The opening of the historic site was a joint effort of many organizations and individuals. In particular, Col. Jim Johnson, the military historian for the Hudson River National Heritage Area, the late Jack Mead and Ed Lenik, who conducted archaeological investigations, Palisades Interstate Park, Fort Montgomery Battle Site Association, the New York State Bridge Authority, the Hudson River Valley Greenway, Scenic Hudson, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and Senator William Larkin.

Although the Trail Conference's part in the opening of this historic site was small, its West Hudson Trail Crew provided the expertise to build a critical link in trails for public access. This short trail segment connects the Bear Mountain Zoo via a new footbridge over Popolopen Creek to Fort Montgomery. It is on extremely steep terrain, which now boasts steps, rock cribbing, and sidehilling. 

The Trail Conference was publicly recognized for their role and passes on a special thanks to the West Hudson Trail Crew, who in six work trips, did what park officials thought impossible: Rich Antonick, Mary Nell Bockman, Roland Breault, Jim Brown, Emily Crocker, David Day, Chris Dolittle, Tom Dunn, Chris Ezzo, Claudia Ganz, Ed Goodell, Bill Horowitz, Joan James, Frank Keech, Bob Marshall, Chris Muenzen, Carol Nestor, Trudy Pogman, Al Ullrich, Monica Resor, Trudy Schenider, Donna Beth Stewart, Larry Wheelock and Hanson Wong.