OSI, OPRHP, PIPC Begin Construction on New Meadows Trail at Schunnemunk State Park

Trail will increase public access to an OSI-protected and managed part of the park.

Orange County, NY (October 30, 2024)- The Open Space Institute (OSI), NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) today marked the start of construction of a new, 1.7-mile shared-use public trail in an OSI-protected and managed section of Schunnemunk State Park. The trail will enhance public access within the most popular part of the park and create an accessible, four-season outdoor recreation experience in the western Hudson Highlands to accommodate walkers, runners, hikers, anglers, bikers, cross-country skiers, and snowshoers.

The Schunnemunk Meadows Trail project builds upon OSI's longstanding commitment to protecting, expanding, and improving parks for public health and enjoyment. The trail will traverse spectacular wildflower meadows and hay fields running along the Moodna Creek, showcasing extraordinary views of the historic Moodna Viaduct. The $1.7 million project includes the creation of the shared-use trail loops, two fishing access points, and two improved trailheads.

Construction is set to begin by the end of October, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2025.

"We are thrilled to be building a new trail at Schunnemunk, a state park OSI has worked to create, expand, and improve for more than 20 years," said Peter Karis, OSI's vice president of parks and stewardship. "The creation of this gently sloping and widely accessible trail will help visitors experience more of what Schunnemunk has to offer, providing a new experience that complements and rivals the incredible views seen from the top of Schunnemunk Mountain."

State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, "The Schunnemunk Meadows trail will encourage more people to discover this hidden gem of a park in the Hudson Highlands. I am grateful to our partners at OSI, PIPC and the Hudson River Valley Greenway for their work to bring this scenic and accessible recreational trail closer to reality, and I look forward to visiting when the trail is complete."

Palisades Interstate Park Commission Executive Director Joshua Laird said, "As we mark the 20th anniversary of the Highlands Conservation Act, the development of the Meadows Trail project on land acquired with HCA funding will be a wonderful addition to Schunnemunk State Park. We wish to thank our partners at the Open Space Institute and New York State Parks for their ongoing support and long-term commitment to land conservation within the Hudson Highlands. We are also grateful for the hard work of engineering cadets from West Point who designed and built two beautiful trail bridges that are being incorporated into the project."

The Schunnemunk Meadows area was permanently protected by OSI in 2015, then acquired by OPRHP and transferred to PIPC in 2018 as an addition to Schunnemunk State Park, with an arrangement in place for OSI to manage the land through 2028. Over the past two decades, OSI has protected more than 3,300 acres to create and expand Schunnemunk State Park.

Creation of the Schunnemunk Meadows Trail was listed as a top priority in OSI's Highlands West Trail Connectivity Plan, which establishes a vision for an interconnected trail system spanning more than 93,000 acres of protected land and six state parks in eastern Orange County. The Schunnemunk Meadows Trail will support regional trail connectivity, including the in-development Schunnemunk Rail Trail, and further establish Schunnemunk State Park as a recreation destination that is easily accessible from the New York metropolitan area.

Over the past two years, OSI, OPRHP, and PIPC collaborated with cadets from the United States Military Academy at West Point to design and build two pedestrian bridges that will now be incorporated into the Schunnemunk Meadows Trail. These projects provide the cadets with hands-on design and construction experience as they pursue degrees in Civil Engineering and train for their military careers, while at the same time expanding hiking and recreational opportunities for the public. Construction of the first Schunnemunk Meadows bridge was supported by a $15,000 grant from the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District. Additional bridge projects have been completed at Harriman State Park and Fahnestock State Park.

The Schunnemunk Meadows Trail project was funded through OSI-secured grants and private funds. Major support for the project's design and construction was provided thanks to the leadership of Lucy R. Waletzky, M.D. OSI was awarded a $500,000 grant from OPRHP through Title 9 of the Environmental Protection Act of 1993. OSI also received a $250,000 grant from the Hudson River Valley Greenway and additional support from individual private donors.

About the Open Space Institute

The Open Space Institute is a national leader in land conservation and efforts to make parks and other protected land more welcoming for all. Since 1974, OSI has partnered in the protection of more than 2.5 million at-risk and environmentally sensitive acres in the eastern U.S. and Canada. OSI's land protection promotes clean air and water, improves access to recreation, provides wildlife habitat, strengthens communities, and combats climate change, while curbing its devastating effects.

About OPRHP

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in 2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Join us in celebrating our Centennial throughout 2024, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

About PIPC

Formed in 1900, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission is the nation's first bi-state entity established to protect and conserve natural lands. Today it manages 21 parks and 9 historic sites spanning over 125,000 acres in New York and Northern New Jersey. PIPC's early work helped inspire the emerging fields of environmental stewardship and education, pioneered the goal of exposing children to nature through its group campgrounds, and served as a model for the early growth of the national park system. The Commission's maple and oak leaf logo represents the official state trees of New York and New Jersey.

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