewater Historic District
and Snyder Estate
in Rosendale. The trail also traverses U.S. Route 44
(concurrent
with State Route 55
), and state routes 299
and 213
. Several natural features are visible from clearing along the trail, such as the Shawangunk Ridge
to the west, and the Plattekill Creek between New Paltz and Gardiner. The trail passes through dense vegetation, and is frequented by many types of animals and overwintering birds.
to Kingston, the Wallkill Valley Railroad operated from 1866 until its last regular freight run on December 31, 1977. During the 1980s, its owner, Conrail
, began to salvage the former corridor's steel rails and sell off sections of the rail bed. State law mandated that in such sales, offers be made first to the state, then to the involved counties and municipalities. The state bought a 1.4 miles (2.3 km) portion of rail bed between Shawangunk
and Gardiner in November 1985 for the construction of the Shawangunk Correctional Facility
in the hamlet of Wallkill
.
While Montgomery and Shawangunk purchased their sections of the railroad – 2 and 2.3 mi (3.2 and 3.7 km), respectively – in 1985, eventually creating the 3.22 miles (5.2 km) Walden–Wallkill Rail Trail, the towns of New Paltz, Gardiner and Rosendale initially declined to purchase their sections of the rail line. The town of Shawangunk has been evaluating plans to bypass the state prison to connect the Walden–Wallkill and Wallkill Valley trails since 2004, and such a connection was listed as a project in a 2008 county-wide transportation plan. The latest proposal involves diverting the trail along Birch Road. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail was the seventeenth rail trail created in New York state, and became a National Recreation Trail
in 2007.
Converting the former corridor to a rail trail was first considered in a 1983 environmental report commissioned by the town of New Paltz. The study considered repurposing the corridor as a road for cars, but determined that the right-of-way, "lend[ing] itself to multiple and simultaneous 'people-oriented' transit", was "ideally suited for use as a trail for hiking, strolling, running, cycling and cross-country skiing". In 1988, New Paltz invited a local non-profit, the Wallkill Valley Land Trust, to acquire the portion of the rail line between New Paltz and Gardiner. The Wallkill Valley Land Trust in turn requested assistance from The Trust for Public Land
, and the purchase was completed on January 18, 1991.
While the town and village of New Paltz
immediately purchased their sections from the Wallkill Valley Land Trust – roughly 4 and 3 mi (6.4 and 4.8 km), respectively – Gardiner did not purchase its 6 miles (9.7 km) section until much later. Portions of the New Paltz–Gardiner section were informally open since June 1991, but the formal opening ceremony of the full 12.2 miles (19.6 km) trail between New Paltz and Gardiner took place on October 9, 1993.
The Gardiner section was in such a state of disrepair in 2004 that the Wallkill Valley Land Trust almost closed it. Gardiner received a $100,000 grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
in December 2006, and the purchase was completed in 2007. The state provided an additional $5,000 to maintain the trail.
Purchasing the section allowed Gardiner to fix the drainage problems that had deteriorated the surface of the trail, and to ban the use of motor vehicles, something the Wallkill Valley Land Trust had not done. Though the section was worth $307,300, the Wallkill Valley Land Trust sold it to Gardiner for $70,000.
In 2009 and 2010, the Tea Party movement
held protests along the Gardiner section of the trail. In November 2009, New Paltz received grants from the Greenway Conservancy, a state organization, to fund several rail trail–related projects. This included $17,750 to create a link between the New Paltz section of the trail and the Hudson Valley Rail Trail
in nearby Lloyd
, which was in turn being extended eastward to the Poughkeepsie Bridge
; the connection with the bridge was completed in October 2010. The Wallkill Valley Railroad had considered such a connection after the bridge opened in 1889, but never built one. The grants also included $7,000 to create 400 feet (121.9 m) of ADA
-accessible trail, to connect the parking area of a local park, named after Sojourner Truth
, with the rail trail. The town had intended to connect the parking area with the trail since the late 1990s, but concerns over traffic, as well as state requirements, had added to the time and cost of the path; it was completed by June 2010. The connections are part of a county-wide plan to create a bicycle path along NY 299
, to link regional rail trails.
. The trestle rises 150 feet (45.7 m) above the Rondout Creek
and State Route 213
, and also spans the former Delaware and Hudson Canal
. At the time of its construction it was the highest span
bridge in the United States.
Conrail sold the Rosendale section, including the bridge, in 1986 to a private businessman, John Rahl, for one dollar. Rahl maintained that the purchase granted him the right to "restore rail service on the whole Wallkill line", and to joint ownership of Conrail. Between 1989 and 1991, Rahl installed planking and guard rails on the southern half of the bridge, which was then opened to the public. He intended to allow bungee jumping
off the bridge, and did so until a January 1992 court order held that it violated zoning laws. Douglas Hase, an entrepreneur
who had run both bungee jumping and hot air ballooning
companies, tried unsuccessfully in 2003 and 2004 to get a variance
for such a venture.
After Rahl failed to pay $13,716 in property taxes over a period of three years, Ulster County foreclosed on the 63.34 acres (25.6 ha) property on April 15, 2009. The Wallkill Valley Land Trust and Open Space Conservancy
placed a bid on the land parcels comprising the Rosendale section on April 22, 2009, and agreed to pay all outstanding taxes before receiving full ownership on July 8, 2009, with the intention of adding it to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. Following an engineering survey, the bridge was closed to the public in June 2009 for repairs. Renovations are expected to begin in spring 2011, with a 12-month completion time.
Canopy Development, a green development
company from Northampton, Massachusetts
, owns a portion of the former rail bed in Rosendale. It has agreed to establish a right-of-way, rerouting the trail to allow public access. Another obstruction between Rosendale and Ulster is a private swimming pool, which will be bypassed. In the summer of 2009, a man was arrested several times for stalking and harassment along the Rosendale section of the trail. The Mohonk Preserve
and Open Space Conservancy were given a $20,000 state grant in March 2011 to maintain the portion of the trail by Kingston.
