Trail Volunteers Invited to Help Build Trails at Slabsides, John Burroughs' Sanctuary in Ulster County

With a grant from NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the John Burroughs Association is building and restoring trails at the 200-acre John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary, Slabsides, in West Park, NY (Ulster County). Slabsides is the 1895 rustic cabin retreat of naturalist John Burroughs/ It is a National Historic Landmark and the surrounding Nature Sanctuary is designated a Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.

Trail professional (and Trail Conference member) Eddie Walsh designed the trails that will take hikers deep into the southern portion of the Sanctuary and link up with the 600 acres that Scenic Hudson owns to the south (former West Park Winery).  "It's beautiful woods with a lot of interesting features, primarily north/south ridges and sheer cliffs that Eddie has worked into the trail plan that includes a ladder at one of the cliffs." says Joan Burroughs of the association.  Eddie will lead crews of volunteers every weekend through the end of June

Helping with the trails is an opportunity to be among the first to get to know these "new" woods along Black Creek. 

Please sign up with [email protected].

Directions:  From NY Thruway Exit 18, New Paltz; east 5 miles on Rte 299.  North on Rte 9W 3.7 miles to left on Floyd Ackert Road.  Up Floyd Ackert .8 miles to left on Burroughs Drive.  Proceed up hill .3 miles to parking along road at green gate.  A short walk through the woods to Slabsides.

The coordinates are:  N 41degrees 47.916, W 73degrees 58.555

Trail Work Schedule

Sat, May 14  
Highlands Trail
sidehill construction, stone harvesting

Sun, May 15   
Highlands Trail, sidehill construction

Fri, May 20     
Southern Trail, sidehill construction

Sat, May 21     Slabsides Day Open House
Southern Trail, sidehill construction, finish work; stone harvesting on Highlands Trail

Sun, May 22   
Southern Trail, sidehill construction, finish work; stone harvesting on Highlands Trail

Sat, May 28     Southern Trail, sidehill construction, finish work; stone harvesting on Highlands Trail

Sun, May 29   
Southern Trail, sidehill construction, finish work; stone harvesting on Highlands Trail

Sat, June 4      
Southern Trail Construction

Sun, June 5      
Southern Trail Construction

Sat, June 11    
Highlands Trail, material moving

Sun, June 12    
Highlands Trail, material moving

Sat, June 18    
Highlands Trail, boardwalk construction

Sun, June 19    
Highlands Trail, boardwalk construction

Sat, June 25    
South Pond Trail bridge construction

Sun, June 26    
Ladder construction