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Celebrate Good Times! Sojourner Truth State Park Opens with Community Earth Day Event

New 500-acre park on former industrial site offers outstanding opportunities for recreation and exploring nature

by Reed Sparling
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A Community Earth Day get-together was a fitting way to celebrate the opening of Sojourner Truth State Park, located on land where nature is healing itself with a little TLC from New York State Parks, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, and Scenic Hudson.

The public certainly agreed — more than 500 people turned out on April 23 to be among the first to enjoy the magnificent sights and peaceful sounds in this first state park in the City of Kingston and Town of Ulster.


Lost Mine Lake along the Steep Rocks Trail at Sojourner Truth State Park. (Photo: Robert Rodriguez, Jr)

The park represents an extraordinary turnaround for this 500-acre landscape. Once inhabited by people associated with the Lenape nation and in the 18th century a commons area for the shared benefit of Kingston residents, the site had been used for industrial purposes — its clay extracted for bricks and limestone mined for cement — for the last 150-plus years. Now, thanks to the collaboration between the state and Scenic Hudson (which protected the land in 2019), its diverse habitats are undergoing restoration and new trails allow everyone to connect with sweeping Hudson River views and striking geological features, some akin to canyons found in the Southwest. 

Those who attended the ribbon cutting, guided hike, live music, and family-friendly activities at the event certainly enjoyed the day, and many expressed enthusiasm about returning to their new “hometown” park. In addition to providing local residents with close-to-home opportunities for recreation and observing nature (like the bald eagle that flew overhead during the event’s formal program), the park’s unique landscape and industrial history promise to attract visitors who will boost the tourism economies of surrounding communities. 

As part of the formal program, President Ned Sullivan, noting the original dual intentions of Earth Day, urged listeners to commit to continue healing the land and expressing mutual respect for all. His words were driven home by keynote speaker Barbara Allen, the sixth great-granddaughter of Sojourner Truth, the Ulster County native who walked away from enslavement and spent the remainder of her life championing equal rights. “She may have left, but her spirit is always here,” Allen said. “I can feel her here.”

Scenic Hudson will maintain Sojourner Truth State Park and has committed resources for the next phase of its development, which will provide exciting features on the riverfront. The park is open free of charge daily from dawn to dusk.

Reed Sparling is a staff writer and historian at Scenic Hudson. He is the former editor of Hudson Valley Magazine, and currently co-edits the Hudson River Valley Review, a scholarly journal published by the Hudson River Valley Institute at Marist College.

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Hudson Valley Viewfinder is a collaborative, community digital magazine sharing what inspires us about the beautiful Hudson Valley. We publish original stories and multimedia content about all things sustainable in the region along the Hudson River — including agriculture, science, wildlife, outdoor recreation, green transportation, environmental justice, and more.

Our mission is to immerse you in the storied history, fresh happenings, and coming solutions for making the Hudson Valley greener and more livable long-term.

Viewfinder is published by Scenic Hudson, the celebrated nonprofit credited with launching the modern grassroots environmental movement in 1963. With over 25,000 passionate supporters, Scenic Hudson’s mission is to sustain and enhance the Hudson Valley’s inspirational beauty and health for generations to come. Viewfinder supports that mission, because the better people understand what makes this place special, the more they will invest in protecting it. 

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Our mission is to immerse you in the storied history, fresh happenings, and coming solutions for making the Hudson Valley greener and more livable long-term.

Viewfinder is published by Scenic Hudson, the celebrated nonprofit credited with launching the modern grassroots environmental movement in 1963. With over 25,000 passionate supporters, Scenic Hudson’s mission is to sustain and enhance the Hudson Valley’s inspirational beauty and health for generations to come. Viewfinder supports that mission, because the better people understand what makes this place special, the more they will invest in protecting it. 

Keep up with the latest stories by subscribing to Scenic Hudson’s monthly digital newsletter, and connect with us on social via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Threads.

Lynn Freehill-Maye
Managing Editor
editorial@scenichudson.org 

Riley Johndonnell
Director Creative Strategies & Communications
rjohndonnell@scenichudson.org

Lynn Freehill-Maye
Managing Editor
editorial@scenichudson.org 

Riley Johndonnell
Director Creative Strategies & Communications
rjohndonnell@scenichudson.org

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We’re always looking for ideas around our main topic areas of Climate Solutions, Land + Air + Water, Plants + Animals, History + Culture, Outdoors, and Community.
  • Journalists and writers who have deep familiarity with New York and the Hudson Valley, we’d love to have you contribute! Please do introduce yourself by email, sharing writing samples and any relevant pitches you may have.
  • Photographers and videographers, we’d love to hear from you and see what you do. Please send along a portfolio with images or footage that showcases your best and/or most relevant work, with an emphasis on anything captured outdoors. 
  • Illustrators, we commission artwork on the regular. Drop us a note with some of the beauty you’ve created.
  • Media Partners & Social Media Influencers, we welcome opportunities to team up on series and campaigns. Reach out with any background about yourselves and your ideas.
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  • We love to collaborate with media outlets, especially on episodic series (like these) of interest to our shared audiences. Past collaborations have included radio interviews, panel discussions and other events, original artwork, and e-blasts, all furthering the campaign’s excitement and reach. 
  • We also love to partner with other organizations whose missions align with Scenic Hudson’s. Feel free to reach out with some background on your group and its work.
  • Writers, photographers, and creatives, if you have an idea for a series or content campaign that might be a good fit, drop us a line!

Businesses, please note that as a nonprofit, Scenic Hudson is restricted from advertising or promoting for-profit companies, through Viewfinder or other outlets. While we understand content managers may wish to alert us to your company’s role in a relevant topic, we are unable to add links to businesses to our stories.

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