Beautiful Minnewaska State Park Is Getting Bigger… Again

In an recent announcement that should excite outdoor enthusiasts in the Hudson Valley and beyond, details were shared about yet another expansion of Minnewaska State Park Preserve.

The Hudson Valley is already a prime destination for rock climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, and anyone else looking to enjoy the natural beauty of the Catskill Mountains, Shawangunk mountains, and Hudson River. Now, there's even more to love.

Minnewaska State Park Preserve in Ulster County, NY

Minnewaska State Park Preserve began as a private resort before is was purchased by New York State and opened to the public in 1993. Over the last 32 years, the property has expanded to both welcome visitors and protect the natural landscape from any further development.

Open Space Institute Helps to Add More Land to Minnewaska

One of the driving forces behind Minnewaska's expansion is the Open Space Institute, an organization specifically dedicated to protecting natural lands in the northeast United States and Canada. Their latest achievement has expanded Minnewaska State Park Preserve's borders once again.

 New York State Environmental Protection Fund Used for Minnewaska Expansion

The OSI shared that $641,000 from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund was used to purchase roughly 300 acres of land, bringing the total area of Minnewaska State Park Preserve to roughly 24,000 acres.

Continued Expansion of Minnewaska State Park Preserve

While the latest expansion is modest, the land is just the latest addition to Minnewaska led by the OSI, who has added more than 13,000 acres of land to the preserve over the last three decades.

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Minnewaska State Park Preserve has options for hiking, swimming, horseback riding, rock climbing, and more. Check out much of what they have to offer below, and keep scrolling to see what happened when one four-legged visitor got a little too curious on a recent hike.