A New York New Jersey Trail Conference volunteer looks on as mountain bikers come down the new multi-use hike/bike/ride trail in Sterling Forest State Park, partially fund by Michael Bruno’s Tuxedo Hudson Corporation. The NYNJTC celebrates the 7-mile multi-use trail loop grand opening on Sunday, September 30.

The idea of Sloatsburg as a outdoor adventure hub and gateway to the surrounding parks is a step closer than it was last year. The western Rockland County Route 17 corridor, (including Tuxedo with a train station that serves as a weekend magnet for hikers), is tucked between Harriman State Park and Dater Mountain Nature Park and  other count and town parks. Add the vast green expanse of Sterling Forest State Park off to the west as far as Greenwood Lake and Sloatsburg and Tuxedo are surrounded by parkland. Continue Reading

There’s a particular family of mint native to our very own Ramapo Mountains. If you know where to look you might see Hoary Mountain Mint on the highest hilltops above Sloatsburg, especially at places on Torne Mountain. Continue Reading

Tuxedo has many good things. The whole casino process revealed the many good people engaged with their community — those who are concerned and care about the future of Tuxedo. Following is a letter from Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce President Bill Sweet that briefly reviews the casino process and chamber position while also looking at the community engagement as opportunity to continue to build a better Tuxedo. Continue Reading

The New York Gaming Commission’s Facility Location Board rejected any Orange County sites, leaving Tuxedo to forge it’s own economic future.

The possibility of a casino in Orange County was always a long shot. Wednesday’s decision by the New York Gaming Facility Location Board to exclude Orange County from any casino development was confirmation of those odds. Continue Reading

There’s a cursed and coveted stretch of Rt. 17 that runs through Sloatsburg, along the Ramapo River water gap, stretching past Tuxedo Park, through Southfields, past Arden, and ending near Harriman. The route is surrounded by New York state park lands, mostly by 46,000 acres of Harriman State Park to the east northeast and some 21,000 acres of Sterling Forest State Park to the west. Bear Mountain State Park and U.S. Military Academy federal forest reserves further northeast add an additional 20,000 plus acres of green space. Continue Reading

Hikers gather at the Doris Duke Trail dedication in Sterling Forest Park / Photo by Geoff Welch

The vast fortune that was even too much for Doris Duke to spend down in her lifetime continues to benefit in all manner of ways. Continue Reading

Members of Sterling Forest Partnership met before a recent Palisades Interstate Parks Commission meeting.

A possibly momentous decision was made on gaming in Orange County on a sunny Monday afternoon amid the rough hewn beam and stone facade of Bear Mountain Inn. Continue Reading