A regional business association has proposed a link between the trail, in Rosendale, and a series of regional rail trails. The proposal would create a 35 miles (56.3 km) network of rail trails across the towns of Marbletown
, Rochester
, and Wawarsing
. Several involved towns have been working toward accomplishing such a connection.
. Movement farther south is impossible, because the corridor south of Denniston Road is fenced off by barbed wire
. After roughly 1+1/2 mi, it crosses Sand Hill Road before approaching the hamlet of Gardiner
at the 2+1/2 mi mark. Once in the hamlet, the trail intersects U.S. Route 44
(concurrent
with State Route 55
).
Located within the hamlet are a defunct, former dairy creamery
and the site of the former Gardiner railroad station. Built in 1881 and opened the following year, the creamery was one of the dairies that transported its products to New York City
by way of the Wallkill Valley Railroad. It was originally the property of the Borden
family, but closed in the 1920s, and has since been renovated as an apartment complex. The former Gardiner railroad station ceased operations when the rail line closed. It became a sporting goods store by 1981, a video store by the early 1990s, and an antique store by 1995. The station burned down on October 10, 2002.
The trail crosses Phillies Bridge Road 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the hamlet, with an overpass
carrying the trail over Forest Glen Road 3/4 mi farther. The road overlies the Catskill Aqueduct
and Delaware Aqueduct
. Originally supported by trestles and a stone foundation, the overpass was rebuilt in 1910 during the construction of the Catskill Aqueduct. The reconstruction removed the trestles and added a cement foundation. Though a local legend holds that the bridge was originally built in response to the death of a prominent woman at the Forest Glen railroad crossing, it is more likely that it was built to maintain the rail line at a consistent grade. A little over 1/10 mi from the bridge is the site of the former Forest Glen station. The trail crosses Bridge Creek Road and Old Ford Road about 1/4 mi from the Forest Glen bridge, respectively, before entering the town of New Paltz
.
Shortly after entering New Paltz, the trail crosses a bridge over Plattekill Creek. The masonry
for the bridge was completed by late June 1870, and trestle
work was done by July. Originally made of wood, the bridge was accidentally set on fire in 1880 by ashes or sparks from a passing train. This prompted the railroad to coat its rail ties
with tin while replacing its wooden bridges with ones made of stone. The bridge's original abutment
s were made of Shawangunk conglomerate
. It was rebuilt in 1912, and crosses the Plattekill Creek at a height of 35 feet (10.7 m). The Shawangunk Ridge
is visible from the bridge.
Plains Road is shortly after the bridge, and the trail continues for 3/10 mi before crossing Cedar Lane. It crosses Plains Road again after another 1+1/5 mi, reaching the Sojourner Truth park in the village of New Paltz
. The trail is connected to the park via a small footbridge constructed in 2010 by the Alexandria, Minnesota
–based construction company Contech. It has a weight limit of 5 short tons (4.5 MT) and is able to withstand earthquakes
.
At the edge of the park, the trail crosses Water Street and enters the Water Street Market, a "restored area of boutiques, galleries, and cafés". It then crosses State Route 299
and passes La Stazione
, the former railroad station. The refurbished depot had been originally built in 1870, rebuilt after a 1907 fire, and sold to private interests in 1959. The building was in a state of disrepair by the early 1980s, but renovated in 1988 and converted to an Italian restaurant in 1999. Over the next 1/2 mi, the trail passes North Front Street, Broadhead Avenue, and Mulberry Street. After another 1/2 mi the trail traverses Huguenot Street
, a historic district containing colonial-era
stone houses. Some of the houses date to the late 1600s.
About 1 miles (1.6 km) from Huguenot Street, the trail reaches the 413 feet (125.9 m) Springtown bridge spanning the Wallkill River
. The bridge was originally made of wood and completed by the middle of December 1870, but was rebuilt between 1880 and 1881, using iron, by Clark, Reeves & Co. It was rated by the superintendent of the Wallkill Valley Railroad to be safe for rail traffic as fast as 40 miles per hour (64.4 km/h). The bridge's decking and benches were put in place in 1993 by volunteers and members of the nearby Hutterite
community in the hamlet of Rifton
. The design of the bridge's railings was influenced by equestrians
to better accommodate horses. Immediately after the bridge is Springtown Road.
The trail continues west of the Wallkill River. Roughly 1+1/2 mi from the Springtown bridge, the trail crosses Cragswood Road. Another 3/10 mi farther, it reaches the New Paltz–Rosendale boundary line, continuing another 3 miles (4.8 km) on formerly private property to Mountain Road in the hamlet of Rosendale
. The nearby Rosendale trestle was shut down for repairs in June 2010. When renovations are complete, the trail will continue an additional 8+1/2 mi over the Rondout Creek to Kingston, crossing Interstate 87
and terminating by State Route 32
. The extension passes through the town of Ulster
and includes four small bridges between Rosendale and Kingston.
for kayaking
and canoeing
since April 27, 2003. The Minnewaska Preserve
and Mohonk Preserve
, featuring 60 miles (96.6 km) of combined walkways, can be reached through New Paltz. In the past, students at nearby SUNY New Paltz
have used the trail for "legend[ary,] massive keg
parties [and] ... opportunities to be romantic". As part of an August 2010 art exhibit depicting concealed weapons laws, the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art placed pieces of the exhibit throughout areas of New Paltz expected to have heavy pedestrian traffic, including the rail trail.
The trail connects to the Binnewater Historic District
in Rosendale. The district was the location of several local quarries which opened throughout the region after the 1825 discovery of rocks capable of producing Rosendale cement
in the nearby hamlet of High Falls
. At its peak, the district was producing 4,000,000 barrels a year and employed 5,000 people.
Though the Binnewater rail station was once part of the historic district, it was located too close to Binnewater Road and was hit repeatedly by trucks until it fell apart in May 1989. The station was subsequently demolished by the county highway department. Another historic district, the Snyder Estate
, runs along the Rosendale section. The Snyder Estate is a former mining site once used by all four major regional cement producers. The Rosendale trestle has been the site of numerous picnics, barbecues, and at least one wedding. One person has tried bungee jumping off the bridge without a restraining cord.
