Schunnemunk Meadow Trail - Historic Dream Comes to Fruition
- ejreporter
- Sep 14
- 6 min read
THE FIRST OFFICIAL HIKE UP TO THE TRESTLE AFTER THE OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE (OSI) HOLDS THE TRAIL'S OFFICIAL RIBBON-CUTTING (Photo credit: Edie Johnson).
Cornwall - As if by plan, a freight train chugged along the Trestle tracks just as we approached following the Meadow Trail's official green-ribbon cutting ceremony. The track is used as the Metro-North commuter line to Port Jervis en route to NYC and the Norfolk Southern freight trains.
Officials of each of the environmental groups that obtained the funding and created the Trail were thrilled that the opening was finally happening, many of them having spent half or more of their careers on Schunnemunk Trail project quests.
A future hiker scopes out the trail route options
In the modern history of the Lower Mid-Hudson Valley, few dreams have taken the hearts of area hikers and environmentalists more than the hope for a beautiful hilly trail through the Moodna Valley, and especially in the area of the Moodna Trestle. This Trestle (also called a Viaduct), is a railway bridge with tracks that trace back to early New York City and played a significant part in the early settlement of Cornwall, New Windsor, Salisbury Mills, Blooming Grove and Chester. The early Erie Line was the most significant trading mechanism for New York City, bringing milk,Cheese, potatoes and other fresh food to city dwellers, and coming back with packaged products, hardware and other goods for the country folks, sometimes also including livestock that provided wool for clothing, work horses and mules to till the fields, provide transportation and to generate future farm herds, some of which would provide meat for growing urban areas as well as the City.
Even before the pioneers settled the Mid-Hudson area, the Schunnemunk Trails were developed and used by the first settlers in the area, Lenni Lenape Indigenous Peoples.
More recently the Moodna Valley and Trestle became known far and wide when Actor George Cloony starred in the popular movie "Michael Clayton". Filmed beneath the shadow of the Trestle. Orange County's Film Industry has since taken off with film companies taking residency and including instruction at several locations.
As we climbed the hillside to the top we saw numerous Track Athletes jogging at a speedy clip along Otterkill Road, and later up the Meadow Trail. The crushed stone footing is ideal for Track enthusiasts.
Maps from the Open Space Institute
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE
On Wednesday, (September 10, 2025)—The Open Space Institute (OSI), the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) celebrated the opening of the new Schunnemunk Meadows Trail, a four-seasons trail in the Moodna Valley at Schunnemunk State Park in Orange County.
The project creates a four-season outdoor recreation experience in the western Hudson Highlands, building upon OSI’s history of safeguarding this iconic landscape for the benefit of people and wildlife. Over the last two decades, OSI has protected more than 3,300 acres to create Schunnemunk State Park—including the 220 acres of scenic wildflower meadows, which serve as the site of the Schunnemunk Meadows Trail.
The new 1.7-mile multi-use trail offers sweeping views of Schunnemunk Mountain and the historic Moodna Viaduct— the second-highest and longest steel railroad bridge east of the Mississippi River. The trail features wide, gently sloping crushed stone paths, making it a broadly accessible and welcoming outdoor destination for walkers, hikers, runners, cyclists, cross-country skiers, and people of all abilities to enjoy the scenic beauty of the western Hudson Highlands.
Photo Credit: Bill Amos, courtesy of the Open Space Institute. Image shows several of the Meadows Trail options
Designed and managed by OSI, the $1.9 million project included the construction of the new trail, which features seating areas and two access points for fishing; two enhanced and paved parking areas with electric vehicle chargers; new information kiosks; and a portable restroom. OSI also improved the site’s stormwater bioretention basins, which protect the trail against damage from extreme rain events, and planted additional trees and shrubs.
