A great place for rolling: Harlem Valley Rail Trail

By Roderick Boone
Poughkeepsie Journal

Ah, the lovely sounds of a roller rink.

Rollerblading at a roller rink isn't a bad thing. A night out on a date at the roller rink can be a very enjoyable experience. But for those in the mid-Hudson Valley who'd like to rollerblade while surrounded by the sounds and sites of nature instead, you're in luck.

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail, which will eventually extend 46 miles from Wassaic in southern Dutchess County to Chatham in northern Columbia County, gives people an opportunity to roller blade in a tranquil, natural setting.

''It's probably unique because of the combination of a level-paved surface, natural setting, and the safety because the road crossings are so rare,'' said Dan Haas, chairman of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association's board of directors.''

''It's terrific,'' said David Shufelt, the trail association's executive director. ''There really isn't any other place in the area to go rollerblading where it's traffic-free. The trail is in great shape. It is a terrific place. You can see nature and skate along and just get a lot of good exercise.''

The trail is broken into six sections. The two sections in Dutchess County that are perfect for avid roller bladers are Section 2, a 4.5-mile section that opened in the fall of 1996, and Section 3, a 3.6-mile 2-year-old stretch.

Section 2 extends from Mechanic Street in Amenia to Coleman Station. Section 3 runs from Coleman Station in the Town of North East to Millerton's Main Street. Those two stretches have become so popular that people from all over -- not just Dutchess County -- venture to the valley to use the trail.

James Costagna, who resides in Salisbury, Conn., frequently makes the five-plus-mile trek to Millerton. He said he loves everything the trail has to offer.

''It's really peaceful," Costagna said. "You can see other people doing healthy activities, riding bikes, family walks. So it's really nice.

''As you can see there's a lot of other families out here as well. So, it's not like you're the only one on a back woods trail. There's a number of people. You pick a nice day and come out and you only have to go as far as you feel secure. If you only feel like going up and down a little ways and you want to stay there all day, nobody's going to question you. If you want to just break open a picnic here, you can do that here. You are free to do that.''

Costagna was there with his 4-year-old daughter Ariana (''I'm almost five,'' she said). He was trying to teach her how to roller blade, and the open space gave him lots of room to do so, something that's not likely at a crowded roller rink.

''It's just wholesome fun for the family. That's what I get out of this,'' Costagna said in between lacing up his roller blades.

As for Ariana, she likes the trail because, ''it takes us far, far away,'' she said.

Trail usage varies daily. Shufelt said on Memorial Day he counted 365 people in 11 hours go past the Millerton trail head. And with so many visitors, the trail must be maintained somehow.

The southern part of the trail is maintained by Dutchess County. The New York state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation handles the northern portion of the trail. In addition, Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association volunteers help maintain the trail's entire length.

And judging by the number of inquiries the Dutchess County Tourism Promotion Agency receives about the trail, they've been doing a great job. Karen Woods, the agency's executive director, said people from all over the tri-state area call her Poughkeepsie-based office to ask about the trail.

''The Harlem Valley Rail Trail is one of the outstanding sites that our visitors and residents choose to do their outdoor recreation,'' Woods said. ''Whether it's walking, biking or roller blading, it's just a fantastic site to pursue that activity.''