Find the top rated trails in Albany, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Considered "the backbone" of an emerging network of trails in Saratoga County, the Zim Smith Trail, sometimes called the Zim Smith Mid-County Trail, connects the towns of Halfmoon, Round Lake Village,...
Currently, the 1-mile Spring Run Trail extends between East Street just south of Excelsior Avenue and I-87, or the Northway, near Exit 15. Eventually, the trail will begin in Congress Park and run...
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For family riding and walking, the Tannersville Bike Path offers a 2.7 mile stretch of graded dirt path starting on Clum Hill Road directly across from Cortina Valley. The opposite end is on Bloomer...
Nestled in the Hoosic River Valley, between Mount Greylock and the Hoosac Mountains in Berkshire County, the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail takes its name from a Native American word meaning "the pleasant...
The Railroad Run trail runs for just a half mile between West Circular Street and Congress Avenue in Saratoga Springs. The trail is part of a growing network throughout the town and county. There are...
The scenic Valley Trail spans 9 miles connecting Dover and Wilmington in southern Vermont along the Green Mountain National Forest. It provides a critical off-road pathway for bypassing Route 100....
The Glens Falls Feeder Canal Trail begins at the Feeder Dam in Glens Falls and follows the Hudson River through town to the Champlain Canal, then turns south toward Fort Edward. The 8-mile trail...
Harlem Valley Rail Trail provides a scenic ride through rolling farm fields and dense woods on the bed of the New York and Harlem Railroad that ran from New York City to Chatham. The rail-trail is...
Just north of Albany, the Black Bridge Trail connects the communities of Waterford, Cohoes, and Green Island in eastern New York. As it parallels Delaware Avenue, it is sometimes referred to as the...
This asphalt trail is the legacy of an inter-urban trolley system operated by Schenectady Railway Company (SRC) in the early 1900s. To attract visitors on weekends, SRC built an amusement park at...
The Schuylerville segment of the 71-mile Champlain Canalway Trail rail runs between Schuyler House, past Lock 5 of the canal and does a loop around the island (Hudson Crossing Park). As of 2011, only...
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The Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville Rail-Trail (FJ&G) has one main section and one shorter section. The main segment runs for nearly 8 miles between Union Avenue in Johnstown and the intersection of...
Inland and east of the Hudson River, the Uncle Sam Bike Trail (also called the Uncle Sam Trail or Uncle Sam Bikeway) largely serves as a trail for residents of Troy. If, however, you are traveling in...
The Saratoga segment of the 71-mile Champlain Canalway Trail includes three disconnected segments near the Hudson River, from Stillwater Township to the town of Saratoga. The longest section is under...
The Railroad Ramble occupies a corridor abandoned by the Central New England Railroad, which provided service from 1871 through 1967. In Lakeville, the trail can be found just off of Route 41 behind...
This trail is as smart as it is pretty. Signs that detail the area's history and appealing destinations accompany a scenic ride from Glens Falls into the resort town of Lake George, New York....
About 8 miles of the planned 9-mile Albany County Rail Trail (also known as the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail) is now open. Pedestrians and bicyclists may use the trail and, in the winter months, the...
Considered "the backbone" of an emerging network of trails in Saratoga County, the Zim Smith Trail, sometimes called the Zim Smith Mid-County Trail, connects the towns of Halfmoon, Round Lake Village,...
The Railroad Ramble occupies a corridor abandoned by the Central New England Railroad, which provided service from 1871 through 1967. In Lakeville, the trail can be found just off of Route 41 behind...
The Schuylerville segment of the 71-mile Champlain Canalway Trail rail runs between Schuyler House, past Lock 5 of the canal and does a loop around the island (Hudson Crossing Park). As of 2011, only...
The Delaware and Hudson Rail-Trail follows the flowing contours of the western Vermont countryside, rambling in and out of New York state, where you’ll find a 4-mile gap. This border area is known as...
The Kaaterskill Rail Trail offers a beautiful wooded walk through Haines Falls in eastern New York, nestled in the northern Catskills. It begins at the historical Ulster & Delaware Train Station,...
This trail is as smart as it is pretty. Signs that detail the area's history and appealing destinations accompany a scenic ride from Glens Falls into the resort town of Lake George, New York....
About 8 miles of the planned 9-mile Albany County Rail Trail (also known as the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail) is now open. Pedestrians and bicyclists may use the trail and, in the winter months, the...
Inland and east of the Hudson River, the Uncle Sam Bike Trail (also called the Uncle Sam Trail or Uncle Sam Bikeway) largely serves as a trail for residents of Troy. If, however, you are traveling in...
The Hoosic River Greenway spans 2.5 miles along the river’s east bank through the Village of Hoosick Falls. The gravel pathway follows the former route of the Boston Hoosac Tunnel & Western Railway,...
