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Minnewaska State Park Preserve Historic Carriage Roads
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The Shawangunk Ridge in Ulster County, recognized by the Nature Conservancy as one of the “Last Great Places” on earth, combines breathtaking natural beauty found in its spectacular cliffs, alpine lakes, and biodiversity with thoughtful access to its best features. The network of carriage roads were created at enormous expense by the Smiley family, who first made the ridge accessible to the public more than a century ago when they created the Mohonk Lake Resort and the Minnewaska Mountain House. These rustic retreats epitomized the 19th century romantic notion of a return to nature. The carriage roads, built to the highest engineering standards of the day, were instantly successful, taking visitors to the best vistas in the region, and giving them immersion opportunities in rare ecological communities.
Today this network of carriage roads is owned and managed by three entities (private resort, private non-profit nature preserves, and state owned parklands), who are working together for the repair and preservation of this unique cultural and natural resource. While some of the 35 miles of carriage roads at Minnewaska receive dedicated funding and are maintained to the highest standards for heavy use, many of them are in a serious state of decline and face restrictions of access and eventual closure unless incremental improvements are completed.
While the structural integrity of the original roads is remarkable in most locations, the damage from floods, ice storms, and foot, horse, and bicycle traffic has led to the point where deferral is no longer an option, and reduced services are becoming more commonplace every year.
35 natural communities providing habitat to both rare and endangered species of plants and animals exist along the Shawangunk ridge. The carriage roads offer passive protection of sensitive areas by keeping people on the trails and out of the woods. They also offer means of invasive species containment through plantings of native species along edges of roads. Minnewaska has shown excellent progress in controlling invasive species. Proper restoration and maintenance of the carriage roads is the most important improvement that can be made to protect these natural communities against foot traffic and the spread of invasive species. Access to light trucks for fire control is vital to maintaining the health of these zones.
Restoration and maintenance of the Minnewaska's carriage roads is an important undertaking that will ensure the preservation of historic pieces of this country’s heritage for future generations. Minnewaska State Park Preserve offer visitors an opportunity to enjoy the peaceful and natural environment that still remains undisturbed to modern technology. The carriage roads offer guests easy access to the majestic scenery surrounding the lakes, steep ravines, and scenic lookouts. The intention of the carriage roads was and still is to be both aesthetically pleasing and functional, while providing a safe and comfortable journey to previously inaccessible and rugged terrain. The resulting network of carriage roads continues to provide people with the same participatory experience in nature envisioned by the Smiley brothers more than a century ago. Modern engineering principles and knowledge will be implemented during design and construction so that the existing carriageways maintain the look and feel of century old technology and construction practices but in reality are made of contemporary materials installed by with current machinery. Preservation and restoration of this historical system of carriage roads is much easier if the process begins before nature has erased all identifiable attributes.
Over 4 million dollars are needed for this project. Please help support the Palisades Parks Conservancy reach our goal of restoring the entire historic carriage road network at Minnewaska State Park Preserve for the enjoyment of future generations and protection of natural resources throughout the park preserve.
Support the Historic Carriage Roads
CONTACT:
Eric Humphrey, Minnewaska Park Manager
(845) 255-0752
Millbrook Carriage Road
Hamilton Carriage Road
Restoration and Maintenance Needed
Horses on Carriage Trail, 1931
Carriage Trail, 1928
Battlement Terrace Carriage Trail, 1931
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Since our founding over a century ago, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission has depended on donations as well as public funds for financial support to meet our mission to promote and expand the preservation of natural, historical and cultural resources. These donations enable us to conserve and protect open space and wildlife habitats, improve facilities and enhance programs and services for our visitors. Today, the need is greater than ever.
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