Shandaken Rail Trail Project

This portion of the trail was designated as trail only by the UC Legislature in Resolution No. 488 of 2015. It states, “the segment from Bridge Street in Phoenicia to the Ulster County line in the Town of Shandaken shall be utilized as a recreational trail with a co-location of a possible rail station and rail connection to Delaware County immediately near the County border at Highmount.”  Benefits of the trail are explained in detail in the Shandaken Ulster and Delaware Trail Feasibility Study | Ulster County Transportation Council study.  Track is being preserved at the top of Highmount for use by the Delaware and Ulster Railroad.

In short, the proposed Shandaken Rail Trail will transform a long-neglected section of the Ulster & Delaware (U&D) Railroad corridor into a safe, ADA-compliant, non-motorized trail connecting Belleayre Beach in Pine Hill to Galli Curci Rd. in Highmount. This project addresses five critical community needs: recreational facilities development & connection, community & economic development, public health, transportation access, and public infrastructure restoration. It preserves a historic asset while creating inclusive access for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities.

Some benefits include:

• Creation of an asset that can be used by local people from all backgrounds, including low-income, disabled, and elderly people for health and recreation
• The Shandaken Rail Trail will also provide public access to assets listed in the Final Proposed 2023 Amendment to the 2015 Belleayre Mountain Ski Center Unit Management Plan namely its hiking, mountain biking, and Nordic skiing trails.
• Tourism is a vital economic engine in the Catskills, comprising 15% of regional employment. An analysis of the Ashokan Rail Trail commissioned by the Open Space Institute in 2023 and completed by Camoin Associates concluded that visitors to the Ashokan Rail Trail from outside of Ulster County spend an average of $184.50 per day while using the trail and county residents and existing visitors spend an average of $64.83 per day, resulting in new jobs throughout the county. Similarly, the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), which owns the nearby Belleayre Mountain, 2022-2023 Economic Impact Analysis Report determined that summer visitors to its venue spend on average $140/day. Using visitor spending benchmarks from the Ashokan Rail Trail (Camoin Associates, 2023) and Belleayre Mountain (ORDA, 2022–23), even a conservative 50,000 annual visitors to the Shandaken Rail Trail could generate between $3.2 million and $9.2 million in local economic activity, depending on the proportion of local versus non-local visitors. A balanced estimate places the impact at approximately $6–7 million annually. The trail will also enhance regional tourism by creating a hub at Highmount that connects with the Delaware & Ulster Railroad (D&U RR), which is restoring service to this location. The co-location of scenic train rides and trail access could provide a unique draw to the area, further increasing visitor spending and job creation.
• The Shandaken Rail Trail will offer a safe, low-grade, off-road alternative to Route 28, a 55mph state highway with steep grades (up to 16.9%) and no shoulder in many areas. The proposed trail averages a more manageable 3.4% grade, enhancing comfort and safety for bicyclists, walkers, and users with assistive devices.
• The corridor’s current state—overgrown, eroded, and largely impassable—prevents any community benefit, poses public safety risks and liability risks for the County. The project restores public use of the U&D corridor while preserving its historic character. Historic assets along the corridor include two large bridge structures over Giggle Hollow and Woodchuck Hollow Creeks and a remaining whistle post, culverts, and bridge abutments from the original U&D line. These will be stabilized and used for interpretive and educational opportunities, helping preserve the historic identity of the region while enhancing public access.

The Pine Hill water supply facilities are below the project, the limits of construction activity will not impact the water supply.  The Ulster County Legislature adopted Resolution 274 of June 2025 that classified the Project as a Type 1 Action. The Legislature is acting as a lead agency and will circulate a revised full environmental assessment form (FEAF) to all interested and involved agencies pursuant to 6 NYCRR Part 617.6(b) (2) (i) and 6 NYCRR Part 617.6(b). The County’s revised notice will be released in the fall 2025, and it is anticipated the SEQR will be completed in the before the end of 2025.

A preliminary design report has been submitted to the NYSDOT. The project is undergoing reviews by NYSDOT and other state agencies. It is now anticipated that final design will be complete in the fall 2026, and construction of the project will begin in spring of 2027.    

The map on this website is the most detailed map we have at this time. You may open the July 26, 2024 Shandaken Trailhead Concepts Shared at Phoenicia Farmers' Market.pdf (13.9 MB) (pdf) document located on the right side of this website to see a zoomed in view.

There has been no indication from the NYSDOT that the federal Transportation Alternative Program grant awarded for this funding will not be available. Please see the answer to the question from Cganc on 29 Aug 2025 regarding status of the trail.

The anticipated total project cost is $4.95 million. Eighty percent ($3.96 million) will be provided by federal funding from the Transportation Alternatives Program, and twenty percent ($990,000) is to be provided by Ulster County. The rail corridor property is owned by the County, and it is the sponsor of the project. The Town of Shandaken will not be responsible for providing funding for the design or construction of this project. 

The funding for this project comes from a competitive source that was awarded specifically for this project. The grant cannot be re-allocated to address different needs in Shandaken. The project will provide health and recreational benefits to Shandaken residents, bolster economic development efforts consistent with the community’s plans, and repair and restore drainage and other infrastructure in the corridor. The Town of Shandaken can apply for other grants to meet additional needs in the community. 

Town of Shandaken property taxes will not go up for construction costs. The trail will be maintained by the County and a volunteer stewardship program like the one organized for the Ashokan Rail Trail.  

This section of the trail was delineated by the Ulster County legislature for conversion to recreational trail with Resolution No. 488 of 2015. A U&D Corridor Revitalization Study was completed in 2021 to determine the feasibility and costs of the trail. Shandaken Ulster and Delaware Trail Feasibility Study | Ulster County Transportation Council (ulstercountyny.gov) The feasibility study provides ample justification for the trail for economic, public health, transportation and community development reasons.

The project presents an opportunity to revitalize an abandoned rail corridor in a manner that has a positive impact on both the community and the ecosystem. Drainage improvements and the removal of creosote ties are two examples of the positive impacts to the ecosystem. In addition, the railroad corridor presents an opportunity to provide an ADA compliant path for less able members of the community to use. The hiking trails in the region are narrow and steep, designed for the able bodied to enjoy. The project is a way to maintain a County asset that may otherwise fall into further severe disrepair and become a County liability. Finally, the successful completion of the Ashokan Rail Tail adjacent to the Ashokan Reservoir affirms the ability of trails and the environment's ability to co-exist.

The most recent meeting In Pine Hill was not a public hearing. It was a public informational meeting about the design concepts with the opportunity to ask questions, and allow for comments and concerns to be heard. Two (2) additional public engagement activities will take place in the community to gather input about the project design. These have not yet been scheduled. The County and its consultants are working to ensure that these engagement opportunities allow the voices of many different people in the community to be heard and make comments. You can make comments on the material at the last meeting by visiting the Guestbook on this website or emailing kwil@co.ulster.ny.us by May 10th.    

To learn more about the difference between public meetings and public hearings, visit: Conducting Public Meetings and Public Hearings (ny.gov) 

The average width of the Ulster County owned Right-of-way centered on the railroad tracks is on average 65 ft. wide.  Meaning that a property line could be 30 ft. from the trail, once constructed.  In most cases, the houses on these adjacent properties are set back more than 100 ft. from the trail with the exceptions being near Station Road and Ulster & Delaware Turnpike.

The Railroad ties do contain creosote as commonly found in all wooden railroad ties before the use of this chemical was banned.  The ties will be removed from the ground and transported off site for disposal in an NYSDEC approved landfill.  The further release of creosote during the tie removal process is not anticipated.