Welcome to the Hook Trail
Hooking Northern Dutchess County and the community of Red Hook together through safe and scenic pedestrian and bicycle trails.The Hook Trail will enable the Red Hook community to experience our part of the historic Hudson Valley region through the many miles of connected bicycle and pedestrian trails, some planned for the near future and others already established.
The most successful of our proposed trails is the Saw Kill Link Trail, which we designed for the local Red Hook community. Since 2010, Greater Good has been developing and helping to get this trail built, so that residents and visitors can enjoy a scenic and off-route option between the Village of Red Hook and Bard College. And we could use your help! Click here for volunteer and donation opportunities.
Map
The proposed route of the Saw Kill Link includes private property wherein not all permissions have yet been granted.
Preview Trails
Below are types of pathways and connections possible in our area. Pathways would be wide enough for both pedestrian and bicycle traffic, separate from the roadway, and protected by a secure railing in high traffic areas.
Why Red Hook?
Red Hook is located in the northwest corner of Dutchess County, covering just over 40 square miles of the historic Hudson Valley. A distinct haven settled within an idyllic landscape of orchards and vegetable, dairy, sheep, cattle, poultry farms and so much more. Red Hook offers breathtaking landscapes, and a homegrown community feel fostered by the proud residents.
Being in a National Heritage Area enables collaboration between residents, government agencies, and other organizations to preserve the charm as well as the environmental and cultural character of the municipalities within its borders.
Red Hook has the potential to offer one of the finest walking and biking trails in Dutchess County and New York State. Within an eight-mile radius you can find:
- Two National Register New York State Historic Hudson River Estates
- Two villages and sixteen river scenic views and river access points
- The Tivoli Bays Wildlife Management Area with four miles of hiking trails and two canoe launches
Photo: NY DEC
Photo: Scenic Hudson
- The New York State Historic Scenic Landmark Trail of Poets Walk
- A historic 19th century working farm and apple orchard
- Bard College, situated on more than 500 acres along the Hudson River
- World class modern and 19th century architecture, and scenic rural homes
- Charming 19th century villages with restaurants, shops, galleries, and cafés
- Acres and acres of scenic open fields, farm lands, and Hudson River views
Photo: GaryDiMauro Real Estate
History
Timeline
2017
2017
Winnakee Land Trust receives a NYS grant in the amount of $1.2 million for land acquisition for the Saw Kill Link Trail project. Along with allowing for trail creation, the grant will help to positively impact Bard’s water supply, the local habitats, and the protection of many more conservation values.
2016
2016
Alta Planning completes their report and Greater Good Dynamics takes on the year-long plus task of editing and finalizing the planning document, with the help of a local copy writer.
2016
2016
Stakeholders vote and decide the Hook Trail name and branding should be adopted and embraced for the trails system to connect the local villages, schools, and population centers.
2015
2015
Alta Planning + Design was hired through a Greenway grant secured by the Town. A survey, study, planning, and report were executed with the help of Alta and a group of community members referred to as “stakeholders”. The stakeholders represented a variety of voices from the Red Hook community, such as the Greenway & Trails Committee, Red Hook and Tivoli Mayor’s offices, Robert George Design Group, Ltd., Winnakee Land Trust, Red Hook Central School District, Bard College, the DEC, and the Red Hook Recreation Department.
2014
2014
A petition, circulated in the Red Hook Observer and elsewhere, asks residents to “Just Say Yes” to safe pedestrian and bike trails for Red Hook.
2014
2014
Shortly after the terrible accident, the Hook Trail initiative is presented to Dutchess County Legislator, Micki Walsh Strawinski and Kristofer Munn of the Red Hook Observer. The Hook Trail becomes a grassroots effort and publicly launches with the help of local radio station WKZE, Micki Walsh Strawinski, Bard College, and the Red Hook Observer. The Hook Trail website goes live.
2012
2012
Tragically, two Bard students were fatally struck by a car while walking on Route 9G in Tivoli. Following this loss, we prioritized personal and professional resources towards actualizing the Hook Trail system to fill the immediate need for safe walking and biking infrastructures to key destinations in town.
2012
2012
The Hook Trail website was created to house the Hook Trail initiative artwork, Red Hook points of interest, etc. A branded trail network was proposed and rough trail concepts were drawn, including a new off-road alternative to connect the Villages of Tivoli and Red Hook.
2012
2012
The idea becomes a vision of integrating the existing detached trails and centers of activity in the town by “hooking” them together through safe walking and biking infrastructures.
2011
2011
Early ideas are sketched…
2010
2010
An idea is seeded. The community of Red Hook should have the choice of safely walking their children to school and to neighborhood communities.