Rail-Trail
State: NY Length: 9.1 miles Surface: Crushed Stone
The Auburn Trail is a major cross-town, multi-use pathway, which provides connections to other trails and an up-close view of one of the oldest railroad buildings in the country. Start in Farmington at Mertensia Park. Shortly after leaving the park, the trail passes through a residential development. At Victor Road (about 0.75 mile) you encounter your first detour. Follow Victor Road to Break of Day Road to a left turn onto Brace Road and back to the rail corridor. The detour is about 0.9 mile long on residential streets with light traffic. Back on the trail, Victor Hills Golf Club is on the left. A little farther along, a restored train station and boxcars have been repurposed for business use. Just past these landmarks is the second and last on-road detour. Turn right on Maple Street, cross the railroad tracks and turn left onto Railroad Avenue. After one block, turn left onto School Street to return to the trail. To explore the shops and restaurants in the village of Victor, stay straight on Maple Street one block beyond Railroad Avenue until you reach Main Street. The trail is much more rural beyond Victor. Seneca Trail, a 7.5-mile hiking trail, branches right. In another 1.8 miles the trail passes under the Lehigh Valley Trail. To significantly boost your mileage, follow the Lehigh Valley Trail 15 miles west to the Genesee Valley Greenway. Next up on the Auburn Trail is Fishers, where the trail cuts through the parking lot of the Fishers Fire Company and passes the second oldest railroad feature in the U.S.—a cobblestone pumping station. The station supplied water to the steam engines that traveled this line from 1841, when the Auburn and Rochester Railroad began operation, through the 1853 consolidation into the New York Central Railro
State: NY Length: 12 miles Surface:
The Black Diamond Trail is a 15-mile, off-road pedestrian and bicycle dedicated trail facility proposed for Tompkins County, New York. The trail will provide residents and visitors with an alternate way to travel to several destinations in the county including the four major State Parks and many other popular community destinations in the City of Ithaca and the Towns of Ithaca and Ulysses. The trail's setting includes stream bottomlands, the urban setting of the City of Ithaca and pastoral rural lands.
State: NY Length: 14.51 miles Surface: Cinder, Dirt
The Cato-Fair Haven Trail (a.k.a. Cayuga County Trail) travels a little more than 14 miles through forest, wetland and tree farm.
State: NY Length: 16.7 miles Surface: Asphalt
Four trails make up the Clarence Pathways trail system: the 3.5-mile West Shore Trail, 4.8-mile Newstead Bike Path, 6.1-mile Clarence Bike Trail and 2.3-mile Peanut Line Trail. The trails radiate around the Buffalo suburbs of Clarence, Akron and Amherst. The 3.5-mile West Shore Trail in Clarence follows the West Shore & Buffalo Railroad corridor. This same corridor saw the very first passenger train stop in Clarence en route to Buffalo from Syracuse, on January 1, 1884. The paved West Shore Trail travels the rural outskirts of Clarence and connects a number of the town's parks with residential areas and the downtown. Traveling east the trail is bookended by rural farms and fields. In Clarence Town Park the trail shares a low-volume local road for 0.8 mile that provides access to the park and the park maintenance facility. As the trail passes through downtown Clarence, bike route signs keep you on track. Look for bike lanes on the sidewalk and brick pavers at street crossings. The West Shore Trail returns to a rural setting until reaching Davidson Road. Here the trail becomes the Newstead Bike Path, though there is little noticeable difference between the two. After 2.5 miles of passing through farmland and woodlots on the Newstead Bike Path, you reach Akron Junction and the connection to the Peanut Line Trail. The Newstead Bike Path continues north and east for another 2 miles through country landscape and near residential developments to the town of Akron. If you choose to branch off on the Peanut Line Trail you will follow a 6-mile rail-trail that stretches west toward East Amherst. The trail is named for the New York Central Railroad corridor it travels, dubbed the "Peanut Line" for its short length. The first 2.3 miles of the trail, in Newstead, are primarily rural farmland. When you reach the Newstead-Clarence town line, the Peanut Line Trail becomes the Clarence Bike Trail, though it is also known as the Peanut Line Trail. The Clarence
State: NY Length: 365 miles Surface: Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
