Run Wild and Trail Conference Explore, Preserve Gunks’ Quiet Side

July 20, 2021
Don Weise
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

Title

Run Wild and Trail Conference Explore, Preserve Gunks’ Quiet Side

Body

The quietly spectacular southern Shawangunk Ridge passes through many newly preserved parks and forests such as Shawangunk Ridge, Roosa Gap, Wurtsboro, Huckleberry Ridge, and Gobbler’s Knob.

Run Wild, Inc. and the Trail Conference’s running group, Trail Conference Trail Runs, recently met to explore and celebrate the preservation of a section of Gobbler’s Knob State Forest. A total of 117 acres has been preserved here, permanently protecting the Shawangunk Ridge Trail, moving it off the roads and into the forest.

The group gathered to learn about the Trail Conference’s ongoing work on the ridge, and Run Wild’s recent gift of $11,000 to preserve a section of Gobbler’s Knob. Hikers and runners got to explore the preserved greenway, visiting rocky outcrops, deep woods, and scenic views of the Bashakill. Run Wild partners with the Trail Conference and other organizations to raise funds for land conservation, through running races and other activities