The Open Space Institute (OSI) has finished a three-mile restoration of Minnewaska's Lake Awosting Carriage Road, after extensive work done throughout this summer. The $1.3 million project was a collaboration with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC), revamping the path for ease of use.

The Lake Awosting Carriage Road now has new retaining walls and drainage upgrades that will help reduce flooding and erosion in the future. It is widened and resurfaced for better walking and biking as well.

OSI received a $500,000 grant from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) for the project, building on the $6.6 million OSI has invested in the carriage road system since 2014. They've renovated nearly 20 miles in total to date.

"Minnewaska is a remarkable park and caring for it requires long-term commitment from many stakeholders,” said Erik Kulleseid, OSI’s President and CEO.

OSI, PIPC and NYS Parks are dedicated to the upkeep of the Minnewaska's crushed-stone carriage roads, which date back to the 19th century. The paths are wide and gently graded, making the park extremely accessible for visitors and rangers alike. They've become a Shawangunk Ridge trademark, but decades of weather, enjoyment and wear have taken their toll.

Before this, OSI made repairs to the Castle Point Carriage Road, the Hamilton Point Carriage Road and the Smiley Carriage Road, as well as parts of Sam's Point's Lake Maratanza loop. PIPC and NYS Parks have done their own restorations, bringing the total to 30 rebuilt miles of carriage roads.

“OSI’s work to protect and enhance the Shawangunk Ridge will never truly end, but we couldn’t do it without our partners and sustained support from public funding," Kulleseid continued.

PIPC Executive Director Joshua Laird agreed that "The outstanding partnership between OSI, New York State Parks, and the Palisades Commission helps ensure that Minnewaska remains a special place of natural beauty and a destination for all to appreciate and enjoy."