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The East Branch Trail is a 0.5-mile ungroomed, backcountry pathway built on a former logging railroad bed in southern Vermont's Windham County. The remote, heavily wooded trail lies just north of the...
The Saratoga segment of the 71-mile Champlain Canalway Trail includes three disconnected segments near the Hudson River, from Stillwater Township to the town of Saratoga. The longest section is under...
Just north of Albany, the Black Bridge Trail connects the communities of Waterford, Cohoes, and Green Island in eastern New York. As it parallels Delaware Avenue, it is sometimes referred to as the...
This asphalt trail is the legacy of an inter-urban trolley system operated by Schenectady Railway Company (SRC) in the early 1900s. To attract visitors on weekends, SRC built an amusement park at...
For family riding and walking, the Tannersville Bike Path offers a 2.7 mile stretch of graded dirt path starting on Clum Hill Road directly across from Cortina Valley. The opposite end is on Bloomer...
The first section of the Corkscrew Rail Trail opened in June 2015. It begins at Knapp Road in Stephentown and heads south under a shady tree canopy towards New Lebanon, near the New York/Massachusetts...
This out-and-back rail-trail's beautiful natural setting and informative signage invite visitors to appreciate the importance of wetland habitats. Located just east of downtown Saratoga Springs, the...
Although short, the Hoot, Toot and Whistle Trail provides an enjoyable journey through peaceful woodlands on Wilmington's west end. As you might guess, the rail-trail gets its name from the former...
Nestled in the Hoosic River Valley, between Mount Greylock and the Hoosac Mountains in Berkshire County, the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail takes its name from a Native American word meaning "the pleasant...
Harlem Valley Rail Trail provides a scenic ride through rolling farm fields and dense woods on the bed of the New York and Harlem Railroad that ran from New York City to Chatham. The rail-trail is...
The Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville Rail-Trail (FJ&G) has one main section and one shorter section. The main segment runs for nearly 8 miles between Union Avenue in Johnstown and the intersection of...
About 8 miles of the planned 9-mile Albany County Rail Trail (also known as the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail) is now open. Pedestrians and bicyclists may use the trail and, in the winter months, the...
The Saratoga segment of the 71-mile Champlain Canalway Trail includes three disconnected segments near the Hudson River, from Stillwater Township to the town of Saratoga. The longest section is under...
The scenic Valley Trail spans 9 miles connecting Dover and Wilmington in southern Vermont along the Green Mountain National Forest. It provides a critical off-road pathway for bypassing Route 100....
The Kaaterskill Rail Trail offers a beautiful wooded walk through Haines Falls in eastern New York, nestled in the northern Catskills. It begins at the historical Ulster & Delaware Train Station,...
The Schuylerville segment of the 71-mile Champlain Canalway Trail rail runs between Schuyler House, past Lock 5 of the canal and does a loop around the island (Hudson Crossing Park). As of 2011, only...
Ballston Spa's Jim Tedisco Fitness Trail spans 0.5 mile between Front Street and Prospect Street on what was once a railroad bed.
The Delaware and Hudson Rail-Trail follows the flowing contours of the western Vermont countryside, rambling in and out of New York state, where you’ll find a 4-mile gap. This border area is known as...
The Glens Falls Feeder Canal Trail begins at the Feeder Dam in Glens Falls and follows the Hudson River through town to the Champlain Canal, then turns south toward Fort Edward. The 8-mile trail...
The Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville Rail-Trail (FJ&G) has one main section and one shorter section. The main segment runs for nearly 8 miles between Union Avenue in Johnstown and the intersection of...
The Hoosic River Greenway spans 2.5 miles along the river’s east bank through the Village of Hoosick Falls. The gravel pathway follows the former route of the Boston Hoosac Tunnel & Western Railway,...
Currently, the 1-mile Spring Run Trail extends between East Street just south of Excelsior Avenue and I-87, or the Northway, near Exit 15. Eventually, the trail will begin in Congress Park and run...
Harlem Valley Rail Trail provides a scenic ride through rolling farm fields and dense woods on the bed of the New York and Harlem Railroad that ran from New York City to Chatham. The rail-trail is...
This asphalt trail is the legacy of an inter-urban trolley system operated by Schenectady Railway Company (SRC) in the early 1900s. To attract visitors on weekends, SRC built an amusement park at...
For family riding and walking, the Tannersville Bike Path offers a 2.7 mile stretch of graded dirt path starting on Clum Hill Road directly across from Cortina Valley. The opposite end is on Bloomer...
Nestled in the Hoosic River Valley, between Mount Greylock and the Hoosac Mountains in Berkshire County, the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail takes its name from a Native American word meaning "the pleasant...
