Explore the best rated trails in Batavia, NY. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Niagara Scenic Parkway Trail and Great Gorge Railway Trail. With more than 44 trails covering 641 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.
Starting in Colonie in the parking lot on rt9 it was a great ride headed towards Schenectady. Smooth paved surface. A little on a local road but minimal car traffic and clearly marked. Plenty of bench’s and stopping areas along the way.
We have biked this trail many times now and will always be my favorite! Lots of scenery and bridges to cross, also a few fun curves! Also it's nice to take a ride through Ellicott Creek Park!
Did a small section from Jordan to Solvay. Nice Ride about 14.5 miles on a cooler sunny day. Muddy in a couple spots. Hope to complete more sections soon ¿¿¿
This is a great trail with some history associated with it. The AllTrails route does the loop counter-clockwise,but this means you have the hike with a rocky uphill slog. If you do it the other way clockwise, you go down the rocky section first, then fish off by following the low- gradient railroad bed in the uphill direction. Either way definitely have your hiking boots because it is so rocky! The natural spring is a true gem
My wife and I rode our bikes in the fall of 2019 from Piffard south towards Mount Morris and found the trail well maintained and easy riding, only exception was lots of acorns on the trail. No big deal. In July 2022 we rode several miles south of Belfast to Black Creek and really enjoyed this stretch. Scenic and very easy riding. Well maintained too. Prettiest trail in Western New York without a doubt. They now have funding to complete the southern terminus of this trail so 2023 will be busy on the extreme south end. Can't wait for it to be done!
Grew up in Tonawanda walking the train tracks when this was active rail line- website description states a northern terminus at State and Young Streets in Tonawanda- actually, cross Young Street and continue north on an old train trestle across Ellicott Creek and the trail will end at Fillmore Avenue- make a left under the Tonawanda Viaduct train trestle and follow this for less than a mile to the trail that follows the old Erie Canal and downtown Tonawanda and North Tonawanda (restaurants and bathrooms).
My partner and I did a circuit this past summer around Buffalo- went south on the Tonawanda Rails to Trail, making a stop at Anderson's on Sheridan Drive near the trail for some of their famous homemade ice cream (and a bathroom break!). Continued down the trail to its southern terminus in Buffalo at Shoshone Park. Overall, the path was well paved and smooth, fairly level- Not very scenic- passing by light industrial areas and through residential neighborhoods.
Made our way east on Hertel Avenue over to and south down Main Street (admittedly on the sidewalk- road is rough) to Amherst Street- at this point, you could enter the Amherst Station for the Metro Rail and ride the subway with your bike downtown and to Canalside- we chose instead to head westward through the Parkside neighborhood on Amherst
Street and along Delaware Park, turning on Nottingham Terrace where we caught the Jesse Kregal Pathway westward along Scajaquada Creek. Some surface street riding got us to dedicated bike lanes on Niagara Street going south, eventually connecting to the Shoreline Trail just north of the Peace Bridge. Weaved our way down to and through Canalside and worked our way through an industrial area along Ganson Street (should have been along Ohio Street but had to turn around as then Ohio Street lift bridge was closed for repairs- saving grace was the aroma of baking Wheaties at the General Mills factory!). Finally went under the NY 5 overpass to the entrance of Buffalo Harbor State Park. At this point we retraced our steps back north along the Shoreline Trail, all the way back to Tonawanda and the start of the trail.
Whew! 39 miles, mostly in the rain but it comes with the territory in Buffalo.
Yes, Buffalo is a Rust Belt city, but it is experiencing a resurgence of sorts- obviously you will need cross country skis in the winter but bring the bike in the spring, summer or fall to really experience the city, and make a detour to see the Falls.
I did a bike ride from my house to the Erie canal and then I biked along the trail. It was safe with it having warning light beacons at most road junctions to warn drivers. I definitely was happy to add this trail to my list of new trail discoveries. I definitely recommend this trail.
Make sure to watch when you get about 1/2 way to buffalo for the trail has changed make sure to watch road markings.
The GVG is advertised as a Hybrid bike trail to ride comfortably. Don't believe it. This is a Mountain Bike trail. Lots of long stretches of bumpy dirt and grass legs.
We tried this trail after a day of rain. The portion that is not paved was impassable. Deep ruts of water and mud everywhere. Might be ok for a fat tired mountain bike but awful for cruisers. We quit and walked back. We will try again after a dry spell although the dirt portion is very bumpy.
This trail was in absolutely beautiful condition, very smooth and great scenery.
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