Explore the best rated trails in Dunkirk, 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 25 trails covering 449 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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Just east of Buffalo, New York, lies the Lehigh Memory Trail in the Village of Williamsville. The pathway is a short paved trail that runs through the heart of the village. The trail can get crowded...
Located along the banks of Conewango Creek, the open 3-mile segment of this proposed 11-mile trail follows an old New York Central branch north from the city of Warren. Designed to serve primarily as...
Although only about a mile in length, Buffalo’s Greenway Nature Trail packs in the views. The paved pathway provides access to the city’s Outer Harbor not only for pedestrians and bicyclists, but also...
The Bayfront Connector Trail, also known as the Bayfront Bikeway, offers a paved route across the city of Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. At its east end is the Penn State Behrend campus; from...
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,...
True to its name, the Niagara Gorge Rim Trail traces the eastern edge of the Niagara Gorge, offering connections to three state parks and spectacular views of the Niagara River below and the...
The Lancaster Heritage Trail begins in an eastern outer suburb of Buffalo and unwinds 4 paved miles into the delightful wooded countryside. Benches made of natural materials, including boulders, are...
The Two Mile Creek Greenway runs from East Park Drive near I-290 to the Niagara River in the town of Tonawanda. The trail follows along Two Mile Creek, passing through Veterans Memorial Park, and ends...
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The East Branch Trail is a rare dual-lane rail-trail. The 8-foot asphalt lane serves walkers, bicyclists, in-line skaters, and people in wheelchairs. Horses, specifically horses pulling Amish buggies...
Two former rival railroad corridors that crossed in Buffalo’s eastern suburbs now form a nearly 18-mile paved trail system called Clarence Pathways in Clarence, Newstead, and Akron. Five trails...
Opened in 2016, Tonawanda Rails to Trails offers a paved linear route through the Tonawanda community north of Buffalo. The rail-trail was built atop the former Erie Lackawanna Railway, which carried...
The 13.4-mile Karl Boyes Multi-Purpose National Recreation Trail loops around the picturesque Presque Isle State Park, a peninsula in Lake Erie. Considered Pennsylvania’s only seashore, the 3,200-acre...
The Shoreline Trail in Erie County, New York, is 21.7 miles of flat, easy pathway that runs adjacent to Lake Erie, one of the country’s Great Lakes, on its southern half and then along the Niagara...
The Greater Jamestown Riverwalk offers a 5-mile route through the southwestern New York community of Jamestown. The route includes a mixture of off-road trail, sidewalks (such as along Steele Street),...
North Buffalo Rails to Trails offers a tree-lined paved pathway through Minnesota Linear Park in the University Heights neighborhood. Although less than a mile long, it offers two important links in...
The Niagara Scenic Parkway Trail, formerly known as the Robert Moses Recreational Trail, spans nearly 4 miles beginning at Main Street in Niagara Falls. From there, it heads north past the Niagara...
The Village of Springville in western New York is home to the first section of the proposed 27-mile corridor that will eventually be known as the Erie-Cattaraugus Rail Trail. Running 1.8 miles from...
Ellicott Creek Trailway is an asphalt path used for biking, walking, running, and rollerblading. This multiuse pathway travels along Ellicott Creek—a 47-mile waterway that flows from Bennington to the...
The Marilla Bridges Trail provides a 1-mile loop around Marilla Reservoir in Bradford, not far from the Pennsylvania/New York border. The fine-crushed limestone trail offers a scenic trek through the...
A smooth, flat asphalt ride that allows you to discover the town's railroad history (and present), the Cheektowaga Rails to Trails pathway is a great community asset for this Buffalo suburb. About 1.5...
Opened in 2016, Tonawanda Rails to Trails offers a paved linear route through the Tonawanda community north of Buffalo. The rail-trail was built atop the former Erie Lackawanna Railway, which carried...
A smooth, flat asphalt ride that allows you to discover the town's railroad history (and present), the Cheektowaga Rails to Trails pathway is a great community asset for this Buffalo suburb. About 1.5...
