Quote Of The Day

The Hudson Valley is a world unto itself — where the light falls differently, the mountains hold their silence like old secrets, and the land remembers everything.

— John Burroughs

Tip of The Day

Skip the Crowded Trailheads — Use Ulster County's Rail Trail Network Instead

When the Catskill peaks get packed on weekends, locals pivot to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, a flat, 23-mile converted rail corridor running through New Paltz, Gardiner, and Rosendale. Because it doesn't show up on most "best hikes" lists, you'll often have long stretches entirely to yourself, even on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

The Rosendale end is the sleeper highlight: the trail passes right alongside the historic Rosendale Trestle, a 940-foot-long elevated bridge with open views over the Rondout Valley. Park at the small lot on Keator Avenue in Rosendale, walk north onto the trestle, and you'll hit one of the best unobstructed ridge-line views in Ulster County in under ten minutes — no elevation gain required. Bring a snack and time it for late afternoon when the light hits the Shawangunk Ridge to the west.

Looking to add a furry family member? The Hudson Valley is home to more than a dozen animal rescue organizations ready to help you find your perfect match.

From longtime institutions like the Dutchess County SPCA (founded 1871) and the Ulster County SPCA (founded 1891) to volunteer-driven foster networks like Take Me Home Pet Rescue, the region offers no-kill shelters, farm animal sanctuaries, and even rescue agencies with cruelty enforcement powers.

Locations span the valley — Beacon, Hyde Park, Kingston, Carmel, Elmsford, and beyond — with dogs, cats, and special-needs pets all seeking forever homes.

Before you adopt, experts recommend honestly assessing your time, budget, and family readiness — but the rewards, including reduced stress and better health, can be well worth it.

Interesting Facts

Ulster County, New York hides some genuinely surprising chapters in American history and geography.

• Stone House Capital: Ulster County contains one of the highest concentrations of 17th- and 18th-century stone houses in the entire United States, many built by Huguenot refugees using local bluestone — a legacy so significant that the village of New Paltz preserves an entire street of them as a National Historic Landmark district.
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• Cement Empire: In the 19th century, Ulster County was the leading producer of natural hydraulic cement in the country, supplying the material used to build the base of the Statue of Liberty and large sections of the Brooklyn Bridge.
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• Underground Railroad Hub: The county served as a critical corridor on the Underground Railroad, with Sojourner Truth — one of its most celebrated freedom seekers — having been enslaved in Ulster County before escaping in 1826, decades before she became a national abolitionist figure.
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• Catskill Mountain House Birthplace: The American hotel tourism industry arguably began in Ulster County when the Catskill Mountain House opened in 1824, drawing wealthy New Yorkers and inspiring the Hudson River School of painting, which in turn shaped American ideas about wilderness and landscape conservation.
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• Shawangunk Ridge Ecology: The Shawangunk Ridge running through Ulster County supports pitch pine barrens found almost nowhere else at that latitude, creating a rare ecosystem more typical of the New Jersey coastal plain than the Hudson Valley interior.

Joke Of The Day

A tourist asked a local in Ulster County for directions to the nearest town. The local thought for a moment and said, "Well, you can't get there from here — but honestly, why would you want to? Here has the Catskills, farm-to-table everything, and a craft brewery every half mile."

The tourist never left. He's a beekeeper in Woodstock now.

New York State Police and the Thruway Authority are cracking down on "ghost plates" — missing, altered, or obscured license plates used to dodge tolls and traffic cameras.

During four statewide operations in the first half of this year, authorities seized 214 vehicles and issued more than 1,100 tickets along the Thruway's 570-mile corridor. Impounded vehicles were tied to over $103,000 in unpaid tolls, with more than $70,000 already recovered.

Governor Kathy Hochul called the effort essential to protecting honest drivers and the state's transportation funding. Officials say the crackdowns will continue, building on similar campaigns that netted hundreds more vehicles last year.