Cannabis Dispensary Near River-to-Ridge Trail
The closest Farmers Choice to River-to-Ridge Trail is our New Paltz farm stand, about 3 miles away, roughly a 7-minute drive.
Farmers Choice New Paltz
What is River-to-Ridge Trail?
The River-to-Ridge Trail is a free six-mile loop of wide, rolling gravel path that ties the village of New Paltz to the foot of the Shawangunk Ridge, built by the Open Space Institute with Mohonk Preserve and opened in 2018. It starts just across the Wallkill River from downtown, swings through working farm fields with the full wall of the Gunks ahead of you, and climbs gently toward the carriage roads and the stone Testimonial Gateway at the base of the mountain. It was designed as the front porch of the ridge, the piece that lets you walk out of town and into the landscape.
Why it is worth the trip
This is the easiest big view in New Paltz. Runners and dog walkers do the loop before work, families push strollers on the smooth gravel, and gravel cyclists use it as the on-ramp to a whole day on the Mohonk carriage roads. The sightline of Sky Top tower above the open fields is the town's signature panorama, the one on half the postcards, and you earn it inside the first ten minutes at a walking pace. Sunset is the show here, when the ridge goes purple over the hayfields and the whole loop fills with people who clearly know something.
Plan your visit
The main trailhead and its parking lot sit on Springtown Road just off Route 299, immediately west of the Wallkill River bridge, and the loop is open dawn to dusk with no fee or pass. From Farmers Choice New Paltz it is one straight shot west on Route 299 through the village, about seven minutes. The full loop runs around six miles with one noticeable climb toward the gateway, there is no water or shade for long stretches, so carry a bottle in summer, and dogs are welcome on leash. The gravel drains well, but early spring can still be soft after a thaw.
Good to know
Locals treat River-to-Ridge as the connector it was built to be: it links straight into the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail at the village end, so you can walk from Main Street coffee to open farmland in fifteen minutes, and hikers use it to reach the Preserve's Pine Road and Lenape Lane without moving a car. Mornings bring mist off the river flats, October Saturdays bring crowds and photographers, and winter turns the loop into a quiet snowshoe circuit. The fields around the path are working farmland, so stay on the gravel and give the equipment room in haying season.
Make Farmers Choice part of the day
The trailhead and the farm stand bracket the village on the same road, seven minutes apart on Route 299, which makes the loop the easiest add-on to any pickup run in the county. Order Now from the New Paltz menu when you start your last mile and it is usually ready by the time you drive back through town, or Visit Us first and walk the loop at sunset while the order window is behind you. Bring a valid 21+ ID, and remember the trail and the farm fields around it do not allow consuming, and neither does any vehicle under New York law.
1 Old Route 299, New Paltz, NY 12561, get directionsDaily 8AM to 10PM845-419-2420Find us on the way
Farmers Choice New Paltz sits at 1 Old Route 299, right where Route 299 meets NYS Thruway Exit 18, about 3 miles from River-to-Ridge Trail.
River-to-Ridge Trail questions
Is there a dispensary near the River-to-Ridge Trail?
Yes. Farmers Choice New Paltz is about 3 miles from the Springtown Road trailhead, roughly a seven-minute drive straight down Route 299 at Thruway Exit 18.
How long is the River-to-Ridge Trail?
The main loop runs about six miles of wide gravel with one steady climb toward the Testimonial Gateway. Most walkers give it two to three hours, and runners and cyclists lap it much faster.
Does the River-to-Ridge Trail cost anything?
No. The trail is free, open dawn to dusk year round, with a dedicated parking lot on Springtown Road just off Route 299. It connects to Mohonk Preserve lands, which require a day pass beyond the boundary.
Is the trail good for kids and casual walkers?
Yes, it is one of the gentlest walks in the Gunks. The gravel is smooth enough for strollers, you can turn around at any point, and the big ridge views arrive within the first half mile from the trailhead.
Can I consume cannabis on the River-to-Ridge Trail?
No. The loop crosses conserved land and working farms where consuming is not permitted, and New York law prohibits consuming in public and in vehicles. Enjoy your purchase at home instead.
Can I pick up an order after walking the loop?
Yes. Place your order on the New Paltz menu during your last stretch of trail and it is usually ready within the hour, and the store is open until 10PM daily, so even a sunset loop makes it back in time.