The network of carriage roads that lace Minnewaska State Park Preserve were built in the late 1800s for scenic rides in horse-drawn sleighs and carriages. They’re wide, flat, and designed to offer plenty of panoramic vistas. In other words, they’re ideal for some 21st-century hiking or biking. Beginning in 2014, the Open Space Institute and New York State Parks teamed up to begin restoration work, reversing the damage and degradation caused by time and use over more than 100 years. To date, 12 of Minnewaska’s carriage roads have been restored and reopened; the latest completed: the historic High Point Carriage Road.
This isn’t just any carriage road, but a major connector in the patchwork of local parks and preserves. The restoration of the 2.8-mile High Point Carriage Road re-establishes recreational access to an interior part of Minnewaska State Park Preserve for the first time in decades. Visitors are now be able to travel between the Lake Minnewaska and Sam’s Point visitor centers without leaving Minnewaska. Local contractor Mombaccus Excavating started work on High Point at the beginning of March 2022.
Precautions were taken to not disrupt the fragile ecosystem of the Shawangunk Ridge during the work. “We had to have all the trees we wanted out cut down by the end of March [2022],” says Peter Karis, OSI’s Vice President of parks and stewardship. “There are two species of endangered bats living in Minnewaska that roost in the trees from April 1 to October 31.”
In a series of improvements that totalled $1.2 million, OSI smoothed out the rocky and uneven surface of the carriage road, added four new bridges, improved the flow of stormwater, and widened the path to accompany plenty of visitors. Another change included a 1,200 foot reroute around a very steep section of the trail. “Originally, it was just a straight line that dropped down,” says Karis. “Whereas with the reroute, you get a curved slope with a view of the Catskills.”
The crushed stone carriage roads are accessible for all ages, ability levels, and activities, including walking, hiking, running, biking, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding. The road also will provide emergency routes into the park for first responders, as well as a fire break in the event of a wildfire.
A lot has happened at Minnewaska in the past decade. The park has acquired an additional 12,000 acres, more than doubling its size. In 2020, a new visitor center debuted to the public. And since 2014, OSI has invested more than $4 million on Minnewaska's carriage roads, restoring 15 miles of trails.
The restoration of trails not only offers park visitors an increased variety of routes and new scenic vistas, but it also helps to diffuse traffic more evenly throughout the park and reduce damage to the ecosystem. "Carriage roads are instrumental in the protection of the sensitive resources under our stewardship, providing sustainable routes for visitors to explore the spectacular landscape," says Minnewaska State Park Preserve Manager Eric Humphrey. "We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful partnership with OSI which allows us to offer world class facilities and recreational opportunities to our visitors.”
Three additional sections of Minnewaska’ carriage roads are still in need of restoration for the project to be complete. But in the meantime, as OSI pursues funding and partnerships to finish the project, the High Point Carriage Road is now open to visitors. So get out and visit a new part of the park.
