2024 PALISADES MTB NEWSLETTER

2024 has been a remarkable year for Palisades MTB (PMTB).  Five years ago, we struggled to get legal access to trails anywhere in our area.  Now we are being invited to help develop the lower Hudson Valley region as a biking destination.

 Here are some highlights of what you've helped us accomplish in 2024:

  • More miles in Sterling Forest State Park.

  • Camp Alpine area may be developed for legal mountain biking and other recreational use.  

  • Blauvelt State Park and adjacent properties have been in discussion for expansion.

Sterling Forest State Park

We’re building more miles in Sterling Forest State Park. We know you've heard a lot about it, but we are creating our Bentonville, right here in the lower Hudson Region. We received major funding from the Hudson River Valley Greenway to realign and improve three miles of the Red Back loop.  The new trail includes scenic views, challenging climbs, and plenty of trail features to put a smile on your face.  Tahawus Trails has roughed about a mile of the trail and will complete machine work in Spring 2025.  We will spend most of 2025 hand-finishing the trail and expect to open in late October. 

At its October meeting, the Hudson River Valley Greenway approved ten grants, totaling $306,625, for projects that create new trail connections, enhance
community walkability, and support a variety of planning efforts. PMTB received $67,000 for our work in Sterling Forest State Park. This grant requires a match which includes a combination of cash and volunteer hours. We are well on our way to meeting those requirements but will need your help and contributions in 2025.

PMTB was one of 170 organizations selected to receive a Two for The Trails grant from Athletic Brewing Company in 2024. Named after Athletic Co-Founder and CEO Bill Shufelt's family tradition of taking two brews to toast post-trail adventures, this program gives back up to $2 million annually to protect and restore outdoor spaces across the globe. Grant funds will be used to complete the Redback South Connector to Southgate parking.  These 3 miles of trails will route around ecologically sensitive areas and address the erosion of the current trail.  By late Spring of 2025, Sterling Forest State Park will boast a total of 15 miles of multi-use trail in a "stacked-loop" format.  To learn more about this grant, click here.

Thanks to the incredible support of our community, we’ve raised over $50,000 in the last 24 months. This funding will help us meet our match requirements and accelerate the completion of this challenging project. While we’re optimistic about reaching our financial goals, we still rely on additional donations to bring the Tahawus crew back in the spring, ensuring our volunteers can finish the build.

Your continued generosity will make all the difference!

To learn more and donate, click here.

Thanks to our friends at Wisecrack Roasting Company, we’ve raised over $700 from coffee sales. You have purchased more than 60 bags of coffee in the last 6 months. If you haven’t tried the Redback Rally Blend, it’s not too late. Wisecrack is going to switch up the roast soon so check out the current one and give us your feedback. Click here to order coffee.

Alpine Open Space 

After more than seven years of advocacy and planning, it seems that the Camp Alpine area will be developed for legal biking.  The Palisades Interstate Parks Commission (PIPC) hired an experienced park planning consultant to develop a master plan for the property.  Palisades MTB has been invited to join in planning new and improved trails in the area, which will mean more and better trails close to home. This planning is in its early stages, but we are optimistic that building and maintaining trails suitable for mountain biking will finally come to fruition.

Blauvelt State Park

We continue to maintain trails in Blauvelt State Park and are in discussions with local land managers to expand the areas adjacent to the park. We are in discussion with PIPC, who manage Blauvelt, about enhancing the existing trails and potentially adding more miles.