Several shale
outcrop
s are visible along the trail, with views of the Shawangunk Ridge
to the west; the skytop tower of the Mohonk Mountain House
is visible on one of the cliffs. Parking for the trail is provided at a municipal lot on Farmers Turnpike in Gardiner. In New Paltz, there are parking lots at the Sojourner Truth park, off Springtown Road, at the Huguenot Historical Society, and at a Board of Cooperative Educational Services
(BOCES) conference center. The trail runs parallel to state routes 208
and 32; there are two park and ride
s on Route 32, a 63-spot lot in New Paltz, and a 58-spot lot in Rosendale. There are two bicycle shops along the trail in both Gardiner and New Paltz.
(Rhus) and Honeysuckle
(Lonicera) shrubs, American Elm
(Ulmus americana), Bigtooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata) and Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides). As the trail approaches Gardiner to the south, there are occurrences of Sugar Maple
(Acer saccharum), American Beech
(Fagus grandifolia), Tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and Black Birch (Betula lenta). Other trees common on the trail include Red Maple
(Acer rubrum), Shagbark Hickory
(Carya ovata), Northern Pin Oak
(Quercus ellipsoidalis), Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), White Ash
(Fraxinus americana) and Eastern White Pine
(Pinus strobus).
Many animals pass through the trail unobserved, leaving behind tracks
. This includes bears, deer, coyotes, dogs, bobcats, cats, skunks and rabbits. Several bird species overwinter in the region and can be observed from the trail, such as the Mourning Dove
(Zenaida macroura), Blue Jay
(Cyanocitta cristata), Bluebird
(Sialia), Cardinal
(Cardinalis cardinalis), Starling
(Sturnus vulgaris), Downy Woodpecker
(Picoides pubescens), American Goldfinch
(Spinus tristis), Tufted Titmouse
(Baeolophus bicolor), Black-capped Chickadee
(Poecile atricapillus), Sparrow
(Passer) and Purple Finch
(Carpodacus purpureus).
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
and linear park
Linear park
A linear park is a park that is much longer than wide. It is often formed as a part of a rails-to-trails conversion of railroad beds to rail trail recreational use...
that runs along the former Wallkill Valley Railroad rail corridor in Ulster County, New York
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
. , it stretches from Gardiner
Gardiner, New York
Gardiner is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 5,238 at the 2000 census.The Town of Gardiner is in the south-central part of the county.- History :...
through New Paltz
New Paltz, New York
New Paltz is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 14,003 at the 2010 census. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county and is south of Kingston, New York. New Paltz contains a village also with the name New Paltz...
, crossing the Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
as it reaches Rosendale
Rosendale, New York
Rosendale is a town in the center of Ulster County, New York, United States. It once contained a village of the same name, which was dissolved through a vote. The population was 6,075 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. The trail is separated from the Walden–Wallkill Rail Trail by two state prisons in Shawangunk
Shawangunk, New York
Shawangunk is a town in southwestern Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 12,022 at the 2000 census. Like the neighboring mountain range, for which it is named, it is pronounced either as the Munsee Lenape, Shawangunk , or as the colonial Shongum by local residents...
, though there have been plans to bypass these facilities, and to connect the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail with other regional rail trails.
Plans to create the rail trail began as early as 1983, when New Paltz considered uses for the then-defunct Wallkill Valley corridor; the railroad had ceased regular traffic in 1977, and by 1983, had begun to remove its tracks. In 1991, a local land trust
Land trust
There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:* a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements; or* an agreement...
purchased the 12 miles (19.3 km) section of the former rail corridor between New Paltz and Gardiner, and conveyed the New Paltz section to the town and village of New Paltz. The trail was formally opened between New Paltz and Gardiner in 1993, though Gardiner did not purchase its section from the trust until 2007. The length of the trail was effectively doubled by a county land seizure in 2009, extending the walkway north from Rosendale through Ulster
Ulster, New York
Ulster is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 12,544 at the 2000 census.The Town of Ulster is in the northeast part of the county. The town is directly north of the City of Kingston. Ulster borders the Catskill Park....
to Kingston
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
. The extension included the Rosendale trestle
Rosendale trestle
The Rosendale trestle is a continuous truss bridge and former railroad trestle in Rosendale Village, a hamlet in the town of Rosendale in Ulster County, New York. Originally constructed by the Wallkill Valley Railroad to continue its rail line from New Paltz to Kingston, the bridge rises above...
, a 940 feet (286.5 m) bridge across the Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River in Ulster and Sullivan counties, New York, USA. It rises on Rocky Mountain in the eastern Catskills, flows south into Rondout Reservoir, part of New York City's water supply network, then into the valley between the Catskills and the Shawangunk...
. There are several other bridges that carry the trail, though none are as long.
The trail serves hikers, joggers, bikers, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers. It passes through several historic districts, such as Huguenot Street
Huguenot Street Historic District
The Huguenot Street Historic District is located near downtown New Paltz, New York, approximately north of New York City. The seven stone houses and several accompanying structures in the district were built in the early 18th century by Huguenot settlers fleeing discrimination and religious...
in New Paltz, and the Binnewater Historic District
Binnewater Historic District
The Binnewater Historic District is a national historic district located at Rosendale in Ulster County, New York. The district originally included nine contributing buildings built during the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
and Snyder Estate
Snyder Estate Natural Cement Historic District
The Snyder Estate Natural Cement Historic District is located in the Town of Rosendale, New York, United States. It is a tract roughly bounded by Rondout Creek, Binnewater and Cottekill roads and Sawdust Avenue...
in Rosendale. The trail also traverses U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 in New York
U.S. Route 44 in the state of New York is a major east–west thoroughfare in the Hudson Valley region of the state. Its entire length is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation, with the exception of the Mid-Hudson Bridge, which is maintained by the New York State Bridge...
(concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with State Route 55
New York State Route 55
New York State Route 55 is a state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale...
