A New Trail Would Connect 3 States Across 1,650 Miles

The NY-NJ-CT region features hundreds of parks and landscapes, from the Catskills and Pinelands to the beaches of Jersey and Long Island. Despite all of this open space, these recreational spots are disjointed from each other and from the communities that would use them.

A New York-based non-profit has proposed a plan to connect the state with Connecticut and New Jersey via a 1,650-mile network of hiking and biking trails.

With the new proposal, some 8 million residents would be within a half-mile of a trail, and 80 percent of residents in all three states would be within 2 miles of a trail.

While all three states have a plethora of trails and parks, these greenways are largely disconnected. The plan seeks to better integrate them so urban residents in particular can access trails — and stimulate the economies of trail towns. The new network would also facilitate migration for animals, enhancing the biodiversity of the region.

Approximately 50 percent of the routes proposed would be made up of trails that already exist. Another 23 percent would incorporate new segments, and a final 27 percent would use proposed or in-progress trails.

The network of trails would encompass some of the best loved natural spots in the tri-state area, including the Catskill Mountains, the Hudson River Valley Greenway, and local green spaces in Brooklyn and New York City.

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