Hyde Park is discovering the many benefits of a trail system and is taking steps to keep more residents on foot.
According to the town recreation department, the Hyde Park trail is a growing, 10-mile system of trails and walkways linking town parks, nature preserves and national park sites with local neighborhoods and the town’s central business corridor. It is also designated part of the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail; historic portions of trail are undergoing restoration and trail expansion is expected through pending development.
“We have a lot of developments coming up and want to make sure the trails are adequate,” said Davis. One such project, St. Andrews at Historic Hyde Park, incorporates plans for a trail system within the mixed business and residential development.
At a town workshop on May 9, Davis announced that the Hyde Park Trails Committee has received a $47,000 grant from New York State to analyze and plan for future growth of the trail system. The Hyde Park Trails Committee Roosevelt is a partnership of the Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, Town of Hyde Park, Scenic Hudson Land Trust, Winnakee Land Trust, Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development, Dutchess County Health Department, National Park Service Rivers & Trails Program, and local businesses and residents.
Karl Beard, trail committee member and the New York Projects Director of the Rivers, Trails and Conversation Assistance Program (RTCA) of the National Park Service, gave a brief history of the town trail system. Beard recalled when talks of Hyde Park trails began almost 20 years ago. “Trails don’t happen overnight,” said Beard, who noted that the town’s largest trail section was established in 1991 between the F.D. Roosevelt estate and Vanderbilt mansion.
Beard explained the several organizations, including The Hyde Park Trail Committee and RTCA, partnered with the county health department to promote trails as community health amenities. Their WalkAbout program promotes year-round activity and encourages participants to walk at least five of the eight Hyde Park Trails.
Trail locations include the Bard Rock Trail and Vanderbilt Loop at Vanderbilt Historic Site; Pinewoods Nature Trail Loop at Pinewoods Park; Winnakee Nature Preserve Trail; Roosevelt Woods Trail and Roosevelt Farm Lane Trail at the F.D.R. Historic Site; the Val-Kill Loop Trail and Top Cottage Trail; and Hackett Hill Park trails. The Walkabout has increased in popularity among residents and visitors, especially with an incentive to obtain a sew-on patch after participants complete at least five local hikes.
Walkabout brochures are available at the Hyde Park Recreation Department office, Wallace Visitor Center at the FDR Home and Library, Vanderbilt Mansion Visitor Center and The River Connection Outdoor Outfitters on West Market Street in Hyde Park.
The historic Roosevelt Farm Lane trail leads visitors though forest plantations that President Roosevelt planted and maintained, and is currently closed for restoration. The trail is approximately 1.6 miles in distance and links the FDR National historic site on State Route 9 with the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic site (Val-Kill) located on State Route 9G. According to Beard, trails originally linked parks to parks, then parks to neighborhoods; current trends are to link neighborhood trails to business districts to reduce driving and increase foot traffic. “Trails are a wonderful economy of land,” as well as a great alternative transportation, said Beard.
Kathleen Davis, the town’s recreation director, introduced landscape architects John Imbiano and Chad Brown from I.Q. Landscape Architecture, who are analyzing current trails and will make recommendations to expand the town’s trail system.
Brown explained that the trail network currently incorporates many north to south connections, and the committee is hoping to expand east and westbound trails. Two public scoping sessions are scheduled, said Brown, on June 30 and July 20 at 7 p.m., to gather feedback from residents regarding the trail system. “This is very important to us … we need to know what residents want,” said Davis.
Supervisor Pompey Delafield (D) commented that many town residents appreciate the significance of public trails. “There’s a group that understands the value of trails to Hyde Park,” he said, adding that trails “have become a very, very valuable part of our parks system.”
For more information on the trail system, contact Davis at 229-8086 ext. 5.