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Released April 16, 2007
Fran Martino 518-329-3993
Wander the Harlem Valley Rail Trail at Taconic State Park
Copake Falls, New York – April 16, 2007 – The paved Harlem Valley
Rail Trail passes through scenic farmland, woodlands, and rolling pastures, and
offers those with limited physical ability an opportunity to enjoy the splendor
of spring. Park educator, Fran Martino, will lead the group on Monday, April
30th from 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. to discover tree buds, early flowers, birds,
and other signs of spring along the Rail Trail.
“
This outing is for nature enthusiasts who may walk a bit slower than others,
or depend on a wheelchair or mobility scooter to get around,” remarked
Ms. Martino. The trail is a joint effort between the Harlem Valley Rail Trail
Association (HVRTA) and the New York State Offices of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation, the New York State Department of Transportation, Dutchess County,
the towns of North East and Amenia, and the village of Millerton.
Federal highway funds have paid for more than half of the rail bed acquisition
and trail construction. Currently, there are 15 miles of trail paved and open
to the public. Another eight miles of abandoned rail bed is nearing construction,
and portions of another 23 miles are being acquired from willing sellers in Columbia
County, “Rail trail encounters may include a look at a red fox taking the
easy
route, or a flyover by a hawk heading for the meadow,” commented Ms. Martino. “The
views include the scenic mountains of the Taconic Range looming over working
dairy farms on the Harlem Valley floor.”
To register for the outing, participants should call the
park office at 518-329-3993
within 48 hours of the event date.
Taconic State Park is open year-round and offers more than 6,000 acres of land
for outdoor recreation along an 11-mile border that separates New York from Massachusetts
and Connecticut. Environmental education programs are held during most weekends;
for a complete schedule, visit the website www.nysparks.com,
or call the park
office at 518-329-3993.
Taconic State Park is one of twelve parks and six historic sites administered
by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP),
Taconic Region. To learn more about Taconic State Park, or other New York State
Parks, visit the website at www.nysparks.com. |
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