The Erie Canalway Trail runs 365 miles, from Buffalo in the west to Albany in the east, linking other cities of Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, and Schenectady. As of August 2011, about 75% of the trail is complete with a few remaining gaps (information below). The trail is mostly level, although portions through the Mohawk River Valley are a little bit steeper. Most of the Erie Canalway Trail is surfaced in crushed limestone dust, which can be smooth and make for easy riding when dry, more difficult riding when wet or freshly laid. For this reason, if you're biking the trail, wider tires are recommended. Other parts of the trail are natural surface, which means tree roots and ruts can sometimes make for difficult biking or hinder wheelchairs. Even fewer sections have asphalt surfaces, and there are long sections in some parts of the trail that are on-road. Ever since the canalway system was replaced by highway, freight and air traffic, people along the extensive canalway have sought ways to revitalize their communities. As early as the 1960s, communities began to develop trail systems along their neighboring towpaths. Today these trails form a vital part of people's lives, not only providing recreation and non-motorized commuter alternatives, but invigorating communities through commercial, historical and artistic development, while linking neighboring towns. Trail segments of the Erie Canalway Trail include: Erie Canalway Trail: Buffalo to Tonawanda (Riverwalk) Erie Canalway Trail: Tonawanda to Newark (Erie Canal Heritage Trail) Erie Canalway Trail: Port Byron to Utica (Old Erie Canal State Park)
State: NY Length: 100 miles Surface: Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt
The Erie Canalway Trail runs 365 miles, from Buffalo in the west to Albany in the east, linking other cities of Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, and Schenectady. As of August 2011, about 75% of the trail is complete with a few remaining gaps (information below). The trail is mostly level, although portions through the Mohawk River Valley are a little bit steeper. Most of the Erie Canalway Trail is surfaced in crushed limestone dust, which can be smooth and make for easy riding when dry, more difficult riding when wet or freshly laid. For this reason, if you're biking the trail, wider tires are recommended. Other parts of the trail are natural surface, which means tree roots and ruts can sometimes make for difficult biking or hinder wheelchairs. Even fewer sections have asphalt surfaces, and there are long sections in some parts of the trail that are on-road. Ever since the canalway system was replaced by highway, freight and air traffic, people along the extensive canalway have sought ways to revitalize their communities. As early as the 1960s, communities began to develop trail systems along their neighboring towpaths. Today these trails form a vital part of people's lives, not only providing recreation and non-motorized commuter alternatives, but invigorating communities through commercial, historical and artistic development, while linking neighboring towns. This section of the Erie Canalway Trail is also known as the Erie Canal Heritage Trail, which stretches 100 miles from Tonawanda to Newark, NY. For cyclists there are two main gaps in the trail that are bridged by riding on roads between Mayors Park (but keep to the south of the Canal along Creekside Drive) and Amherst Veterans Canal Park. There is another 6-mile gap from Amherst Museum Colony Park to Lockport (Clinton St.). You can pick up the Canalway Trail again just east of Lock 35 and continue all the way to Newark. There's a 30-mile gap in the trail from Lyons to Port Byron, where the trail
State: NY Length: 16.5 miles Surface: Asphalt, Concrete
The Genesee Riverway Trail links the area's vast array of recreational, historical and cultural attractions to diverse neighborhoods and the Seaway Trail, Erie Canalway Heritage Corridor and the Genesee Valley Greenway. The Genesee Riverway Trail is popular for walking, jogging, bicycling, inline skating and cross-country skiing. You can also access the river for canoeing, kayaking, rafting, fishing and bird-watching. The trail runs from the scenic Ontario Beach park in Irondequoit and travels south into the heart of the city, taking in a dramatic long boardwalk in the river near Lake Ontario. From here the trail continues into downtown Rochester. A few scenic pull-outs offer stunning views of the high waterfalls along the river. Farther south the trail ends in the suburb of Brighton, where it meets the Erie Canalway Trail. You'll find signs along the way at major access points for directions, mileage and trail precautions. Most of the trail is accessible, although there are some steep, rough or narrow areas with limited passage for those with mobility concerns. Check with the city of Rochester for more details.
