This project will convert an abandoned railroad spur from the New York State/New Jersey line to an existing bike/pedestrian trail along the Ramapo River as part of a larger trailway system.
The trail corridor is located in the western end of Rockland County at the base of the Ramapo Mountains. The trail will extend approximately two miles, beginning in the Village of Hillburn at the NY-NJ border, passing through the Village of Suffern and ending at Route 59 two miles north back in the Village of Hillburn.
The proposed trail will be ten-feet wide and have an asphalt surface with 2-foot shoulders on each side. It will be ADA accessible for wheelchair users and will accommodate bicycles, pedestrians, joggers, in-line skaters, nature study and hikers.
Key spots along the river would be cleared in order to improve accessibility to the river for anglers and canoeists and provide sitting areas for trail users to view attractive sections of the river, dams and historical sites.
The trail would provide access to the Villages of Suffern and Hillburn. In Suffern, trail users could patronize the various shops and restaurants in the village, which could help increase economic activity and create new trail-related businesses.
Improvement of the trail will open attractive vistas of the Ramapo River with its abundance of aquatic wildlife, birds and fauna. A treasured view that can be seen from various parts of the future trail's corridor is the Torne Valley, including the majestic Torne Mountain, which is surrounded by 1,500+ acres of rolling hills (the Ramapo Mountains) and is surrounded by Harriman State Park on three sides. The entire corridor runs along the Ramapo Mountains and many scenic areas exist along the way.
CURRENT PROJECT STATUS: Funding has been approved and received; however, negotiations with propery owners for trail easements are still in progress. Construction is expected to begin in the Fall of 2002.
Please do not use the corridor until it is under public ownership.
The Trail Website links with the Rockland County, NY, Environmental Resources Department.
Disclaimer: All project trails listed on TrailLink.com are in various phases of development and may not be open for public use. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy does not manage any trails listed on TrailLink.com. To learn more about the current status of trail development, please look in the "Related Links" section below to find contact information for the local organization or agency responsible for trail management.