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 East Branch Trail is a rare dual-lane rail-trail. The 8-foot asphalt lane serves walkers, bicyclists, in-line skaters, and people in wheelchairs. Horses, specifically horses pulling Amish buggies...
The Devil's Hole Trail offers a moderately challenging hike within Devil's Hole State Park. The rail-trail follows the route of a former trolley line built in the Niagara Gorge in 1895. Railroad...
The 13.4-mile Karl Boyes Multi-Purpose National Recreation Trail loops around the picturesque Presque Isle State Park, a peninsula in Lake Erie. Considered Pennsylvania’s only seashore, the 3,200-acre...
The key word in describing the Pat McGee Trail in western New York is variety. The rail-trail rolls for more than 12 miles across the Allegheny Plateau between Cattaraugus and Salamanca, passing...
Crossing the state line into New York near Erie, Pennsylvania, the 7-mile trail runs through the beautiful Brokenstraw Valley, passing small streams, a tamarack swamp, deciduous woods and...
The Lancaster Heritage Trail begins in an eastern outer suburb of Buffalo and unwinds 4 paved miles into the delightful wooded countryside. Benches made of natural materials, including boulders, are...
The Shoreline Trail in Erie County, New York, is 21.7 miles of flat, easy pathway that runs adjacent to Lake Erie, one of the country’s Great Lakes, on its southern half and then along the Niagara...
The Greater Jamestown Riverwalk offers a 5-mile route through the southwestern New York community of Jamestown. The route includes a mixture of off-road trail, sidewalks (such as along Steele Street),...
North Buffalo Rails to Trails offers a tree-lined paved pathway through Minnesota Linear Park in the University Heights neighborhood. Although less than a mile long, it offers two important links in...
The Two Mile Creek Greenway runs from East Park Drive near I-290 to the Niagara River in the town of Tonawanda. The trail follows along Two Mile Creek, passing through Veterans Memorial Park, and ends...
Located along the banks of Conewango Creek, the open 3-mile segment of this proposed 11-mile trail follows an old New York Central branch north from the city of Warren. Designed to serve primarily as...
The Great Gorge Railway Trail is truly a gem. Nestled between the Niagara River and the Niagara Scenic Parkway, this short but stunning rail-trail offers unparalleled access and views of one of North...
Although only about a mile in length, Buffalo’s Greenway Nature Trail packs in the views. The paved pathway provides access to the city’s Outer Harbor not only for pedestrians and bicyclists, but also...
Ellicott Creek Trailway is an asphalt path used for biking, walking, running, and rollerblading. This multiuse pathway travels along Ellicott Creek—a 47-mile waterway that flows from Bennington to the...
The Niagara Scenic Parkway Trail, formerly known as the Robert Moses Recreational Trail, spans nearly 4 miles beginning at Main Street in Niagara Falls. From there, it heads north past the Niagara...
True to its name, the Niagara Gorge Rim Trail traces the eastern edge of the Niagara Gorge, offering connections to three state parks and spectacular views of the Niagara River below and the...
The Village of Springville in western New York is home to the first section of the proposed 27-mile corridor that will eventually be known as the Erie-Cattaraugus Rail Trail. Running 1.8 miles from...
Located along the banks of Conewango Creek, the open 3-mile segment of this proposed 11-mile trail follows an old New York Central branch north from the city of Warren. Designed to serve primarily as...
The Bayfront Connector Trail, also known as the Bayfront Bikeway, offers a paved route across the city of Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. At its east end is the Penn State Behrend campus; from...
The Greater Jamestown Riverwalk offers a 5-mile route through the southwestern New York community of Jamestown. The route includes a mixture of off-road trail, sidewalks (such as along Steele Street),...
Although only about a mile in length, Buffalo’s Greenway Nature Trail packs in the views. The paved pathway provides access to the city’s Outer Harbor not only for pedestrians and bicyclists, but also...
The Shoreline Trail in Erie County, New York, is 21.7 miles of flat, easy pathway that runs adjacent to Lake Erie, one of the country’s Great Lakes, on its southern half and then along the Niagara...
The 13.4-mile Karl Boyes Multi-Purpose National Recreation Trail loops around the picturesque Presque Isle State Park, a peninsula in Lake Erie. Considered Pennsylvania’s only seashore, the 3,200-acre...