), and state routes 299
New York State Route 299
New York State Route 299 is a short but important state route entirely within Ulster County, New York, United States. Centered around its interchange with the New York State Thruway outside New Paltz, it provides access from that road to the popular recreational attractions of the Shawangunk...
and 213
New York State Route 213
New York State Route 213 is a state highway located entirely in Ulster County. It runs from the eastern Catskills to downtown Kingston....
. Several natural features are visible from clearing along the trail, such as the Shawangunk Ridge
Shawangunk Ridge
The Shawangunk Ridge , also known as the Shawangunk Mountains or The Gunks, is a ridge of bedrock in Ulster County, Sullivan County and Orange County in the state of New York, extending from the northernmost point of New Jersey to the Catskill Mountains.The ridgetop, which widens considerably at...
to the west, and the Plattekill Creek between New Paltz and Gardiner. The trail passes through dense vegetation, and is frequented by many types of animals and overwintering birds.
History
Stretching 33 miles (53.1 km) from MontgomeryMontgomery (town), New York
Montgomery is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 20,891 at the 2000 census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 at the Battle of Quebec....
to Kingston, the Wallkill Valley Railroad operated from 1866 until its last regular freight run on December 31, 1977. During the 1980s, its owner, Conrail
Consolidated Rail Corporation
The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and...
, began to salvage the former corridor's steel rails and sell off sections of the rail bed. State law mandated that in such sales, offers be made first to the state, then to the involved counties and municipalities. The state bought a 1.4 miles (2.3 km) portion of rail bed between Shawangunk
Shawangunk, New York
Shawangunk is a town in southwestern Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 12,022 at the 2000 census. Like the neighboring mountain range, for which it is named, it is pronounced either as the Munsee Lenape, Shawangunk , or as the colonial Shongum by local residents...
and Gardiner in November 1985 for the construction of the Shawangunk Correctional Facility
Shawangunk Correctional Facility
Shawangunk Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison for males located in Ulster County, New York in the United States.- History :The prison was constructed in 1983 to expand the maximum security capabilities of the state prison system and was located near the existing Wallkill...
in the hamlet of Wallkill
Wallkill, Ulster County, New York
Wallkill is a hamlet , generally identified as coterminous with ZIP code 12589, telephone exchange 895 in the 845 area code and most of the Wallkill Central School District located mostly in the eastern half of the Town of Shawangunk, Ulster County, New York but partly spilling over into adjacent...
.
While Montgomery and Shawangunk purchased their sections of the railroad – 2 and 2.3 mi (3.2 and 3.7 km), respectively – in 1985, eventually creating the 3.22 miles (5.2 km) Walden–Wallkill Rail Trail, the towns of New Paltz, Gardiner and Rosendale initially declined to purchase their sections of the rail line. The town of Shawangunk has been evaluating plans to bypass the state prison to connect the Walden–Wallkill and Wallkill Valley trails since 2004, and such a connection was listed as a project in a 2008 county-wide transportation plan. The latest proposal involves diverting the trail along Birch Road. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail was the seventeenth rail trail created in New York state, and became a National Recreation Trail
National Recreation Trail
National Recreation Trail is a designation given to existing trails that contribute to health, conservation, and recreation goals in the United States. Over 1,000 trails in all 50 U.S. states, available for public use and ranging from less than a mile to in length, have been designated as NRTs...
in 2007.
New Paltz and Gardiner
The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land is a land conservation nonprofit founded in 1972 by Huey Johnson and based in San Francisco, California in the United States. TPL works throughout the United States to conserve land for people as parks, gardens, and other natural places.- TPL Conservation Initiatives :TPL...
, and the purchase was completed on January 18, 1991.
While the town and village of New Paltz
New Paltz (village), New York
New Paltz is a village in Ulster County in the U.S. state of New York. It is about north of New York City and south of Albany. The population was 6,818 at the 2010 census.The Village of New Paltz is located within the Town of New Paltz...
immediately purchased their sections from the Wallkill Valley Land Trust – roughly 4 and 3 mi (6.4 and 4.8 km), respectively – Gardiner did not purchase its 6 miles (9.7 km) section until much later. Portions of the New Paltz–Gardiner section were informally open since June 1991, but the formal opening ceremony of the full 12.2 miles (19.6 km) trail between New Paltz and Gardiner took place on October 9, 1993.
The Gardiner section was in such a state of disrepair in 2004 that the Wallkill Valley Land Trust almost closed it. Gardiner received a $100,000 grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation operates :*168 state parks*35 state historic sites*76 developed beaches*53 water recreational facilities*27 golf courses*39 full service cottages*818 cabins...
in December 2006, and the purchase was completed in 2007. The state provided an additional $5,000 to maintain the trail.
Purchasing the section allowed Gardiner to fix the drainage problems that had deteriorated the surface of the trail, and to ban the use of motor vehicles, something the Wallkill Valley Land Trust had not done. Though the section was worth $307,300, the Wallkill Valley Land Trust sold it to Gardiner for $70,000.
In 2009 and 2010, the Tea Party movement
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
held protests along the Gardiner section of the trail. In November 2009, New Paltz received grants from the Greenway Conservancy, a state organization, to fund several rail trail–related projects. This included $17,750 to create a link between the New Paltz section of the trail and the Hudson Valley Rail Trail
Hudson Valley Rail Trail
The Hudson Valley Rail Trail is a paved east–west rail trail in the town of Lloyd in Ulster County, New York, stretching from the Poughkeepsie Bridge through the hamlet of Highland. The trail was originally part of the Poughkeepsie Bridge Route, a rail corridor that crossed the Hudson River via...
in nearby Lloyd
Lloyd, New York
Lloyd is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 9,941 at the 2000 census.The Town of Lloyd is located in the eastern part of Ulster County. U.S. Route 9W runs north and south in the eastern part of the town. The concurrent U.S. Route 44 and NY 55 pass through the...
