Explore the best rated trails in Albany, NY. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Zim Smith Mid-County Trail and Spring Run Trail. With more than 32 trails covering 537 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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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 State Route...
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...
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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...
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...
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 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...
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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...
Visitors to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail will find the full splendor of the scenic Berkshires along this nearly 12-mile-long paved trail. The Ashuwillticook (ash-oo-will-ti-cook) follows MA 8 through...
The Albany-Hudson Electric Trail (AHET) follows a 36-mile course through the former Albany-Hudson Electric Trolley corridor from Hudson to Rensselaer in New York State. The electric trolley ran for 30...
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 Ashokan Rail Trail is an 11.5-mile multi-use trail that traces the northern edge of the Ashokan Reservoir, which provides a large proportion of New York City's drinking water. The trail sits on...
The Cohoes Heritage Trail is less than a mile long but serves as a significant local connector: it provides a way for people to travel between the riverfront to the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway. The northern...
Paralleling the Connecticut and Massachusetts borders, which lie only a few miles away, the Harlem Valley Rail Trail is a beautiful paved wooded pathway along the former New York & Harlem Railroad...
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 9-mile trail...
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...
Visitors can expect a couple of easy climbs as they travel on the Warren County Bikeway through the southern Adirondacks for 10 miles between Glens Falls and Lake George. It’s well worth the effort,...
Popular with residents of Saratoga County who commute under their own power or love to exercise outdoors, the nearly 12-mile Zim Smith Mid-County Trail is considered the backbone of a growing trail...
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...
When complete, 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,...
Following the route of the former Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Railway, the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail serves as a scenic oasis and community connector for residents living southwest of...
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...
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...
Visitors can expect a couple of easy climbs as they travel on the Warren County Bikeway through the southern Adirondacks for 10 miles between Glens Falls and Lake George. It’s well worth the effort,...
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 State Route...
Popular with residents of Saratoga County who commute under their own power or love to exercise outdoors, the nearly 12-mile Zim Smith Mid-County Trail is considered the backbone of a growing trail...
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 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,...
The Cohoes Heritage Trail is less than a mile long but serves as a significant local connector: it provides a way for people to travel between the riverfront to the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway. The northern...
The Catskill Scenic Trail lives up to its name as it winds through a broad farming valley and small towns in New York's Catskill Mountains. The West Branch of the Delaware River is often in sight,...
The Catamount Trail offers 300 miles of backcountry skiing stretching across Vermont, from the Readsboro on the Massachusetts border, to North Troy near Canada. The trails are popular for winter...
Paralleling the Connecticut and Massachusetts borders, which lie only a few miles away, the Harlem Valley Rail Trail is a beautiful paved wooded pathway along the former New York & Harlem Railroad...
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 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 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,...
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 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...
Visitors to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail will find the full splendor of the scenic Berkshires along this nearly 12-mile-long paved trail. The Ashuwillticook (ash-oo-will-ti-cook) follows MA 8 through...
The Albany-Hudson Electric Trail (AHET) follows a 36-mile course through the former Albany-Hudson Electric Trolley corridor from Hudson to Rensselaer in New York State. The electric trolley ran for 30...
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 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,...
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 9-mile trail...
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 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...
Popular with residents of Saratoga County who commute under their own power or love to exercise outdoors, the nearly 12-mile Zim Smith Mid-County Trail is considered the backbone of a growing trail...
The Catskill Scenic Trail lives up to its name as it winds through a broad farming valley and small towns in New York's Catskill Mountains. The West Branch of the Delaware River is often in sight,...
When complete, 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,...
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,...
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...
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 Albany-Hudson Electric Trail (AHET) follows a 36-mile course through the former Albany-Hudson Electric Trolley corridor from Hudson to Rensselaer in New York State. The electric trolley ran for 30...
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...
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...
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 Cohoes Heritage Trail is less than a mile long but serves as a significant local connector: it provides a way for people to travel between the riverfront to the Mohawk Hudson Bikeway. The northern...
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...
Visitors to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail will find the full splendor of the scenic Berkshires along this nearly 12-mile-long paved trail. The Ashuwillticook (ash-oo-will-ti-cook) follows MA 8 through...
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 State Route...
Following the route of the former Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Railway, the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail serves as a scenic oasis and community connector for residents living southwest of...
