National Geographic believes a trail in the Hudson Valley is "epic."

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Last week National Geographic published an article that called the Empire State Rail Trail "epic" and the "Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks.”

In December 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the completion of the 750-mile Empire State Trail. The Empire State Trail, the nation's longest multi-use state trail, fully opened on New Year's Eve 2020.

"There's no trail like it in the nation - 750 miles of multi-use trail literally from Manhattan to the Canadian Border, from Buffalo to Albany," Cuomo said.

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The trail spans 750-miles total, 75 percent of which are off-road trails ideal for cyclists, hikers, runners, cross-country skiers and snow-shoers. The new recreational trail, which runs from New York City through the Hudson and Champlain Valleys to Canada, and from Albany to Buffalo along the Erie Canal, will provide a safe and scenic pathway for New Yorkers and tourists to experience New York State's varied landscapes, officials say.

The "Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks" is found on the trail near Keeseville. While on the trail in Keeseville National Geographic recommends stoping at Ausable Chasm, which is called the “Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks," to swim, hike, and paddle through a two-mile gorge that formed during the last Ice Age.

Recently completed projects in the Hudson Valley that finalize the trail include:

  • Albany-Hudson Electric Trail: The Hudson River Valley Greenway constructed 36 miles of off-road and on road trails from the city of Rensselaer to the City of Hudson in Rensselaer and Columbia counties. The $45 million trail follows the historic route of an electric trolley which operated from 1900 to 1929. The corridor is owned by National Grid, which authorized New York State to build a trail on the route.
  • Maybrook Trailway: Metro-North Railroad constructed a new 23-mile rail-trail on its inactive "Beacon Line" corridor from Hopewell Junction in Dutchess County to Brewster in Putnam County passing through the towns of Pawling, Southeast, Paterson, Beekman and East Fishkill. Along the route, the trail winds through rural landscapes and wooded areas featuring seasonal waterfalls and crosses the Appalachian Trail. The $42 million Beacon Line was the first all-rail freight connection across the Hudson River north of New York City. It originally opened as a rail line in 1892 and served as a vital transportation link between New York and southern New England, carrying trains between Derby Junction and Maybrook, via the bridge over the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie that is now the Walkway Over the Hudson.
  • Hudson River Brickyard Trail: The City of Kingston constructed a new 1.5-mile Empire State Trail section along the Hudson River shoreline. The $1.4 million project was built with City of Kingston and Town of Ulster funds matched by state grants from the Department of State and Hudson River Valley Greenway.
  • Battery Park City Gateway: The $450,000 gateway marks the southern terminus of the trail in Lower Manhattan.

The Empire State Trail was created so New Yorkers and tourists can experience the natural beauty and history of New York, according to Cuomo's Office. It's expected to draw 8.6 million residents and tourists annually.

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