BEACON — A new stairway on a trail to the top of Mount Beacon will make the beginning of the hike a bit easier.

The Gateway to Mount Beacon Park officially opened Saturday on 234 acres acquired by Scenic Hudson in the City of Beacon and Town of Fishkill.

The stairway takes hikers one-third of the way up the one-mile trail to the summit, where there used to be a hotel and casino.

"I call it the Hudson Valley's longest mile," said Andy Bicking, director of education and volunteers for Scenic Hudson.

From 1902 until 1978, an incline railway carried people to the top of the mountain. The remains of the railway can still be seen next to the new stairway.

At the top of the stairs, an observation deck provides a view of the valley.

The 144 steps are not as tall as most stairs, making it much easier to climb. There are eight landings along the zigzagging route where people can rest.

"It makes it much more accessible," Glenham resident Katy Bell said. She came to see the new stairway on opening day.

"All age groups can get up there now," she said. "Before, it was a steep hike for people with limited hiking experience."

Bell said it takes her about a half-hour to get to the top.

"You can definitely get up there and watch the sun set and make it back down before dark," she said.

The improvements to the park took about two years, Scenic Hudson Executive Director Steve Rosenberg said.

"We worked to create a park so people could regain access to a beautiful area," he said.

They regraded the road, created a parking lot and removed debris, including a school bus abandoned on the property.

"The stairway cost about $280,000," said Jay Levine, the organization's park development specialist. The cost for all the improvements was around $550,000.

Tanya Volkmann of Hopewell Junction said she has been hiking up the mountain all her life.

She said the first part of the trail, before the stairs were built, wasn't too bad.

"But now it's easier to do," Volkmann said. "Hopefully, this will bring more people to Mount Beacon and show them what a treasure it is."

Michael Woyton can be reached at mwoyton@poughkeepsiejournal.com