State: NY Length: 68.8 miles Surface: Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
The Genesee Valley Greenway rolls through towns and countless landscapes from Rochester south to Cuba, New York. The greenway is a work in progress, but there is a long, continuous segment (37 miles) between Rochester and Sonyea that provides an off-road experience. As of spring 2012, 60+ disconnected miles of the trail are open to the public; several more are planned that will link the disconnected sections. On the off-road trail segments you may encounter missing bridges or occasional washouts requiring detours. For the latest trail information, visit Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway. The greenway follows the old transportation routes of the Genesee Valley Canal and the Rochester Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Historical villages and connections with other trails and relics—such as surviving canal structures—provide a rich layer to this otherwise rural ride. Only the northern 2 miles of the greenway are paved. Cinder, grass and packed dirt give the rest of the trail a firm, level platform. From the start at Rochester's Genesee Valley Park are intriguing sights: you pass the Rochester International Airport fire training school and two charred airplane fuselages used in demonstrations. A short on-road detour along State Route 383 and Ballantyne Road takes you off and then back to the trail. A short side trail takes you north over historic Black Creek Culvert (circa 1838), one of the state's largest 19th-century canal culverts, before it dead-ends at an active rail corridor. Back on the greenway you pass a large tract of forest conserved by the Genesee Land Trust. At 5.5 miles is the impressive stone Canal Lock #2, one of the few surviving locks along the greenway. The village of Scottsville, at 9 miles, has connected itself to the trail via the Canal Street Boardwalk. After a detour into the village for refreshments, you can head across Oatka Creek to Canawaugus Park, which has picnic tables,
State: NY Length: 20 miles Surface: Ballast
The Groveland Secondary Trail follows a portion of abandoned right-of-way of the old Groveland Branch of the Erie Lackawanna between York and Alexander. The York terminus begins just east of Main Street (SR 36) along Genesee Street (SR 63) by the bridge. From there the trail heads north and west to Alexander, ending at Old Creek Road just south of Peaviner/Hunn Roads. The trail passes among farmland, with several interspersed woodlands, passing through the communities of East Bethany and Linwood. The trail is open to horseback riders, mountain bikers, hikers, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers.
State: NY Length: 3.5 miles Surface: Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt
This pleasant community trail connects suburban residences close to the shore of Lake Ontario with a school, a church and a commercial area in Webster, New York. Near the trail's northwest end, it connects with old-growth forests and unique coastal lands preserved by the town. The trail takes its name from the Lake Ontario Shore Railroad's "Hojack Line" that served the area's apple orchards and other agriculturally based businesses. The tread varies from small sections of crushed stone to packed cinder ballast and mowed grass. Starting at the trailhead at Vosburg Hollow Nature Preserve gives you instant access to a wooded hilltop hiking path, the Vosburg Hollow Nature Trail, which leads you about an eighth of a mile through a red pine forest to the longer Vosburg Hiking Trail and the Gosnell Big Woods Preserve beyond. The branch trail offers a bike rack so you can lock up your bike and continue on foot to the top of the hill. Staying on the Hojack rail-trail, you can head less than 0.5 mile north and west of the trailhead to Lake Road. You cannot, however, reach the shore or get a good vista point until you travel west on Lake Road for 0.25 mile. Heading east the rail-trail passes through sections of grasslands and deciduous wood. The route looks and feels remote but is never far from busy roads and homes. It is only when you come to the half-dozen road crossings that you realize you are not, in fact, traveling through the wilderness. For now, the trail comes to an abrupt end between Hard and Holt roads. You can exit the trail at Hard Road or opt to continue on foot through a small nature park, called North Ponds Park, and make your way through a condominium complex onto Holt Road. Better yet, head back toward the Vosburg Hollow Nature Trail for a longer adventure.
State: NY Length: 4.8 miles Surface: Asphalt, Cinder, Concrete
Following the shore of Lake Ontario from the Irondequoit Bay to the Genesee River, the Irondequoit Lakeside Multi-Use Trail provides scenic views of the area's three major waterways. The path, built on a former railroad bed known locally as the Hojack Line, traverses east-west across the town of Irondequoit and passes through the northern end of Durand Eastman Park, a beautiful stretch of woodland with sloping ravines, wildflowers and a lakeside beach. To continue the journey, trail-goers will find a signed, on-street connection to the Genesee Riverway Trail at the trail's western end.
