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Sullivan Health Matters

Take a hike...Trailkeeper.org shows you where to go

Patricio Robayo - Staff Writer
Posted 4/23/18

SULLIVAN — The premier website for hiking and walking in Sullivan County, Trailkeeper.org, is updating and revamping their site to make it more user friendly and also raise awareness about more …

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Sullivan Health Matters

Take a hike...Trailkeeper.org shows you where to go

Posted

SULLIVAN — The premier website for hiking and walking in Sullivan County, Trailkeeper.org, is updating and revamping their site to make it more user friendly and also raise awareness about more walking and hiking events this season.

Back in 2010, Sullivan County Division of Planning, Community Development & Real Property Senior Planner Heather Jacksy , in conjunction with Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County Agriculture & Food Systems Team Leader Melinda Meddaugh, realized there wasn't a website where you can go and get information on hiking in Sullivan County.

“We knew the data existed out there but it wasn't just in one spot,” Jacksy said. “We needed a site where you can visit and see information on hiking in Sullivan County.”

Soon after a group got together, which included Morgan Outdoors, Sullivan Renaissance, Delaware Highlands Conservancy and Catskill Mountainkeeper, they brainstormed on the design of a new website.

“In Sullivan County, we have the best of two worlds,” explained Lisa Lyons, owner of Morgan Outdoors. “There's a variety of easy, flat trails in many of our town centers - and miles of both beginner and intermediate woodland trails within a short drive.”

According to Jacksy, on a shoestring budget the team were able to put together Trailkeeper.org.

Jacksy and the rest of the partners of the website would like to see the site grow and become the premier resource for county hiking enthusiasts and help people become healthier.

“We want to get the word out so we do a lot more cross promotion with other agencies,” Jacksy said.

Working with the county, Trailkeeper.org is currently promoting the monthly county wellness walks, which started last year, in which county employees meet at different walking and hiking trails throughout the county.

Additionally, working along side Catskill Regional Medical Center, the site is in development of the “prescription pad.” It's a physical piece of paper which doctors will hand out to patients that features information about local farmers markets and walking trails located near them.

“So you can eat healthy and move more,” Jacksy said. “This will also help promote the farmers markets here in the county as valuable resources.”

Jacksy added that, “This helps sell our communities. It's good for economic development and lets the people who want to move here know that we have these great resources.”

Lyons said that she hopes these initiatives will create easy and friendly access to information about public trails all around Sullivan County so that both residents and visitors can easily find options and get outside.

“This would include detailed descriptions and directions to each trail, with attractive images to give a sense of how beautiful these green pathways are in all four seasons,” Lyons said.

Additionally, “It also helps boost healthy living which introduces walking and gets you in touch with nature and the environment in and around Sullivan County.”

During the upcoming Sullivan Renaissance Spring Market and Annual Conference at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on April 28, Trailkeeper.org will be hosting walks around the grounds of the historic Woodstock Concert site.

“The county is working on getting the Rail Trail paths improved,” Jacksy said. “This will help connect the communities together with the trails.”

For more information check out trailkeeper.org.

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