, which was in turn being extended eastward to the Poughkeepsie Bridge
Poughkeepsie Bridge
The Poughkeepsie Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York on the east bank and Highland, New York on the west bank...
; the connection with the bridge was completed in October 2010. The Wallkill Valley Railroad had considered such a connection after the bridge opened in 1889, but never built one. The grants also included $7,000 to create 400 feet (121.9 m) of ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
-accessible trail, to connect the parking area of a local park, named after Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth was the self-given name, from 1843 onward, of Isabella Baumfree, an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, but escaped with her infant daughter to freedom in 1826. After going to court to recover her son, she...
, with the rail trail. The town had intended to connect the parking area with the trail since the late 1990s, but concerns over traffic, as well as state requirements, had added to the time and cost of the path; it was completed by June 2010. The connections are part of a county-wide plan to create a bicycle path along NY 299
New York State Route 299
New York State Route 299 is a short but important state route entirely within Ulster County, New York, United States. Centered around its interchange with the New York State Thruway outside New Paltz, it provides access from that road to the popular recreational attractions of the Shawangunk...
, to link regional rail trails.
Rosendale
The Rosendale portion of the rail bed runs 11.5 miles (18.5 km) from Rosendale through Ulster to Kingston and contains the 940 feet (286.5 m) Rosendale trestleRosendale trestle
The Rosendale trestle is a continuous truss bridge and former railroad trestle in Rosendale Village, a hamlet in the town of Rosendale in Ulster County, New York. Originally constructed by the Wallkill Valley Railroad to continue its rail line from New Paltz to Kingston, the bridge rises above...
. The trestle rises 150 feet (45.7 m) above the Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River in Ulster and Sullivan counties, New York, USA. It rises on Rocky Mountain in the eastern Catskills, flows south into Rondout Reservoir, part of New York City's water supply network, then into the valley between the Catskills and the Shawangunk...
and State Route 213
New York State Route 213
New York State Route 213 is a state highway located entirely in Ulster County. It runs from the eastern Catskills to downtown Kingston....
, and also spans the former Delaware and Hudson Canal
Delaware and Hudson Canal
The Delaware and Hudson Canal was the first venture of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, which later developed the Delaware and Hudson Railway...
. At the time of its construction it was the highest span
Span (architecture)
Span is the distance between two intermediate supports for a structure, e.g. a beam or a bridge.A span can be closed by a solid beam or of a rope...
bridge in the United States.
Conrail sold the Rosendale section, including the bridge, in 1986 to a private businessman, John Rahl, for one dollar. Rahl maintained that the purchase granted him the right to "restore rail service on the whole Wallkill line", and to joint ownership of Conrail. Between 1989 and 1991, Rahl installed planking and guard rails on the southern half of the bridge, which was then opened to the public. He intended to allow bungee jumping
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
off the bridge, and did so until a January 1992 court order held that it violated zoning laws. Douglas Hase, an entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
who had run both bungee jumping and hot air ballooning
Hot air ballooning
Hot air ballooning is the activity of flying hot air balloons. Attractive aspects of ballooning include the exceptional quiet , the lack of a feeling of movement, and the bird's-eye view...
companies, tried unsuccessfully in 2003 and 2004 to get a variance
Variance (land use)
A variance is the process by which an applicant can request deviation from the set of rules a municipality applies to land use and land development, typically a zoning ordinance, building code or municipal code. The manner in which variances are employed can differ greatly depending on the...
for such a venture.
Open Space Institute
Open Space Institute is a conservation organization and think tank with an extensive mission statement. It seeks to preserve scenic, natural and historic landscapes for public enjoyment, conserve habitats while sustaining community character, and help protect the environment...
placed a bid on the land parcels comprising the Rosendale section on April 22, 2009, and agreed to pay all outstanding taxes before receiving full ownership on July 8, 2009, with the intention of adding it to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. Following an engineering survey, the bridge was closed to the public in June 2009 for repairs. Renovations are expected to begin in spring 2011, with a 12-month completion time.
Canopy Development, a green development
Green development
Green development is a land use planning concept that includes consideration of community-wide or regional environmental implications of development, as well as site-specific green building concepts...
company from Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
, owns a portion of the former rail bed in Rosendale. It has agreed to establish a right-of-way, rerouting the trail to allow public access. Another obstruction between Rosendale and Ulster is a private swimming pool, which will be bypassed. In the summer of 2009, a man was arrested several times for stalking and harassment along the Rosendale section of the trail. The Mohonk Preserve
Mohonk Preserve
The Mohonk Preserve is located in the Shawangunk Ridge, a section of the Appalachian Mountains, north of New York City in Ulster County, New York, USA. The Preserve is west of the Village of New Paltz...
and Open Space Conservancy were given a $20,000 state grant in March 2011 to maintain the portion of the trail by Kingston.
A regional business association has proposed a link between the trail, in Rosendale, and a series of regional rail trails. The proposal would create a 35 miles (56.3 km) network of rail trails across the towns of Marbletown
Marbletown, New York
Marbletown is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,854 at the 2000 census.The Town of Marbletown is near the center of Ulster County, southwest of the City of Kingston. US 209 and NY 213 pass through the town...
, Rochester
Rochester, Ulster County, New York
Rochester is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 7,018 at the 2000 census.The Town of Rochester is an interior town located near the center of Ulster County...
, and Wawarsing
Wawarsing, New York
Wawarsing is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 13,157 at the 2010 census. The name means "a place where the stream bends" in the Warwarsink language and refers to the geography of the land; particularly the joining of the Ver Nooy Kill and the Rondout Creek. The...
. Several involved towns have been working toward accomplishing such a connection.
Route
The trail begins at Denniston Road, in the southern part of the town of GardinerGardiner, New York
Gardiner is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 5,238 at the 2000 census.The Town of Gardiner is in the south-central part of the county.- History :...
