Ulster County Trails Advisory Committee

10/02/2026

The Lake Awosting carriage road at Minnewaska State Park is now reopened! On Friday Sept 25th, County Trails Advisory Committee chair Kevin Smith and his wife Kali Rosenblum joined Open Space Institute, NYS Office of Parks and the Palisade Interstate Park Commission, to celebrate the reopening of the fully-restored Lake Awosting Carriage Road at Minnewaska State Park Preserve.

Restoration of the 2.6 miles of trail around the lake took 17 months and cost $1.3 million in public and private funding. The work included 8,500 linear feet of ditching, installation of 50 culverts, construction of 6,000 square feet of retaining walls, and installation, grading and compaction of more than 15,000 tons of road materials.

With its white cliffs, ridgetop "sky" lakes and network of historic carriage roads leading to scenic vistas, Minnewaska State Park Preserve is a crown jewel of the State Parks system. Hats off to ALL of the partners for restoring this trail for the next generations of walkers, hikers, runners, bicyclists, cross-country skiers and equestrians!

09/24/2026

At the September meeting of the Ulster County Legislature, Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) gave a ‘Privilege of the Floor’ presentation highlighting major findings from PTNY's Empire State Trail Economic Impacts study, including specific breakout numbers for Ulster County. A recording of the presentation can be viewed below (starts at 15:50, ends at 24:55).

09/20/2026

Scenes from the Cycle the Hudson Valley press event at Ulster County Community College on August 5th, announcing the results of PTNY's report on the Economic Impact of the Empire State Trail.
Check out the entire report, as well as the county-specific profiles, at:
https://www.ptny.org/reports/the-economic-impact-of-the-empire-state-trail/

09/20/2026

The Empire State Trail brings $74 million in total economic benefits to Ulster County each year, according to a major study released by the nonprofit Parks & Trails New York (PTNY). That was the news at a press event held at Ulster Community College on August 5th, organized by PTNY.
The occasion was PTNY's Cycle the Hudson Valley, a multi-day bicycle tour from the Capital District to NYC on the Empire State Trail. Some 175 cyclists from 26 states did the tour this year, spending 2 days in Ulster County, camping at the Community College.
PTNY's report on the benefits of NY's 750-mile Empire State Trail is the most comprehensive study of a trail’s economic impact yet conducted in the United States. According to the report, the trail attracts some 9.75 million visits per year, generating $1.87 billion in economic output statewide.
Watch the Freeman's interview with PTNY's Executive Director, Paul Steely White:

Paul Steely White, executive director of Parks and Trails New York ...

06/16/2026

Ulster County is undertaking its first Sustainable Tourism Strategic Plan, and your input is requested!
Turns out, Ulster County's rail-trails and community trails are an important -- and sustainable -- tourism draw, receiving some 1.5 million visits per year.
Your thoughts & experience can help us learn what's going well, and what we can do better!
Please take the time to complete this online survey by June 30:

Help Shape the Future of Tourism in Ulster County Ulster County is inviting Ulster County residents, business owners, community groups, and visitors to complete a short survey to help shape the County’s first Sustainable Tourism Strategic Plan. Led by Ulster County

06/16/2026

"The Economic Impact of Empire State Trail," a study released in June 2026 by Parks and Trails New York (PTNY), may be the most comprehensive study of trail benefits ever done in the U.S..
The full report is online, but this hour-long webinar is a great overview of the study's findings and methodology.
About 33 miles of the 750-mile Empire State Trail are in Ulster County.

This webinar from Parks & Trails New York unveils key findings from...

06/12/2026

Our region's rail-trails are featured in the May 2026 Hudson Valley Magazine. Many Ulster County trails are included, although their pre-construction photo of the Kingston O&W Connector Trail is now humorously out-of-date!

Take a break to unwind during a scenic trek along the rail trails that wind their way along glistening lakes and over lush, local hillsides.

06/11/2026

A new study by PTNY estimates that the 750-mile Empire State Trail (EST) system gets some 9.75 million visits a year, generating some $1.87 billion in annual economic output, and supporting nearly 10,000 jobs at businesses that rely on the trail for revenue. Ulster County hosts about 33 miles of the EST. Check out the full report here:

Explore the economic impact of the Empire State Trail, a 750-mile network enhancing public health and local economies.

06/07/2026

Strong storms on Saturday June 6 resulted in tree damage along our trails! Field checks and clearing are underway as of June 7.

06/06/2026

Ulster County's Nature Bus is up and running, connecting hubs in Kingston, New Paltz and Ellenville to selected parks and preserves. Two routes, the River Route and Ridge Route, run on alternating weekends.

Ulster County is excited to announce the return of its trailblazing initiative — the Nature Bus — kicking off during Earth Week on Saturday, April 26, and running every Saturday through the end of September. Spearheaded by County Executive Jen Metzger in partnership with Ulster County Area Trans...