Click HERE to download the Hudson River Access Plan.
Click HERE to download site sketches.

The Rensselaer County Hudson River Access Plan came about as a result of the Rensselaer County Land Trust securing a grant from the Hudson River Estuary Program of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Plan was guided by RLT Staff, Board Members, and an Advisory Committee consisting of representatives of the Hudson River Shoreline communities and Rensselaer County.

This plan covers all seven waterfront communities in Rensselaer County:

• Town of Schaghticoke
• City of Troy
• Town of North Greenbush
• City of Rensselaer
• Town of East Greenbush
• Town of Schodack
• Village of Castleton-on-Hudson

For approximately one year beginning in the spring of 2017, the consultant team led by Planning4Places, LLC with support from Weston & Sampson, conducted an existing conditions assessment, made site visits to assess the condition of existing and potential river access points, and went into the community to solicit input from the public.

Read more: Rensselaer County's Hudson River Access Plan

On December 30, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail (AHET), a 36-mile bicycling and hiking route from the City of Rensselaer in Rensselaer County to the Town of Greenport in Columbia County, is complete and open to the public. The Hudson River Valley Greenway constructed the project, which is part of the statewide Empire State Trail. Most of the AHET Trail is an off-road “rail trail” built on an historic electric trolley corridor, now owned by National Grid which donated authorization to NYS to construct the trail. The remainder of the AHET route is designated along public roadways.

NYS has created a comprehensive Empire State Trail website which provides detailed AHET trail segment descriptions: https://empiretrail.ny.gov/. The website includes an online map allowing visitors to zoom in to see the precise trail route, including asphalt and stonedust trail sections, on-road connections, designated parking areas, and nearby attractions.

Read more: Albany-Hudson Electric Trail Opens to the Public!

The Rensselaer Land Trust is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Palmer Road Preserve in Schodack, New York from the Schodack Area Land Trust. The 57-acre property was transferred to Rensselaer Land Trust upon the voluntary dissolution of the Schodack Area Land Trust.

Located in a residential community near Miller Road in Schodack, the property features an extensive walking trail system that the Schodack Area Land Trust maintained over many years. The wooded parcel is one of the sources of the Mordener Kill and is home to a diverse collection of plants and animals.

The Palmer Road Preserve will add to RLT’s growing network of neighborhood nature preserves in Rensselaer County. RLT’s goal is to create a diverse collection of publicly accessible properties within a ten-minute drive of everyone in a municipality. These properties will complement existing parks and protected areas and provide places for local residents and visitors to enjoy nature and hopefully inspire them to protect it.

Read more: Rensselaer Land Trust Acquires Palmer Road Preserve from Schodack Area Land Trust