Wallkill Valley Land Trust and Open Space Conservatory acquired 11.5 miles (65 acres) of the former Wallkill Valley Railroad in Ulster County. This acquisition has almost doubled the length of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail which occupies the former railroad bed. The highlight of this purchase is the iconic 940-foot-long Rosendale Railroad Trestle, perched 150 feet over the Rondout Creek in Rosendale, originally constructed in 1895. The trestle, which is now closed to the public, is the most spectacular portions of the scenic rail trail.
This expansion now means that additional hamlets along the Wallkill River Valley will be connected to one another and trail users can take the scenic route to get to them as they pass by woodlands, open fields, and farmlands lands. Residents and tourist alike can bike, walk, run, bird watch, horseback ride and cross country ski while they discover a wide variety of birds, other wildlife and the panoramically beautiful views of the Shawangunk Ridge and the Wallkill River.
The project will involve repairing the 114 year old bridge's steel infrastructure, installing wooden decks and railings, and regrading and widening the rest of the newly acquired Rail Trail. Once completed, the new rail trail will allow upstate New Yorkers and the general public to view the Shawangunk Ridge, the Binnewater Lakes region with its historic cement mines, and the hamlet of Rosendale from a lofty perch -- 150 feet in the air.
This linear park will benefit Mid-Hudson Valley residents in many ways. It will fill in the most important "missing link" in one of the best networks of rail trails in the Hudson River Valley, and will encourage new economic development in the town of Rosendale.
In short, the restored Rosendale/ Ulster extension of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail will be a recreational and cultural resource that will provide users with an unparalleled recreational experience.
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.