State: NY Length: 7 miles Surface: Asphalt, Ballast, Dirt, Gravel
In the heart of New York's Finger Lakes Region is a rail-trail that is part natural wonder and part industrial archaeology, and the 7-mile trail Keuka Outlet Trail has a unique heritage. Technically a stream, the 8-mile Keuka (KYOO-ka) Lake Outlet physically connects Keuka Lake to Seneca Lake in the east, the only two Finger Lakes in New York connected by a natural waterway. The outlet also connects the historic lakeside village of Penn Yan on Keuka Lake (settled in 1833 by Pennsylvania Yankees) with Dresden on Seneca Lake. Settled in the late 1700s by the Society of Universal Friends, the waterway became a gateway to western New York State. At its height of development in 1830, the 8-mile Keuka Lake Outlet, then called Crooked Lake, supported as many as 40 mills and 12 hydropower dams. The dams powered lumber mills and, to a lesser degree, tanneries, distilleries and mills producing linseed oil, grain and plaster. As the boon of canal transportation took hold, New York state built the Crooked Lake Canal along the length of the outlet. It was a colossal venture. Twenty-seven locks were built of stone and wood along the 8-mile waterway (by comparison, the 360-mile Erie Canal has only 90 locks). After an initial positive impact on the economy, the canal required constant repair and construction. The state legislature eventually sold the land in 1878 to businessmen who converted the canal corridor to the Penn Yan and New York Railroad Company. New York Central ran the railroad until 1972 when floods from Hurricane Agnes destroyed the corridor. The original canal dropped approximately 270 feet over an 8-mile section between Penn Yan and Dresden to the east. After the locks were removed, a number of waterfalls naturally developed; the waterway now attracts recreational paddlers. The water flow is controlled by a dam at Penn Yan and can change drastically from week to week, or even day to day. The trail itself remains fairly level for the entire 7 miles. The c
State: NY Length: 3.3 miles Surface: Asphalt, Concrete
Travelers on the Lake Ontario State Parkway Trail will enjoy scenic views of wooded areas, surrounding bodies of water and wetlands. The trail parallels the north side of the Parkway, which runs along Lake Ontario's southern shore. For longer excursions, adventurers can connect with the Genesee Riverway Trail at the trail's eastern end.
State: NY Length: 15.8 miles Surface: Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Grass
The Lehigh Valley Trail is part of a developing system of rail-trails in western New York. The segment from Victor to Rush offers nearly 16 miles of serene wooded and rural areas. Plus, it is literally expanding horizons for trail enthusiasts. The trail connects on the western end with the Genesee Valley Greenway and on the east end to the Auburn Trail. About midway, at Rochester Junction, the trail joins the Lehigh Valley Trail–North Branch. This developing trail will eventually connect to the Erie Canal Towpath about 5 miles to the north. Some call this gem of a rail-trail the Black Diamond Trail, which stems from the Lehigh Valley Railroad's nickname, "The Route of the Black Diamond." The railroad's 435-mile main line between Buffalo and New York City was used for hauling anthracite coal (black diamonds) from Pennsylvania. In Victor you can park just off Victor Mendon Road at the current eastern terminus of the trail. If you park a little farther west (at the Phillips Road Trailhead), you'll also have access to the Auburn Trail as well as the Seneca Trail. The Lehigh Valley Trail's newly decked trestle bridge is visible from the parking area; west of the bridge is the short connector to the Auburn Trail. Heading west, the Lehigh Valley Trail is a smooth, crushed-stone path. Equestrians are encouraged to preserve the trail surface by using the 5-foot grassy space that parallels the trail. This is the trail's most recently built section. You have open views of meadows and some industrial park buildings, but trees soon enclose the corridor. Around mile 1 you reach a small park with picnic tables in a pa
State: NY Length: 14.5 miles Surface: Crushed Stone
The North Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad trail connects the campuses of the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology. The trail's northern terminus is where the Erie Canal Heritage Trail connects to UR's "Park Lot" parking lot, accessed by Intercampus Drive. From there the trail uses a concrete-and-gravel bridge to cross I-390. A rough path continues 0.2 miles to East River Road. From East River Rd. to Brighton-Henrietta Town Line Rd (1.5 miles) the trail is stone dust. Users must then use the sidewalk (concrete, 5ft wide) of B-H Town Line Rd for 0.25 miles and cross Jefferson Rd. at a controlled intersection with a push-button walk sign. South of Jefferson Rd, the path is an asphalt-paved multi-use path parallel to John St. for the remaining 1.5 miles. The trail terminates at Bailey Rd. The trail is marked with small green "Lehigh Valley Trail" trail signs.
State: NY Length: 1.5 miles Surface: Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
Whirlpool State Park has two levels--the upper, or street level has many overlooks with spectacular views of the swirling waters of the rapids, the whirlpool and the Niagara River Escarpment. Visitors picnic and children use the playground at this level. The lower, or river level is accessible by walking the 300 feet of trails and steps that descend into the gorge. This level has several nature trails and access for fishing. Devil's Hole State Park overlooks the lower Whirlpool rapids. A wildly beautiful walkway leads down from the park along the turbulent Niagara River 300 feet into the wooded gorge and offers an up-close, spectacular view of the gorge's rapids. Devil's Hole has picnic areas, hiking, and nature trails. It is one of the most popular spots for fishermen.
