The bridge is a National Recreation Trail, and connects to the Dutchess Rail Trail to the east, creating a contiguous rail trail system that spans both Ulster and Dutchess counties. The Hudson Valley trail continues west from the Poughkeepsie Bridge to a bridge over Mile Hill Road, then another to a crossing at US 9W. At the mark, the trail reaches a bridge over Vineyard Avenue. About from the bridge, the trail crosses under New Paltz Road. Almost from this road, the trail reaches the Black Creek Wetlands Complex. Black Creek is one of the two "principal streams" to run through Lloyd; it bisects the town as it flows north and pools in a pond. The wetlands complex itself is important for water drainage. Part of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation region 3, the complex contains Plutarch Swamp and one of the region's largest dwarf shrub bogs, hosting a variety of rare species. The complex also includes the Swarte Kill, Lloyd's second major waterway. The trail continues an additional past the beginning of the complex to Tony Williams Park. The trail was extended about west as part of the Empire State Trail project. This section parallels New York State Route 299, ending just west of the New York State Thruway in New Paltz. On-road connections are available connecting the western terminus to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. There are five parking areas along the trail, by Haviland Road, Commercial Avenue, the Rotary pavilion, at Tony Williams Park, and along Route 299 in Lloyd. The trail is wide and long; it is paved with asphalt and suitable for hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, roller blading, and cross country skiing. In 2018, Hudson Valley law firm Mainetti & Mainetti, P.C. published an updated bicycle map that showed the proposed route of the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, and how it links the Walkill Valley Rail Trail and River-to-Ridge-Trail with the Dutchess County Rail Trail. See also List of rail trails in New York Rosendale trestle – another instance in which Conrail sold a bridge and adjoining rights-of-way for one dollar References Bibliography External links Hudson Valley Rail Trail Association Parks in Ulster County, New York National Recreation Trails in New York (state)