. Movement farther south is impossible, because the corridor south of Denniston Road is fenced off by barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
. After roughly 1+1/2 mi, it crosses Sand Hill Road before approaching the hamlet of Gardiner
Gardiner (CDP), New York
Gardiner is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 856 at the 2000 census.The community is near the center of the Town of Gardiner on routes 44 and 55.-Geography:...
at the 2+1/2 mi mark. Once in the hamlet, the trail intersects U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 in New York
U.S. Route 44 in the state of New York is a major east–west thoroughfare in the Hudson Valley region of the state. Its entire length is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation, with the exception of the Mid-Hudson Bridge, which is maintained by the New York State Bridge...
(concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with State Route 55
New York State Route 55
New York State Route 55 is a state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale...
).
Located within the hamlet are a defunct, former dairy creamery
Creamery
In a dairy, the creamery is the location of cream processing. Cream is separated from whole milk; pasteurization is done to the skimmed milk and cream separately. Whole milk for sale has had some cream returned to the skimmed milk....
and the site of the former Gardiner railroad station. Built in 1881 and opened the following year, the creamery was one of the dairies that transported its products to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
by way of the Wallkill Valley Railroad. It was originally the property of the Borden
Gail Borden
Gail Borden, Jr. was a 19th century U.S. inventor, surveyor, and publisher, and was the inventor of condensed milk in 1853.- Early years :...
family, but closed in the 1920s, and has since been renovated as an apartment complex. The former Gardiner railroad station ceased operations when the rail line closed. It became a sporting goods store by 1981, a video store by the early 1990s, and an antique store by 1995. The station burned down on October 10, 2002.
The trail crosses Phillies Bridge Road 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the hamlet, with an overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
carrying the trail over Forest Glen Road 3/4 mi farther. The road overlies the Catskill Aqueduct
Catskill Aqueduct
The Catskill Aqueduct, part of the New York City water supply system, brings water from the Catskill Mountains to Yonkers where it connects to other parts of the system.-History:Construction commenced in 1907...
and Delaware Aqueduct
Delaware Aqueduct
The Delaware Aqueduct is the newest of the New York City aqueducts. It takes water from the Rondout Reservoir through the Chelsea Pump Station, the West Branch Reservoir, and the Kensico Reservoir, ending at the Hillview Reservoir in Yonkers, New York....
. Originally supported by trestles and a stone foundation, the overpass was rebuilt in 1910 during the construction of the Catskill Aqueduct. The reconstruction removed the trestles and added a cement foundation. Though a local legend holds that the bridge was originally built in response to the death of a prominent woman at the Forest Glen railroad crossing, it is more likely that it was built to maintain the rail line at a consistent grade. A little over 1/10 mi from the bridge is the site of the former Forest Glen station. The trail crosses Bridge Creek Road and Old Ford Road about 1/4 mi from the Forest Glen bridge, respectively, before entering the town of New Paltz
New Paltz, New York
New Paltz is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 14,003 at the 2010 census. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county and is south of Kingston, New York. New Paltz contains a village also with the name New Paltz...
.
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
for the bridge was completed by late June 1870, and trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
work was done by July. Originally made of wood, the bridge was accidentally set on fire in 1880 by ashes or sparks from a passing train. This prompted the railroad to coat its rail ties
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
with tin while replacing its wooden bridges with ones made of stone. The bridge's original abutment
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
s were made of Shawangunk conglomerate
Shawangunk Formation
The Silurian Shawangunk Formation is a mapped bedrock unit in eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. It is named for the Shawangunk Ridge for which it is the dominant rock type. The division of the Shawangunk between the Tuscarora Formation and Clinton Group has not been conclusively...
. It was rebuilt in 1912, and crosses the Plattekill Creek at a height of 35 feet (10.7 m). The Shawangunk Ridge
Shawangunk Ridge
The Shawangunk Ridge , also known as the Shawangunk Mountains or The Gunks, is a ridge of bedrock in Ulster County, Sullivan County and Orange County in the state of New York, extending from the northernmost point of New Jersey to the Catskill Mountains.The ridgetop, which widens considerably at...
is visible from the bridge.
Plains Road is shortly after the bridge, and the trail continues for 3/10 mi before crossing Cedar Lane. It crosses Plains Road again after another 1+1/5 mi, reaching the Sojourner Truth park in the village of New Paltz
New Paltz (village), New York
New Paltz is a village in Ulster County in the U.S. state of New York. It is about north of New York City and south of Albany. The population was 6,818 at the 2010 census.The Village of New Paltz is located within the Town of New Paltz...
. The trail is connected to the park via a small footbridge constructed in 2010 by the Alexandria, Minnesota
Alexandria, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,820 people, however the most recent count suggests a population upwards of 10,000, which is displayed on Alexandria's city limits signs. The census lists 4,047 households, and 2,011 families residing in the city. The population density was 992.5 people per...
–based construction company Contech. It has a weight limit of 5 short tons (4.5 MT) and is able to withstand earthquakes
Earthquake engineering
Earthquake engineering is the scientific field concerned with protecting society, the natural and the man-made environment from earthquakes by limiting the seismic risk to socio-economically acceptable levels...
.
At the edge of the park, the trail crosses Water Street and enters the Water Street Market, a "restored area of boutiques, galleries, and cafés". It then crosses State Route 299
New York State Route 299
New York State Route 299 is a short but important state route entirely within Ulster County, New York, United States. Centered around its interchange with the New York State Thruway outside New Paltz, it provides access from that road to the popular recreational attractions of the Shawangunk...
and passes La Stazione
La Stazione
La stazione is a 1952 Italian film directed by Valerio Zurlini....
, the former railroad station. The refurbished depot had been originally built in 1870, rebuilt after a 1907 fire, and sold to private interests in 1959. The building was in a state of disrepair by the early 1980s, but renovated in 1988 and converted to an Italian restaurant in 1999. Over the next 1/2 mi, the trail passes North Front Street, Broadhead Avenue, and Mulberry Street. After another 1/2 mi the trail traverses Huguenot Street
Huguenot Street Historic District
The Huguenot Street Historic District is located near downtown New Paltz, New York, approximately north of New York City. The seven stone houses and several accompanying structures in the district were built in the early 18th century by Huguenot settlers fleeing discrimination and religious...