The Erie Canalway Trail will run for 360 miles in upstate New York—from Buffalo in the west to Albany in the east—linking many other communities along the way, including Rochester, Syracuse, Rome,...
The heavily wooded Lye Brook Falls Trail runs for 2 miles through the Lye Brook Wilderness of the Green Mountain National Forest near Manchester. The blue-blazed hiking trail follows the bed of a...
The Railroad Ramble occupies a corridor abandoned by the Central New England Railroad, which provided service from 1871 through 1967. In Lakeville, the trail can be found just off of Route 41 behind...
The East Branch Trail is a 0.5-mile ungroomed, backcountry pathway built on a former logging railroad bed in southern Vermont's Windham County. The remote, heavily wooded trail lies just north of the...
Although short, the Hoot, Toot and Whistle Trail provides an enjoyable journey through peaceful woodlands on Wilmington's west end. As you might guess, the rail-trail gets its name from the former...
Yup. August 2017, hot summer day.
Riding along the lakes or reservoirs, it is nice and flat, paved well. A good trip.
So glad this railtrail is now complete. Glad we wore hiking boots - old rr ties and tree roots. Great view of the falls - the side trail off this railtrail to view the falls is not well marked. The DEC trail to the top of the falls is well done. Port-a-potties at Laurel House trail head. TrailLink needs to update their map as it is not correct.
I am an experienced rail trail rider. Had this been my "first" venture on a rail trail, I would be hard pressed to be convinced to go on another. I love the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the work they do. I am an avid trail rider. I don't usually write reviews but feel in this case it is wise to give a heads-up to inexperienced trail riders.
I started in Roxbury. It was hard to even find the trailhead. The grass is knee high. No signs for parking. I took my chances and parked on Rt 30, which turned out to be fine. There were no other cars parked at the trail head. Not a good sign! Except for the high grass (oh boy, ticks were on my mind) the trail from Roxbury to where you cross Rt 30 towards the Gorge was uneventful except for the marshy area where you come out at the road that required walking your bike.
Once on the other side the "fun" begins. As one reviewer noted, lots of sticks. And mud. And rocks. And loose gravel. The stretch of exposed railroad ties is short and definitely walkable. The rest of the trail is hard going, and between the high grass, mud, rocks, gravel and sticks, my time was really slow, slower than my usual slow pace.
I was disappointed that the Catskill Revitalization Corp building was fairly dilapidated and closed (on Memorial Day Weekend). There are basically no amenities along the way (except a Family Dollar right on the trail in Stamford) and no signage pointing to any at any of the street crossings. I do not see how it is possible ride the entire trail out and back AND take in the off the trail sightseeing as described in the trail description (Official Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Guidebook), and do it all before dark. (Fishing, picnicking, reading a book, exploring the towns, really?) As it were, it took me from 9:45 am to 6:30 pm to go out and back. (Granted, I am a 60 year old woman riding alone but with 1000s of miles of experience.)
There are no mile markers, but some signage after the Gorge indicating miles to the next town. Only no signs to indicate that you indeed had reached that town. (I am comparing this to other rail trails that have signage, amenities and indications that you are in a certain town.) It is obvious there's a town nearby at some of the crossings, but unless you are well armed with maps and prior research, you won't be absolutely sure of where you are. Signage connecting the trail at crossings is good.
You can read about all the types of areas you'll be riding through in the trail overview.
Lack of riders on a beautiful, sunny holiday weekend day in May is an indication that the trail may leave a lot to be desired. In the entire trip out and back I only saw may a dozen other riders, and only three of whom I saw coming and going.
Even with all the hardship, it was a beautiful area of the country to ride. My recommendation is to not ride this trail alone as there are too many areas where if you got hurt or had mechanical issues you'd be waiting a good long while for help. I had no cell phone coverage for most of the trip. Make sure your bike is suited for the conditions. Don't even think about taking your road bike. Take lots of water, food, bug spray, first aid kit, etc. Don't depend on being able to stock up along the way. Don't make this trail your first rail trail experience. Try a shorter one that's less difficult first. If you are hell bent on doing the whole trip in one shot (like me, as I read that recommendation in the overview, ahem), start in Roxbury as the grade will be in your favor on the way back.
I hope the Catskill Revitalization Corp is able to raise the funds to support the upkeep of this trail. It has so much potential and is one of the few trails in the northeast that are more than a few miles long.
(My ride: Surly Long Haul Trucker.)