True to its name, the Niagara Gorge Rim Trail traces the eastern edge of the Niagara Gorge, offering connections to three state parks and spectacular views of the Niagara River below and the...
The Great Gorge Railway Trail is truly a gem. Nestled between the Niagara River and the Niagara Scenic Parkway, this short but stunning rail-trail offers unparalleled access and views of one of North...
Just east of Buffalo, New York, lies the Lehigh Memory Trail in the Village of Williamsville. The pathway is a short paved trail that runs through the heart of the village. The trail can get crowded...
Though mostly a continuous system of trails from Sherman north to Brocton, some segments of the Chautauqua Rails-to-Trails system go by other names (see below). All the trails are primarily grassy but...
Two former rival railroad corridors that crossed in Buffalo’s eastern suburbs now form a nearly 18-mile paved trail system called Clarence Pathways in Clarence, Newstead, and Akron. Five trails...
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 Marilla Bridges Trail provides a 1-mile loop around Marilla Reservoir in Bradford, not far from the Pennsylvania/New York border. The fine-crushed limestone trail offers a scenic trek through the...
The Devil's Hole Trail offers a moderately challenging hike within Devil's Hole State Park. The rail-trail follows the route of a former trolley line built in the Niagara Gorge in 1895. Railroad...
North Buffalo Rails to Trails offers a tree-lined paved pathway through Minnesota Linear Park in the University Heights neighborhood. Although less than a mile long, it offers two important links in...
The Lancaster Heritage Trail begins in an eastern outer suburb of Buffalo and unwinds 4 paved miles into the delightful wooded countryside. Benches made of natural materials, including boulders, are...
The Two Mile Creek Greenway runs from East Park Drive near I-290 to the Niagara River in the town of Tonawanda. The trail follows along Two Mile Creek, passing through Veterans Memorial Park, and ends...
Crossing the state line into New York near Erie, Pennsylvania, the 7-mile trail runs through the beautiful Brokenstraw Valley, passing small streams, a tamarack swamp, deciduous woods and...
Ellicott Creek Trailway is an asphalt path used for biking, walking, running, and rollerblading. This multiuse pathway travels along Ellicott Creek—a 47-mile waterway that flows from Bennington to the...
The Village of Springville in western New York is home to the first section of the proposed 27-mile corridor that will eventually be known as the Erie-Cattaraugus Rail Trail. Running 1.8 miles from...
Buffalo can get a bad rap, but this is nice trail along the shoreline and then into town. We did it Labor Day on a perfect day and could not believe how nice Buffalo has been upgraded. Obviously you got to catch good weather which can be a challenge there, but was worth the ride.
Rode one way approx 7 miles starting in Amsterdam. While pedaling under the thruway overpass, it smelled like feces/urine. This area has an abandoned building and an adjacent overgrown wareyard with debris piles, junk and very weedy. Approx 1/3 mile past the overpass we stopped to look at map and weather app (the clouds were looking ominous) and I see a large man riding toward us (up until that point we saw no-one else on the trail). As he passed us grunting and snarling at us, I noticed he was filthy with dirty hair and face. He rode past us and less than 30 seconds later when I looked down the trail, he had disappeared into the brush (this is a straightaway section - you can see a long way). We turned around and within 10 minutes the downpour was upon us. We were soaked when we arrived back in am-dam.
My advice: do not pedal this section by the overpass alone. This man had no good reason to pursue us, then growl/grunt when passing us and then disappear back into the brush. If I had been solo riding, I can only speculate on a different outcome. He is living under/by the overpass. We apparently pedaled thru his "area".
Nice trail along the lake and into Buffalo. But busy in weekends.
This is the first of a multi-part review, since the trail is so long. It takes me and hour and a half to drive from New Paltz, NY to one of the parking areas.
Last year I rode the section from the Corning Center in Albany along the Hudson River to end at a parking lot in Watervaliet. Right next to the the river, there is a lot to see and hear on this paved trail, as the highway is sometimes very close. There are plenty of areas to stop and touch the water while on a break. Just do it sometime anytime. I would like to revisit this section after the leaves have fallen, just before winter.