, a historic district containing colonial-era
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
stone houses. Some of the houses date to the late 1600s.
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
. The bridge was originally made of wood and completed by the middle of December 1870, but was rebuilt between 1880 and 1881, using iron, by Clark, Reeves & Co. It was rated by the superintendent of the Wallkill Valley Railroad to be safe for rail traffic as fast as 40 miles per hour (64.4 km/h). The bridge's decking and benches were put in place in 1993 by volunteers and members of the nearby Hutterite
Hutterite
Hutterites are a communal branch of Anabaptists who, like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the 16th century. Since the death of their founder Jakob Hutter in 1536, the beliefs of the Hutterites, especially living in a community of goods and absolute...
community in the hamlet of Rifton
Rifton, New York
Rifton is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 501 at the 2000 census.Rifton is near the west town line of the Town of Esopus on Route 213.-History:...
. The design of the bridge's railings was influenced by equestrians
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
to better accommodate horses. Immediately after the bridge is Springtown Road.
The trail continues west of the Wallkill River. Roughly 1+1/2 mi from the Springtown bridge, the trail crosses Cragswood Road. Another 3/10 mi farther, it reaches the New Paltz–Rosendale boundary line, continuing another 3 miles (4.8 km) on formerly private property to Mountain Road in the hamlet of Rosendale
Rosendale Village, New York
Rosendale Village is a hamlet and census-designated place within the town of Rosendale in Ulster County, New York, United States, with a population of roughly 1,500 people...
. The nearby Rosendale trestle was shut down for repairs in June 2010. When renovations are complete, the trail will continue an additional 8+1/2 mi over the Rondout Creek to Kingston, crossing Interstate 87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
and terminating by State Route 32
New York State Route 32
New York State Route 32 is a north–south state highway that extends for through the Hudson Valley and Capital District regions of the U.S. state of New York. It is a two-lane surface road for nearly its entire length, with few divided and no limited-access sections. From Harriman to Albany,...
. The extension passes through the town of Ulster
Ulster, New York
Ulster is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 12,544 at the 2000 census.The Town of Ulster is in the northeast part of the county. The town is directly north of the City of Kingston. Ulster borders the Catskill Park....
and includes four small bridges between Rosendale and Kingston.
Recreation
The road between the former railroad station and Water Street Market was the first site of a new town crosswalk system that opened on March 29, 2008. Under the new system, pedestrians can use flags placed in roadside containers to signal traffic. The trail connects with the Sojourner Truth park, which has had access to the Wallkill RiverWallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
for kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
and canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
since April 27, 2003. The Minnewaska Preserve
Minnewaska State Park Preserve
The Minnewaska State Park Preserve is a 21,106 acre preserve located on the Shawangunk Ridge in New York on US 44/NY 55, five miles east of New York State Route 299. The park is managed by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. It is primarily used for picnicking, hiking, mountain biking,...
and Mohonk Preserve
Mohonk Preserve
The Mohonk Preserve is located in the Shawangunk Ridge, a section of the Appalachian Mountains, north of New York City in Ulster County, New York, USA. The Preserve is west of the Village of New Paltz...
, featuring 60 miles (96.6 km) of combined walkways, can be reached through New Paltz. In the past, students at nearby SUNY New Paltz
State University of New York at New Paltz
The State University of New York at New Paltz, known as SUNY New Paltz for short, is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It was founded in 1828 as the School for teaching of classics. In 1885, the New Paltz Normal and Training School was established as a school to prepare teachers for the...
have used the trail for "legend[ary,] massive keg
Keg
A keg is a small barrel.Traditionally, a wooden keg is made by a cooper used to transport items such as nails, gunpowder., and a variety of liquids....
parties [and] ... opportunities to be romantic". As part of an August 2010 art exhibit depicting concealed weapons laws, the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art placed pieces of the exhibit throughout areas of New Paltz expected to have heavy pedestrian traffic, including the rail trail.
The trail connects to the Binnewater Historic District
Binnewater Historic District
The Binnewater Historic District is a national historic district located at Rosendale in Ulster County, New York. The district originally included nine contributing buildings built during the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
in Rosendale. The district was the location of several local quarries which opened throughout the region after the 1825 discovery of rocks capable of producing Rosendale cement
Rosendale cement
Rosendale cement refers to a type of natural cement produced in and around Rosendale, New York from argilaceous limestone. The fast-setting Rosendale natural cement mortars proved to be more efficient than the traditional mortars based on lime and sand...
in the nearby hamlet of High Falls
High Falls, New York
High Falls is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 627 at the 2000 census.High Falls is located in Marbletown, near the town boundary with Rosendale.-Geography:...
. At its peak, the district was producing 4,000,000 barrels a year and employed 5,000 people.
Though the Binnewater rail station was once part of the historic district, it was located too close to Binnewater Road and was hit repeatedly by trucks until it fell apart in May 1989. The station was subsequently demolished by the county highway department. Another historic district, the Snyder Estate
Snyder Estate Natural Cement Historic District
The Snyder Estate Natural Cement Historic District is located in the Town of Rosendale, New York, United States. It is a tract roughly bounded by Rondout Creek, Binnewater and Cottekill roads and Sawdust Avenue...
, runs along the Rosendale section. The Snyder Estate is a former mining site once used by all four major regional cement producers. The Rosendale trestle has been the site of numerous picnics, barbecues, and at least one wedding. One person has tried bungee jumping off the bridge without a restraining cord.