State: NY Length: 19 miles Surface: Cinder, Grass, Gravel
Shaped like a left-leaning V, the Ontario Pathways Rail Trail travels southwest from Canandaigua to Stanley, then shoots north to Clifton Springs. The rural trail is the pride of an industrious community organization, Ontario Pathways, Inc., that purchased the unused railroad corridor and transformed it into a popular recreation destination. Nineteen miles of the rail-trail are open, and ten of twelve bridges have been redecked or rebuilt. One of the bridges at the Canandaigua end is enhanced with a decorative metal gate in the shape of the organization's logo and name. A similar gate is in place in Clifton Springs. For the first few miles in Canandaigua, an active rail line is separated from the trail by a thick, overgrown hedgerow. The trail's surface is single track, occasionally wider, of packed cinder ballast bordered by mowed grass and trees. It's a wonderfully pleasant ride through the vast agricultural landscape of the Finger Lakes region, passing acres and acres of green cabbage, red cabbage, squash, celery, soybeans and corn. If you ride the trail often enough, you will witness the full cycle of America's produce being grown and harvested. At the Orleans trailhead, along County Road 23, is a railroad water tower. The wooden tank, which held 40,000 gallons, is one of a few of the remaining towers that serviced steam locomotives throughout the Northeast. At this point there is a break in the trail that requires on-road navigation to reach the last section of rail-trail north of Clifton Springs. It is worth the extra effort to enjoy the northernmost segment's beautiful waterfalls and nicely constructed bridges. Be sure to budget enough time to explore the quaint town of Canandaigua, perched on the north shore of Canandaigua Lake, one of the smaller of New York's Finger Lakes. With loads of Victorian architecture and a population of fewer than 15,000, Canandaigua has the essence of a tiny resort town. From June through October you can
State: NY Length: 11.4 miles Surface: Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
The Pittsford Trail System, also called the Railroad Loop Trail, provides access to the Erie Canal, town of Pittsford, and shopping and business district in the quaint New York village. A short segment follows part of the Erie Canalway Trail. Most of the Pittsford Trail, however, passes through a wooded corridor behind tidy suburban back yards and provides access to the Pittsford Shopping Plaza.
State: NY Length: 4.5 miles Surface: Crushed Stone
The town of Perinton, New York, has been hard at work improving the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Trail, and it shows. Since 1996, when the American Hiking Society designated Perinton as a Trail Town USA, the trail has a new connection with the town hall and its surrounding park facilities, and there is a state-of-the-art road crossing at busy Route 31. Even the crushed limestone surface is in great shape. The rail-trail connects with the town's Crescent Trail footpath system and is in sight of the Erie Canal trail between Buffalo and Albany. The trail is also known locally as the RS&E Trail, the Perinton Hike-Bikeway, or the Trolley Trail, for the electric trolley that ran on the corridor. Whatever name you use, the trail provides an excellent spot for a walk or bike ride. It's probably best to start your adventure at Egypt Park on the corner of Route 31 and Victor Road. From the southwest corner of the parking lot, follow a short connecting path to the trail. Turn right onto the rail-trail but look left to see the horses and other animals of Lollypop Farms, the large Human Society branch of Monroe and Rochester counties. If you have time at the end of the trip, visit their education center, hands-on outdoor pens or even the adoption center. From Egypt Park, the trail heads both east and west; east where it dead-ends (for now) at Pannell Road and west toward Fairport. Heading west from Egypt Park, the trail crosses Route 31. At the far side of the busy road, the trail continues on the left. You may notice the power lines overhead. The Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Trail is one of the many rail-trails—nearly 40 percent—that pulls double duty as a recreation and transportation corridor and a utility right-of-way. After crossing over Route 31, you may feel the headwind off Lake Ontario, about 10 miles north. If you listen closely, you can hear the train whistle from the active rail line a few miles still ahead. Forested and open wetlands
State: NY Length: 6.1 miles Surface: Dirt, Grass, Gravel
Once used by the Seneca indians, this trail traverses glacial formations, open fields, farmland, wooded wetlands and the Auburn Trail. The degree of difficulty varies from flat and easy to steep and hilly. The trail can be wet and muddy in some sections. Valentown Hall, located at the north end of the trail, is a three story wooden building that was built in the 1870's for a train that never came. The museum is open on weekends and by appointment. At the south end of the trail is Ganondagan State Historic Site, once a thriving Seneca village. Learn how the Seneca lived in this area in the 1600's and see a replica of a longhouse.