GREENWOOD LAKE — The Town of Warwick took center stage on the last day of June 2012 as residents spent the day celebrating the town’s designation as the first Appalachian Trail Community in New York State. Festivities began bright and early in Greenwood Lake with a pancake breakfast in Lion’s Field and by one of the heads to the Appalachian Trail. Several thru hikers who have been on the trail since March welcomed the multi-grain pancakes, real maple syrup, local bacon and more. Breakfast was complimentary for thru hikers and modestly priced for the day hikers who enjoyed meeting other AT and hiking enthusiasts.

 

The Appalachian Trail Community program serves to assist communities with sustainable economic development through tourism and outdoor recreation, while preserving and protecting the Appalachian Trail. In addition to Warwick, there are only 18 other Appalachian Trail communities along the 2,180 miles between the southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the trail’s northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine.

 

The ceremony started shortly before noon and already it was 95 degrees in the shade and the asphalt was melting. The long list of dignitaries who marked the occasion included U.S. Rep. Nan Hayworth and representatives from the National Park Service. Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton was joined by Greenwood Lake Mayor Barbara Moore, Village of Warwick Mayor Michael Newhard and Village of Florida Mayor James Pawliczek Sr. atop an old reliable flatbed trailer overlooking the Warwick valley from the Bellvale Creamery and just steps from the historic trail.

 

On Saturday the Appalachian Trail did seem continuous and that is probably just how its visionary planner Benton MacKaye would have wanted it.

 

The AT hikes ranged from a laid back stroll through the lush countryside to physically challenging endurance trails for the more serious hikers. While many were content to simply enjoy the quiet solitude of nature along with some fellow enthusiasts, others were able to take a more leisurely pace and catch up on conversation while still taking in the breathtaking surroundings.

 

Warwick joins a distinguished rank of AT Communities, and town pride was evident in every detail of the event. Free shuttle buses ran from Greenwood Lake to the top of Mount Peter for those who could not make the hike in the heat, and some even hauled extra folding chairs from their homes for their fellow ceremony attendees to use. In all, the day was a well-coordinated tribute to the history and future of the Appalachian Trail and brought an already tightly knit community even closer together.

 

 

 

GREENWOOD LAKE — The Town of Warwick took center stage on the last day of June 2012 as residents spent the day celebrating the town’s designation as the first Appalachian Trail Community in New York State. Festivities began bright and early in Greenwood Lake with a pancake breakfast in Lion’s Field and by one of the heads to the Appalachian Trail. Several thru hikers who have been on the trail since March welcomed the multi-grain pancakes, real maple syrup, local bacon and more. Breakfast was complimentary for thru hikers and modestly priced for the day hikers who enjoyed meeting other AT and hiking enthusiasts.

 

The Appalachian Trail Community program serves to assist communities with sustainable economic development through tourism and outdoor recreation, while preserving and protecting the Appalachian Trail. In addition to Warwick, there are only 18 other Appalachian Trail communities along the 2,180 miles between the southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the trail’s northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine.

 

The ceremony started shortly before noon and already it was 95 degrees in the shade and the asphalt was melting. The long list of dignitaries who marked the occasion included U.S. Rep. Nan Hayworth and representatives from the National Park Service. Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton was joined by Greenwood Lake Mayor Barbara Moore, Village of Warwick Mayor Michael Newhard and Village of Florida Mayor James Pawliczek Sr. atop an old reliable flatbed trailer overlooking the Warwick valley from the Bellvale Creamery and just steps from the historic trail.

 

On Saturday the Appalachian Trail did seem continuous and that is probably just how its visionary planner Benton MacKaye would have wanted it.

 

The AT hikes ranged from a laid back stroll through the lush countryside to physically challenging endurance trails for the more serious hikers. While many were content to simply enjoy the quiet solitude of nature along with some fellow enthusiasts, others were able to take a more leisurely pace and catch up on conversation while still taking in the breathtaking surroundings.

 

Warwick joins a distinguished rank of AT Communities, and town pride was evident in every detail of the event. Free shuttle buses ran from Greenwood Lake to the top of Mount Peter for those who could not make the hike in the heat, and some even hauled extra folding chairs from their homes for their fellow ceremony attendees to use. In all, the day was a well-coordinated tribute to the history and future of the Appalachian Trail and brought an already tightly knit community even closer together.