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,...
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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...
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....
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...
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 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...
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....
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...
More than 8 miles of the planned 9-mile Albany County Rail Trail (also known as the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail) is open and paved. Pedestrians and bicyclists may use the trail and, in the winter...
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...
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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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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....
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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 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 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 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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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 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,...
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...
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 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,...
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...
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 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 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...
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 Route 100....
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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....
The entry leads you to believe there is a 9 mile asphalt trail linking two towns in a Vermont valley with just a small gap near the north end. Unfortunately, there is no such thing. The trail is a very confusing series of blue signs which go through the woods on dirt (mud) tracks, over grass lawns with no identifiable trail, and on busy and narrow town roads (the only asphalt on the trail). Talking to locals, we discovered that parts of the trail are used for mountain biking, but that the idea of a continuous trail linking West Dover and Wilmington is a dream that has yet to be realized.
My wife and I rode this trail from one end to the other. The scenery was beautiful, the ride was easy and the people were nice. Lots of lake views. Some hills but not difficult. Parking was a small challenge but not impossible. I would do it again in a minute.
November 2017
It was a good trail in the mountains, except for the bumps of leftover railroad ties. One end is a nice train station, the other is North-South Lake Campground, which you can also bike around, but is not a part of this trail. To see the wonderful water fall you have to get off the main trail a very short distance. A nice bridge over a creek too. Yeah, mountain bikes with suspension only.
I rode this last November, during a warm dry Sunday afternoon. It's a fine trail. At one end is a closed ski slope and lodge I think should become a mountain bike downhill business. The other end just seems to ... end on a road. Between is some nice mountain pass, at one point along a creek that wants to eat the trail, so there was a chainlink fence. If you're in the area, go visit this trail and the charming village of Tannersville.
I rode the trail last week starting at the Wassaic Metro-North station (free parking only on weekends and holidays) and ending at Orphan Farm Road. I did continue to Hillsdale but as there was no signage to indicate how to find the newest section from Hillsdale to Black Grocery road, I did it on road.
All-in-all, both of the main completed sections are in very good shape, fine for road bikes. For the on road gap I took Route 22 going north (flatter but fairly busy with high-speed traffic) and the Under Mountain Road- Rudd Pond Road Route (hillier but much less traffic with swimming available at Taconic State Park- Rudd Pond) on my return. The roads were in good shape either way.
Bash Bish Falls State Park off the northern section is well worth the minor detour. Stay on the road to the falls parking lot and in a 1/4 mile (up hill) you're in Massachusetts!
Although this Bike Path is scenic, it is NOT maintained, it is continues wide cracks in the pavement and huge bumps. I already saw a couple bickers fall because of the neglected pavement. Not only do you risk a fall because of the neglect, you also risk damage to your tires as the bumps & cracks are severe. I have a Road Bike, and changed my tires because of the bumps, also note the bumps also can shift your gears.
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 rough 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 all 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.
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.
The northern half is by far the best. The southern part is not well marked, has some long road sections and dumps you in town with nothing around. It is well paved and taken care of. The northern part goes to Lake George and is very nice. For someone seeking a short ride, I would start at the outlet center and ride north. That is about 8 to 10 miles round trip depending on how much you ride around town.
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.)
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