A Brief History of the

Hudson Valley Rail Trail ~ New York 
By Claire R. Costantino and Joe Bigelow

 

Lying quietly to the west of the mighty Hudson River in the Mid-Hudson Valley is a quiet jewel stretching lazily from the hamlet of Highland westward toward New Paltz. The sun sparkles off the nearby creeks and ponds, the forest climbs the surrounding Illinois Mountain, and the pleasures of enjoying the tranquil beauty and splendor of the countryside on a broad

and level pathway awaits you.

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This pleasant family-friendly boulevard thru nature is better known as the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, created, supported, and maintained by the forward-thinking people of the Town of Lloyd in Ulster County. The trail stretches 7.5 miles, from its connection to the Walkway Over the Hudson in Highland and meanders up and through the hamlet of Highland then heading west joining up with Route 299 and the connections of the Empire State Trail.

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Ray Costantino, a member of the Highland Rotary Club and Community Service Project Chairman, brought the idea of converting the abandoned rail bed into a rail trail to the membership of the Highland Rotary Club. Two other Highland Rotary Club Members, Everton Henriques, and John Canino embraced the idea and lent their support to the project and the creation of the Hudson Valley Rail Trail Association, which was named by the Town of Lloyd Town Board to serve as managers of the newly created Hudson Valley Rail Trail.

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The Hudson Valley Rail Trail is a very easy family-friendly walk. With the opening of Walkway Over the Hudson in October 2009, the Hudson Valley Rail Trail connects to the Empire State Trail creating a network of miles of trail.