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...
Like other reviewers, we found this trail well maintained and attractive. All of the trail is paved, and most of the trail is flat except for a few hills toward the southern end. As pretty as it is, and we were there for spectacular wild flowers and a great variety of birds, we never felt very far from a gas station. It isn't a remote nature trail so if you're looking for that you may want to choose a different trail. I'm only giving it 4 stars to alert others to the busy surroundings. Overall a very pleasant ride.
We were pleasantly surprised with how nice this trail is based on some of the reviews. We ride hybrid bikes with shocks and comfort seats and are accustomed to riding gravel and backroads so this trail was just what we look for. Trail is firm packed gravel and very smooth, no potholes or washboard experienced on our ride. Plenty of parking available on the Castleton end of the trail, we parked in the trailhead lot across from the Amtrak station. Definitely in our top 10 list of VT rides.
We rode the Ashwillticook trail from the Berkshire Mall entrance(about 1.5 miles north of it’s actual beginning at Crane Avenue in Pittsfield) to its end in Adams on 6/21/22. Trail is paved and in pristine condition. Trail weaves through a lot of nice sections with trees and wetlands bordering the trail, and you can see hills in the distance on both sides. There’s a long section (about 4.5 miles) along the Cheshire reservoir that is especially nice. The northern section runs through the town of Adams, with several trailside food stops. An excellent ride!
We rode the Electric Line trail from Stuyvesant Falls to North Chatham on 6/20/22. First thing you need to know: use the actual Empire State Trail website to get maps and directions; as of this writing, Google’s routing is incorrect and missing several sections. The trail is partly stone dust and partly paved, and includes a few on-road sections which were easily navigated. In fact, the signage on this trail was the best I’ve ever seen! Almost every trail crossing has a user-activated light, even though in most cases the traffic is minimal. I loved the variety – you go past farms, along creeks, past several reservoirs, and skirt your way past some nice small towns like Kinderhook and Valatie. The engineers did a great job with the routing of the trail here. There’s a short section where the trail moves on-road (Route 9) which is a bit busy, but we just avoided that by riding a short distance on the sidewalk. Lots of signage describing the history of the area. The trail was in great condition and fun to ride. After having ridden many other trails in the Hudson valley (the Wallkill, the Dutchess, the Maybrook, the Harlem Valley), so nice to have another great trail to add to the list!
Carleton to Poultney section somewhat better but still rough due to horse traffic.
The trail was well maintained but there were too many cross walks. Some of the areas were very run down. Shopping carts dumped in the creek and garbage. Buildings falling down along the way. Unfortunately, a sign of the times in upstate New York. Same for my area.
This is a beautiful trail, perfect for taking your pups, or just yourself, on a nice walk or run. Bistro 42 (a great French restaurant) often has their food truck towards the beginning of the trail with a nice panic area.
If you haven't seen or been there yet, new 1.5 section towards Pittsfield was officially opened last week. Ends/Starts at Crane Road. Parking lot and toilets are available. New dirt lot on Rt. 8 before you turn off US7/Rt 8 connector road
I did the loop from the Clinton Street parking area to North Chatham. The trail is nicely paved with new guardrails and clearly market. Several street crossings have the flashing light activation button to cross roads safely. There are a few convenience stores on the way in case supplies are needed, and there is an ice cream and lunch place on the trail in Nassau. There are a few sections you need to ride on the road, but they are back roads through neighborhoods not a lot of traffic
Very consistent trail with a variety of lake, stream and Mountain View’s. A short jaunt from a mid-way entrance takes you to Fruition, a nice chocolate/ ice cream spot. Saw a snapping turtle, deer and a beaver dam & lodge. Nice information signs along the way. Given a nice Saturday, trail was thinly traveled. Did ride with E-Bikes.
Not much to say about a trail in the middle of the city and only about a mile long but it does have some great views and a lot of history that includes the old Harmony Mills that ran on hydro power and the Canals that provided the hydro power. Now please understand that by Hydro Power I mean it was powered by water not electricity. The water turned turbines in the basement that was diverted by the Canals and the power was transferred by belts and pulley's to run the Mills. Later the water was used to generate electricity but not for many years. Back in the day Cohoes had numerous Mill's and was a major employer and manufacturer of textiles.
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