New Trailheads, Parking At Fahnstock On Route 301

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — New parking and trail access at Fahnestock State Park and the Appalachian Trail in Putnam County will help mitigate dangerous weekend conditions on the narrow road that winds east-west through the park.

"These improvements will make it safer and easier for people to reach the western areas of Fahnestock by mitigating the current unsafe practice of visitors parking on the shoulder of busy State Route 301," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in an announcement Tuesday. "This is another example of how we are building back better after the pandemic, and it will help more people have more options to explore this wonderful park."

The $5 million project was supported by the not-for-profit Open Space Institute through a contribution from the Topfield Foundation supported by prominent Hudson Valley conservationist and philanthropist Anne Perkins Cabot.

"My grandfather, George Perkins, followed by his son, my father, loved the Hudson Valley. This love inspired them to protect the land and build partnerships that would forever expand the public's enjoyment of this region," Cabot said. "As the public's use and appreciation for the land has grown and evolved over the years, they would have loved that the project we celebrate today, created through a partnership between New York State Parks, the Open Space Institute, and the Topfield Foundation, will continue their vision of conservation, stewardship, and public access to a landscape our family has treasured for generations."

Two new trailheads and two parking lots are now open off State Route 301 west of Canopus Lake. The state trailhead includes a 25-car lot and the second new trailhead has a 15-car parking lot off Route 301 for the nearby Appalachian Trail.

State parks officials have also added Fahnestock State Park gateway signage at US Route 9 and the Taconic State Parkway.

During the last decade, more than 3 million people have visited Fahnestock State Park, which is spread across more than 14,000 acres in Putnam and Dutchess counties. Annual visitation at the park is up more than 38 percent during this period.

Fahnestock State Park has more than 62 miles of hiking trails, as well as 10 miles of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches about 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine.

"OSI's construction of the Big Woods Drive and internal trailhead is helping visitors fully enjoy this scenic landscape by creating new interior access to the Fahnestock land that OSI has protected over the past decades and turning Route 301 into a true park drive," OSI President and CEO Kim Elliman said. "Thanks to the generosity of Anne Cabot, this project will improve visitor safety, navigation, and access to the park and is helping people of all abilities love and appreciate this unparalleled landscape."

The Perkins-Cabot family has lived in the area for decades and in 1991, transferred more than 1,700 acres to OSI that eventually became part of Fahnestock State Park. Cabot is a founding family member of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission and is also a board member of the Palisades Parks Conservancy.

"As members of the community, each member of the board of directors is keenly aware of the important concerns these improvements will remedy. Number one is safety. Parking improvements will allow hikers and other trail users a safer experience while also improving the safety of all those traveling the Route 301 corridor through Fahnestock," said Hank Osborn, president of Friends of Fahnestock and Hudson Highlands State Parks. "Besides a safer parking experience, visitors will also enjoy improved access to more areas of the park."

Always a great resource for county residents and visitors, during the pandemic it became a real lifesaver as people flocked to the great outdoors for hiking, picnicking, row boating, fishing, cross-country skiing or or just relaxing at a sandy beach, said Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell.

"The installation and completion of these dedicated parking areas will provide safe parking away from the busy roadway for those who come to enjoy the scenic trails here in Putnam County," said Putnam County Sheriff Robert Langley. "I applaud everyone involved in bringing this project to fruition thereby creating safety for motorists and hikers alike."