On the southern end of Minnewaska State Park Preserve lies a land of sheer cliffs, hardwood forests and cascading waterfalls. This incomparable place is home to rare and endangered plants and animals, including the broom crowberry and the Carolina cransbill.
Land for all life
In 1997, after a 20-year tug-of-war with developers, OSI protected Sam’s Point Preserve. In 2006, we announced the transfer of the 4,600-acre tract to the State of New York as an addition to Minnewaska State Park Preserve,
In addition to protecting public recreational access, our acquisition of Sam’s Point also protected some of Earth’s rarest ecosystems, the dwarf pine barrens, and the popular Ice Caves.
Our work continues
In 2009, we acquired 35 acres of undeveloped mountainous land on the eastern side of the Shawangunk Ridge, protecting the headwaters of the famous Verkeederkill Stream.
Our next Sam’s Point addition to Minnewaska was the scenic, 615-acre “South Escarpment” property that we acquired in 2016. The property is visible throughout much of the Hudson River Valley and enhances trail access to Sam’s Point via the eastern slope of the Shawangunk Ridge.
The area is excellent for hiking, biking, horseback riding, rock-climbing, boating, scuba-diving and cross-country skiing—with viewpoints that provide 360-degree views of the Catskills, the Taconics and the Hudson Highlands.
Our work continues at Minnewaska’s Sam’s Point today, as we carry on our 40-year effort to protect this incomparable landscape for recreation and habitat.