I've ridden this section for more than 30 years with no flats. New aggregate has been laid down in this section over the last three weeks. It sparkles in the sun. I've had five flats on the new surface. Each was caused by a tiny glass shard, some clear some brown. The workers said they were putting down crushed limestone. It seems to there may be recycled glass in the mix. I'm running Schwalbe G one 700x60 tires at 30# rear 25# front. It's an admittedly light tire but I've had no problem with flats elsewhere including rough gravel roads. Go belted or tubeless on this section or be prepared to flat. Without the nice smooth new surface I'd have given this trail four stars.
I rode from Stamford to Bloomfield on May 21st. The ride is scenic although you should expect farmfields and farm trash pushed to the edge of fields. I do a lot of cycling and used a cyclocross bike but this trail really was bumpy with downed trees and many, many sticks on the trail. The constant attention I had to give to avoiding sticks flipping into my spokes and sending me flying made me lose sight at times of the marvelous scenery. A few parts of the trail were mowed grass. I wish I could win the lottery and give the CST folks a generous donation so the trail could be a bit better maintained. Stamford has a gorgeous amenity with this rail-trail and a depot still standing.
Six older couples cycling from East Syracuse to Albany in May, just before the Canal opened. Advantage: Lots of camping. Disadvantage: no boats to watch in the locks and towns. The book was pleasantly wrong and needs a wee bit of an update with the wonderful new additions, trail re-locations, and especially attractions. There was much less on-road cycling than we had worried about. The drivers on the road were suitably accommodating. We camped some nights and stayed in motels as the mood and weather might indicate. When we got to Amsterdam, NY, however, we slept in a CASTLE!! The Amsterdam Castle, a mere 800' from the trail was amazing and worth the few dollars more than the chain motels we had stayed at. There was a breakfast and wonderful rooms. The artwork was worth a museum entrance fee. Everything was AMAZING! We enjoyed a nice meal at Parillo's Italian Restaurant (go through through the Armory Bar and Grill and take a left). Another fun culinary highlight of the ride was Mike's Diner in Fultonville. It's just under the highway on the left. Great food, great fun. Very entertaining proprietor and a fair price. Now, the areas that need improvement: Only one or two cross streets were signed. There were virtually no signs for important trail-side amenities, like, lodging, camping, ice cream, groceries, repair shops, ice cream, attractions, or restaurants with ice cream. [The Great Allegheny Passage really got that right.] ECT should take a look. There were no trail-side tool set-ups like on the Norwootuck or GAP trails. Those were nice. Some of the really cool attractions, like the first bike ridden cross-country, a huge high-wheeler, is in the second floor of a darling historical society in Henniker. Each local Chamber of Commerce should be all over this trail. As multi-day trails go, this one had the most to offer in scenery and museums, but they were often not in the book and hard. We only knew about them from prior research and our AAA Guide. Rome and Fort Stanwix not withstanding. We broke a chain on the tandem in Schenectedy. One bike shop, Plaine and Sons, fortunately has a mobile service van. We called them and explained the issue, and they don't actually use the van. It's basically just a sign. We went to NY Bike on Congress, where an efficient young man repaired the bike in less than five minutes. If an establishment isn't really going to support the trail, they should not be mentioned. My advice would be double your time from other trails of the same length and see the sights which lie not far off the trail. This ride is more of an adventure and less of just a bike ride. To just ride it is to miss the mark. Hope some of this helps. Happy trails.
Absolutely beautiful scenery. Asphalt path was in great condition. People on the trail were friendly. Maps were available in Millerton as well as a clean porta potty. Many sections were shaded to provide some relief from the heat! Millerton is a small, quaint village with plenty of nice shops to check out.
This trail has a ton of potential, but a couple words of warning: the sections East of Stamford are looser, and the Roxbury--Grand Gorge section in particular is ill-maintained. We went in April which was probably a bit early in the season, as much of it was wet and we found it tough going for much of it, even on gravel bikes. Full MTBs might work better.
When I rode it in September 2016, it stopped a short way into the town of New Lebanon, dead-ending before it reached the village. It's a nice ride as far as it goes. Hopefully it's now as long as the map says it is.
Last summer, a group of 10 friends did the trail from Buffalo to Albany. Before we started the trail in Buffalo, we ride our bikes to Niagara Falls in Canada. Great experience and wonderful ride, except for walking the bike over the border.
The "trail" between Buffalo and Albany has some gaps but in general is ok. There is a small section before Rochester where the trail is in horrible condition. The good thing is that there are good hotels in Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester (Marriott) so you can accomodate your trip to stay in a nice hotel after a long ride. There is only one stop where you have to sleep in a run-down motel, but, hey! No trip is perfect!
I love this trail and ride it 3 - 4 times a week. The western section from Slingerlands to Voorheesville is not yet paved, but is rideable with a fitness or mountain bike.
There is a parking lot on South Pearl street, the eastern end of the trail. There are bike tools and a pump located at this lot, as well as CDPHP rental bikes.
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