Several shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
outcrop
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
s are visible along the trail, with views of the Shawangunk Ridge
Shawangunk Ridge
The Shawangunk Ridge , also known as the Shawangunk Mountains or The Gunks, is a ridge of bedrock in Ulster County, Sullivan County and Orange County in the state of New York, extending from the northernmost point of New Jersey to the Catskill Mountains.The ridgetop, which widens considerably at...
to the west; the skytop tower of the Mohonk Mountain House
Mohonk Mountain House
The Mohonk Mountain House also known as Lake Mohonk Mountain House, is a historic American resort hotel located on the Shawangunk Ridge in Ulster County, New York. Its prominent location in the town of New Paltz is just beyond the southern border of the Catskill Mountains on the western side of the...
is visible on one of the cliffs. Parking for the trail is provided at a municipal lot on Farmers Turnpike in Gardiner. In New Paltz, there are parking lots at the Sojourner Truth park, off Springtown Road, at the Huguenot Historical Society, and at a Board of Cooperative Educational Services
Board of Cooperative Educational Services
In 1948, the New York State Legislature created the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services to provide school districts with a program of shared educational services.-History:...
(BOCES) conference center. The trail runs parallel to state routes 208
New York State Route 208
New York State Route 208 is a state highway located in southern New York in the United States. The southern terminus is at an intersection with NY 17M in the Orange County village of Monroe...
and 32; there are two park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
s on Route 32, a 63-spot lot in New Paltz, and a 58-spot lot in Rosendale. There are two bicycle shops along the trail in both Gardiner and New Paltz.
Flora and fauna
Flora along the northern end of the trail includes SumacSumac
Sumac is any one of approximately 250 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related genera, in the family Anacardiaceae. Sumacs grow in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, especially in Africa and North America....
(Rhus) and Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 180 species of honeysuckle, 100 of which occur in China; Europe, India and North America have only about 20 native species each...
(Lonicera) shrubs, American Elm
American Elm
Ulmus americana, generally known as the American Elm or, less commonly, as the White Elm or Water Elm, is a species native to eastern North America, occurring from Nova Scotia west to Alberta and Montana, and south to Florida and central Texas. The American elm is an extremely hardy tree that can...
(Ulmus americana), Bigtooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata) and Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides). As the trail approaches Gardiner to the south, there are occurrences of Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...
(Acer saccharum), American Beech
American Beech
Fagus grandifolia, also known as American Beech or North american beech, is a species of beech native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario in southeastern Canada, west to Wisconsin and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida in the United States. Trees in the...
(Fagus grandifolia), Tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and Black Birch (Betula lenta). Other trees common on the trail include Red Maple
Red Maple
Acer rubrum , is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern North America. It ranges from the Lake of the Woods on the border between Ontario and Minnesota, east to Newfoundland, south to near Miami, Florida, and southwest to east Texas...
(Acer rubrum), Shagbark Hickory
Shagbark Hickory
Carya ovata, the Shagbark Hickory, is a common hickory in the eastern United States and southeast Canada. It is a large deciduous tree, growing up to 27 m tall, and will live up to 200 years. Mature Shagbarks are easy to recognize because, as their name implies, they have shaggy bark...
(Carya ovata), Northern Pin Oak
Northern Pin Oak
Quercus ellipsoidalis, the Northern Pin Oak or Hill's Oak, is an oak in the red oak section Quercus sect. Lobatae. It is mainly native to the northern midwest United States, and also in the southeast and southwest of Ontario, Canada. It occurs on dry, sandy, usually acidic soils. Although the name...
(Quercus ellipsoidalis), Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), White Ash
White Ash
For another species referred to as white ash, see Eucalyptus fraxinoides.Fraxinus americana is a species of Fraxinus native to eastern North America found in mesophytic hardwood forests from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, south to northern Florida, and southwest to eastern...
(Fraxinus americana) and Eastern White Pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
(Pinus strobus).
Many animals pass through the trail unobserved, leaving behind tracks
Animal tracks
Animal tracks are the imprints left behind in soil, snow, mud, or other ground surfaces that an animal walk across. Animal tracks are used by hunters in tracking their prey and by naturalists to identify animals living in a given area....
. This includes bears, deer, coyotes, dogs, bobcats, cats, skunks and rabbits. Several bird species overwinter in the region and can be observed from the trail, such as the Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove
The Mourning Dove is a member of the dove family . The bird is also called the Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds...
(Zenaida macroura), Blue Jay
Blue Jay
The Blue Jay is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States and southern Canada, although western populations may be migratory. It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in...
(Cyanocitta cristata), Bluebird
Bluebird
The bluebirds are a group of medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the genus Sialia of the thrush family . Bluebirds are one of the few thrush genera in the Americas. They have blue, or blue and red, plumage...
(Sialia), Cardinal
Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal or Redbird or Common Cardinal is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis. It can be found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico...
(Cardinalis cardinalis), Starling
European Starling
The Common Starling , also known as the European Starling or just Starling, is a passerine bird in the family Sturnidae.This species of starling is native to most of temperate Europe and western Asia...
(Sturnus vulgaris), Downy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
The Downy Woodpecker is a species of woodpecker, the smallest in North America.- Description :Adult Downy Woodpeckers are mainly black on the upperparts and wings, with a white back, throat and belly and white spotting on the wings. There is a white bar above the eye and one below. They have a...
(Picoides pubescens), American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
The American Goldfinch , also known as the Eastern Goldfinch and Wild Canary, is a small North American bird in the finch family...
(Spinus tristis), Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor, is a small songbird from North America, a species in the tit and chickadee family . The Black-crested Titmouse, found from central and southern Texas southwards, was included as a subspecies but is now considered a separate species B...
(Baeolophus bicolor), Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
The Black-capped Chickadee is a small, North American songbird, a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is the state bird of both Maine and Massachusetts in the United States, and the provincial bird of New Brunswick in Canada...
(Poecile atricapillus), Sparrow
Passer
Passer is a genus of Old World sparrows. These sparrows are plump little brown or greyish birds often with black, yellow or white markings. Typically 10–20 cm long, they have short tails and stubby conical beaks...
(Passer) and Purple Finch
Purple Finch
The Purple Finch, Carpodacus purpureus, is a bird in the finch family Fringillidae.-Taxonomy:The Purple Finch is one of 24 birds in the genus Carpodacus and is included in the finch...
(Carpodacus purpureus).
See also
- Walden–Wallkill Rail Trail – the southern continuation of the former rail corridor
External links
- Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Association - Founded and maintains the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail
- Route of the trail