Rondout Valley: A Brilliant Patchwork

by Anne Pyburn and photographs by David Cunningham, October 28, 2011

Driving west over the Shawangunk Ridge on Route 44/55, the rock formations and forestscapes open up and fall away and you can suddenly see for miles over rolling acres speckled with civilization, straight on to the majestic Catskills standing guard to the north. You’re looking at the Rondout Valley—come take a closer look.



High Tale-in It
That the Rondout Valley’s fertile farmlands, mountain backdrops, and historical wealth remain largely unspoiled is no accident. The courage and savvy of the early farming families led to an inheritance of open spaces that current residents know they can’t take for granted; working together with the Open Space Institute, they’ve made sure that their birthright of beauty will welcome their grandchildren and yours.

Some efforts, like the Three Farms Project, focus on preserving the lush growing land while making sure that farmers can survive while resisting development pressure. Others, like the acquisition of Sam’s Point and the addition of the Frederick W. I. Lundy estate to the Sundown Wild Forest, preserve natural ecosystems and open up stunning natural playgrounds.

Throughout most of the nineteenth century, the Delaware & Hudson Canal shaped local lives, carrying coal from Pennsylvania up to the mouth of the Rondout Creek at the Hudson River. The Five Locks Walk, maintained by the D&H Canal Society in High Falls and open to visitors year round, is a wonderful place to get a feel for the days when bucolic Accord was bustling Port Jackson and captains of industry depended on Rondout Valley canawlers to make it all work. Local history buffs are tireless, preserving a one-room schoolhouse here and a historic train depot there. Come see. Bring your camera. You’ll be glad you did.