"At a park that OSI helped create, the Schunnemunk Meadows Trail is a new centerpiece for an underutilized area of the park that lets visitors choose their own adventure by enjoying the trail itself or using the path as a picturesque link into some of the park’s more rugged trails,” said Peter Karis, OSI’s Vice President for Parks and Stewardship. “This project is the newest step in OSI’s commitment to improving and expanding Schunnemunk State Park and is a true collaborative effort that exemplifies how public-private partnerships can enhance state parks for everyone.”
“The new Schunnemunk Meadows Trail is a beautiful location for hiking in the shadow of Schunnemunk Mountain,” said Joshua Laird, Executive Director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. “PIPC is grateful to OSI and its funding partners for their dedication to acquiring the land and now constructing a trail that is bound to be enjoyed by all who venture to it. Partnerships such as the one between OSI, PIPC, and New York State Parks are essential to advancing land protection and expanding open space connectivity in the Hudson Highlands and beyond.”
New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, “The Schunnemunk Meadows Trail is open and ready for the Hudson Valley’s beautiful fall season. This project is another example of Governor Hochul’s commitment to helping New Yorkers put down their digital devices and spend more time outdoors with family in our State Parks. We are grateful to our partners at OSI and to Lucy Rockefeller Waletzky and other generous supporters for making this trail a reality.”
The Schunnemunk Meadows Trail also features a new pedestrian bridge constructed in 2023 by cadets from the United States Military Academy at West Point in collaboration with OSI, OPRHP, and PIPC. The bridge project provided the cadets with hands-on design and construction experience as they pursued degrees in Civil Engineering and trained for their military careers, while at the same time enhancing state park infrastructure for public use and enjoyment. The bridge was funded in part thanks to a $15,000 grant from the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District and in-kind donations from conservation-minded supporters.
The Schunnemunk Meadows Trail project was funded through a combination of OSI-secured grants and private sources. Significant support for the project’s design and construction was provided thanks to the leadership of philanthropist Dr. Lucy Rockefeller Waletzky. OSI was also awarded a $500,000 grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and a $250,000 grant from the Hudson River Valley Greenway, both made possible with funding from the Environmental Protection Fund, to support the project. Additional support was provided by the Ralph E. Odgen Foundation and generous private donors.
Interconnectivity, A Key Goal
The Schunnemunk Meadows Trail was a top priority in OSI’s Highlands West Trail Connectivity Plan, which established a vision for an interconnected trail system spanning more than 93,000 acres and six state parks in eastern Orange County. The plan highlights a range of opportunities to permanently protect and enhance the landscape, including the creation of new park and trail areas that will help reduce crowding at current popular state parks, as well as improvements at existing parks to better welcome and direct visitors.
OSI’s completed upgrades at Schunnemunk Meadows support PIPC’s long-term plans for the area, and OSI intends to turn over management of the meadows area to PIPC in November 2025. OSI will continue to manage 1,160 acres of Schunnemunk State Park through 2028.
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Photos by Edie Johnson
Artist Dan Angeli of Cornwall is one of several artists recently capturing the new Trail site for its spectacular views and memorializing this important achievement. Perhaps a Fall and/or Christmas Schunnemunk Meadows Trail Art Contest will be in order.
This important trail is one of several Schunnemunk Trails' lengths that will soon link to the Orange County Schunnemunk Trail which is currently under construction and will connect the Meadows Trail Southward through Blooming Grove and Washingtonville to a new County Park at the former Camp LaGuardia site and the popular Heritage Trail going Westward. Blooming Grove and Washingtonville are developing some new venues developing that will provide interesting stops for Tourists and Hikers and tasty meals along the way, as well as several places that provide stunning views of the Schunnemunk Ridge. Officials in Blooming Grove had success several years ago obtaining the rights to the land of their portion of the Orange County after a decade of negotiations, and 2 years ago the Town became a member of the Hudson Highlands Preservation Group. This has the potential to bring in additional funding for the Town's environmental efforts. Meanwhile back on the Eastern run of the Trail, a new acquisition in Woodbury will ultimately allow connection to the iconic Allegheny Trail.
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