Find the top rated trails in Elmira, 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.
_115898_st.jpg)
In 1979 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers saw value in this corridor near the Tioga River, which was part of the Erie Lackawanna Rail Line. It once passed through the village of Lambs Creek, which is...
_115898_sc.jpg)
North of Mansfield lies the Railroad Grade Trail, know to locals as Ives Run. The 2.5-mile trail begins on the north end at the Ives Run Recreation area, near the boat launch parking lot. Travelers on...
In the heart of New York's Finger Lakes Region is a rail-trail that is part natural wonder and part industrial archaeology, and the 7-mile trail Keuka Outlet Trail has a unique heritage. Technically a...
The East Ithaca Recreation Way on East Hill is primarily built upon the rail bed of the old Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, which later became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The trail skirts the...
The South Hill Recreation Way follows the southern rim of the Six Mile Creek gorge from the outskirts of southeast Ithaca to Burns Road, near the Ithaca Reservoir. The gravel path follows the former...
The Lackawanna Rail Trail runs across Elmira—linking Eldridge Park with the city’s waterfront—and heads south to the hamlet of Lowman. The paved pathway spans nearly 9 miles and uses a former...
If you are near Corning, New York, and need a nice walk, check out this charming respite. The Painted Post Trail connects schools, playgrounds, other trails and residential neighborhoods west of...
The Catharine Valley Trail travels for 12 miles between Seneca Lake in Watkins Glen and Smith Road north of Pine Valley. The trail follows segments of the abandoned Northern Central Railroad and...
The Vestal Rail Trail runs for nearly four miles through the town of Vestal along an abandoned right-of-way once used by the Delaware–Lackawana & Western Railroad. Today, the 12-foot-wide trail is...
Located at 2,100 feet and next to the Loyalsock State Forest in northeast Pennsylvania, this trail in the small town of Eagles Mere has a rich history. In 1892 the Eagles Mere eight-mile narrow gauge...
The South Hill Recreation Way follows the southern rim of the Six Mile Creek gorge from the outskirts of southeast Ithaca to Burns Road, near the Ithaca Reservoir. The gravel path follows the former...
The Vestal Rail Trail runs for nearly four miles through the town of Vestal along an abandoned right-of-way once used by the Delaware–Lackawana & Western Railroad. Today, the 12-foot-wide trail is...
Black Diamond Trail will one day stretch 15 miles to link four state parks in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Currently, 8 miles of the trail are open, which follow the Lehigh Valley Railroad...
In the heart of New York's Finger Lakes Region is a rail-trail that is part natural wonder and part industrial archaeology, and the 7-mile trail Keuka Outlet Trail has a unique heritage. Technically a...
North of Mansfield lies the Railroad Grade Trail, know to locals as Ives Run. The 2.5-mile trail begins on the north end at the Ives Run Recreation area, near the boat launch parking lot. Travelers on...
Located in scenic Potter and Clinton Counties, the Susquehannock Hiking Trail is an 85-mile amalgamation of old Civilian Conservation Corps fire trails, logging roads and railroad grades through the...
If you are near Corning, New York, and need a nice walk, check out this charming respite. The Painted Post Trail connects schools, playgrounds, other trails and residential neighborhoods west of...
A pleasant walk between wetland habitat and farmland, this short community trail sits atop a sewer line that Corning Glassworks installed to serve its Big Flats plant. Corning provided the crushed...
The Lackawanna Rail Trail runs across Elmira—linking Eldridge Park with the city’s waterfront—and heads south to the hamlet of Lowman. The paved pathway spans nearly 9 miles and uses a former...
The Catharine Valley Trail travels for 12 miles between Seneca Lake in Watkins Glen and Smith Road north of Pine Valley. The trail follows segments of the abandoned Northern Central Railroad and...
In 1979 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers saw value in this corridor near the Tioga River, which was part of the Erie Lackawanna Rail Line. It once passed through the village of Lambs Creek, which is...
The East Ithaca Recreation Way on East Hill is primarily built upon the rail bed of the old Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, which later became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The trail skirts the...
The Jim Schug Trail offers a short, sweet excursion in New York's Finger Lakes region. The trail was known as the Dryden Lake Trail until it was renamed in 2002 in memory of the late town supervisor...