Last month I rode from the through the Albany suburbs of Watervaliet, Green Island, and Cahoes. Though it is fairly flat and well paved, it is totally on-street section of the trail. One nice side trip is north up to Waterford, which goes over several bridges to Van Schaich Island and Peebles Island. When you cross the steel bridge you can see the beginning of the actual canal and its first lock near the Waterford Harbor Visitor Center. Just go down Cannon Street.
Last week, Tuesday August 20, 2019 I went to the section that includes the towns of Latham and Colonie, turning around at Lock 7 on the Mohawk River. This is a very nice section of the trail, good pavement, mostly shady and offers a few nice views of the Mohawk River. There is a short on-road section in Dunsbach Ferry where you ride underneath Route 87. Then a significant hill back to the trail. Headed west, from the Lions Park in Niskayuna ( a good parking area) there is one very straight and flat section of about a mile or so for time-keepers and racers. Lock #7 is a pleasant park to stop for a break and watch the boats navigate the rise or fall of the lock, next to a waterfall.
It may take several years for me to complete the entire Erie Canal trail, but it is a fun goal.
We have been loving this trail from Herkimer ( starts at Movac parking lot rt 5s Mohawk) , past Fort Herkimer Church about 4 miles is paved and mostly flat. A beautiful ride. Will be great when the connection at rt 167 in LittleFalls is finished. The trail continues to be paved across rt 167 ( Little Falls). Mostly flat and very scenic. Turns to stone dust at Finks Basin rd. LF ( parking). Paved again@ STJ
We startes in Amsterdam,we parked on a dirt section on Cleveland Ave,little further down is a bigger paved lot.We did a little detour on Bridge Rd,nice pedestrian bridge(flowers & a few interesting sculptures.) Rode into Riverlink Park. Small park,but a cute little detour. Most of the trail was paved,there was a section that was bumpy.Pretty flat. About 4-5 miles was crushed stone/dirt.If it rained heavy may get muddy.We enjoyed the trail,a few street crossings.Was a pretty quite trail on a sunday.Was a mix of shade & sun. We seen some wildlife,seen a fisher & what looked like a weasel,was so quick.,so that was cool!.We rode to Sparkers. There was a cooler of waters & there was bathrooms across the street.(Courtesy of the church)We rode about 44 miles there & back,with detour. The trail is broken up into sections,so we rode this section. Hope to ride the Buffalo section..
Trail did not seem to be taken care of. Several areas we were riding in grass and weeds up to our waist. Trail markings were poor in several areas. Several areas very muddy, had to walk.
Nice trail except for three sections that were closed due to construction, and gated due to only being open certain hours. We rode on a sunday morning. No alternate route offered for construction section of bike path. I would think weekends are when people ride bikes not sure why sections are gated shut then. The neighborhoods in those sections were sketchy.
We rode this trail in two sections both in the Rochester New York area. Our first mini trip was a 20 mile run between Brockport and Rochester New York and the next day another mini run between Brockport and Albion New York. This trail rocks. Great views along the canal, Very friendly people in the many towns along the way who welcome cyclist. Many accommodations along the trail as well. Our favorite towns were Brockport and Albion. These are old canal towns that have kept there history. The trail offers great views is hugging the canal and offers some shade however the areas we rode were mostly open sunny areas. I have traveled on many canal trails and this trail did not fail. The trail is well marked has a town every 4 to 6 miles.We will return to do the entire trail soon.
My group of 4 started a bike trip from downtown Buffalo. Our plan included stops in Lockport and Brockport. The “canalway” trail out of Buffalo had many closed sections without properly marked detours. We were forced to figure out our own detours with the help of other bikers. Signs are desperately needed that give bikers proper detour paths (all on the road). As we moved east out of Tonawanda the trail improved and there were few detours. However, the NY Canal Corp is currently working on sections of the trail. They are adding a sand gravel mix that is very difficult t for riding bikes. All 4 of us had close calls with falling
The whole trail is under complete rebuilding. Detour through all city streets in bad areas. It will be a great ride someday, just not this year.
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