Open Space Institute and Orange County Seek to Expand Rail Trail

Proposed 9.8-mile trail would span from the Town of Chester to Salisbury Mills and advance Highlands West Plan

Goshen, N.Y. (May 17, 2021)– The Open Space Institute (OSI) today announced a partnership with Orange County to build a new 9.8-mile trail that will span from Camp La Guardia in the Town of Chester to the Moodna trestle in Salisbury Mills. This multi-use recreation trail will expand connections from Schunnemunk State Park to Goosepond Mountain State Park, and the Salisbury Mills Cornwall Trail Station and the Village of Washingtonville and would be utilized by commuters, cyclists, and pedestrians.

The project marks the first significant success outlined in OSI’s Highlands West Connectivity Plan, which was announced in February 2021 in partnership with the Orange County Land Trust and The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Chief among the goals of the plan is connecting 93,000 acres of protected land and six state parks in eastern Orange County. This new 9.8-mile trail would achieve roughly 30 percent of the Plan’s connectivity goal of creating and rerouting 30 miles of trails in the region.

Construction on the Schunnemunk Rail Trail, subject to County approval and necessary environmental reviews, could begin in late 2022 or early 2023.

“Orange County is proving, once again, to be a great partner in building trail connections for its residents and tourists,” OSI president and CEO Kim Elliman said. “We are proud to work with County Executive Neuhaus and grateful for the county’s support on this transformative project that is a key component of our Highlands West Connectivity Plan. Securing the Schunnemunk Rail Trail is a momentous first step as we set out to link 93,000 acres of protected land within Orange County.”

“The Schunnemunk Rail Trail will provide residents with another venue to utilize for exercise and it will also facilitate bicycle and pedestrian connections for commuters,” Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus said. “This project will improve public transportation and will showcase another beautiful portion of our County. It is an impressive expansion of the County’s rail trail network and will facilitate the conservation of significant open space.”

Neuhaus applauded the efforts of the Open Space Institute which secured a formal agreement to purchase the property earlier this year. OSI, Orange County Land Trust, and Neuhaus began discussions several months ago about the County’s potential role to help create the path once the sale is completed. The County Planning, Law, and Public Works Departments have been working with OSI through the process to develop potential grant sources, address potential legal issues, and plan for development. The Orange County Land Trust (OCLT) has provided support on the initiation and planning of the project.

“The Schunnemunk Rail Trail project will connect communities with the surrounding landscape and support the goals of local economic development and open space projection.” added Jim Dehner, OCLT’s Executive Director. “OCLT is happy to be part of the team working on this project with the County and OSI, and we thank County Executive Neuhaus and OSI for their leadership and foresight.”

The Schunnemunk Rail Trail is an abandoned portion of the former Erie Railroad Line which traverses through the Town of Cornwall, the Village of Washingtonville, the Town of Blooming Grove, ending at Camp LaGuardia near the Heritage Trail and running northeast to the Moodna Trestle in the Town of Cornwall.

The 112-acre property is currently owned by Erie Properties Corp. It has been secured with a Purchase and Sale Agreement by OSI, a regional land trust founded in 1974. There are five bridges along the line that cross the Moodna Creek and one that crosses State Route 94. This section of the Erie Railroad was identified as a priority project in the Town of Blooming Grove’s Community Preservation Plan and the Town of Blooming Grove’s Open Space Inventory, which was adopted by the Town Board in October of 2019.

“The Town Board supports the County’s efforts to expand the Rail Trail and I think that our community will greatly benefit from it,” said Town of Blooming Grove Supervisor Robert Jeroloman. “We thank OSI and the County for diligently working with us to make the Schunnemunk Rail Trail a possibility. The Trail will promote a healthier Orange County.”

Added Washingtonville Mayor Joseph Bucco: “This will be a great addition to the Village of Washingtonville. Our dream of walkability to help our downtown thrive will become a reality. We are thankful to Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus and his team along with the Open Space Institute for sharing in our vision.”