The Ridgeway Trail skirts the banks of Willseyville Creek along the abandoned rail bed of the Delaware & Lackawanna Railroad and the former Lehigh Valley Railroad. From south Willseyville the trail...
One of the premier rail-trails in the Northeast, the Pine Creek Rail Trail in Pine Creek Gorge offers travelers a spectacular 62-mile journey through the area commonly referred to as the Grand Canyon...
In 1979 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers saw value in this corridor near the Tioga River, which was part of the Erie Lackawanna Rail Line. It once passed through the village of Lambs Creek, which is...
The Vestal Rail Trail runs for nearly four miles through the town of Vestal along an abandoned right-of-way once used by the Delaware–Lackawana & Western Railroad. Today, the 12-foot-wide trail is...
The South Hill Recreation Way follows the southern rim of the Six Mile Creek gorge from the outskirts of southeast Ithaca to Burns Road, near the Ithaca Reservoir. The gravel path follows the former...
The East Ithaca Recreation Way on East Hill is primarily built upon the rail bed of the old Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, which later became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The trail skirts the...
The Jim Schug Trail offers a short, sweet excursion in New York's Finger Lakes region. The trail was known as the Dryden Lake Trail until it was renamed in 2002 in memory of the late town supervisor...
North of Mansfield lies the Railroad Grade Trail, know to locals as Ives Run. The 2.5-mile trail begins on the north end at the Ives Run Recreation area, near the boat launch parking lot. Travelers on...
The Ridgeway Trail skirts the banks of Willseyville Creek along the abandoned rail bed of the Delaware & Lackawanna Railroad and the former Lehigh Valley Railroad. From south Willseyville the trail...
The Lackawanna Rail Trail runs across Elmira—linking Eldridge Park with the city’s waterfront—and heads south to the hamlet of Lowman. The paved pathway spans nearly 9 miles and uses a former...
Located in scenic Potter and Clinton Counties, the Susquehannock Hiking Trail is an 85-mile amalgamation of old Civilian Conservation Corps fire trails, logging roads and railroad grades through the...
A pleasant walk between wetland habitat and farmland, this short community trail sits atop a sewer line that Corning Glassworks installed to serve its Big Flats plant. Corning provided the crushed...
If you are near Corning, New York, and need a nice walk, check out this charming respite. The Painted Post Trail connects schools, playgrounds, other trails and residential neighborhoods west of...
Located at 2,100 feet and next to the Loyalsock State Forest in northeast Pennsylvania, this trail in the small town of Eagles Mere has a rich history. In 1892 the Eagles Mere eight-mile narrow gauge...
The Catharine Valley Trail travels for 12 miles between Seneca Lake in Watkins Glen and Smith Road north of Pine Valley. The trail follows segments of the abandoned Northern Central Railroad and...
One of the premier rail-trails in the Northeast, the Pine Creek Rail Trail in Pine Creek Gorge offers travelers a spectacular 62-mile journey through the area commonly referred to as the Grand Canyon...
Black Diamond Trail will one day stretch 15 miles to link four state parks in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Currently, 8 miles of the trail are open, which follow the Lehigh Valley Railroad...
In the heart of New York's Finger Lakes Region is a rail-trail that is part natural wonder and part industrial archaeology, and the 7-mile trail Keuka Outlet Trail has a unique heritage. Technically a...
We really enjoyed this trail with beautiful views of the outlet and falls. It is definitely doable on almost any bike except maybe a road bike. We did it on cyclocross bikes and had no issues. Varying surfaces from stone dust to crushed stone and single track but really not difficult or too rough IMO.
With 63 miles of compact gravel on a gentle uphill grade from Jersey Shore to the end near Ansonia, this is one of my top 3 favorite trails I've ridden on to-date. The first 35 mile, from Jersey Shore to Blackwell have about 4 or 5 villages with general stores that offer you a place to stop and grab cold drink or something to eat. They also have restroom stops along the trail in-between. After Blackwell, heading north, the 2nd half or the trail, there's no village stops until you reach the end near Ansonia and there's a limited number of restrooms available.
Book a room at any of the quaint motels in the area and wind your way through some of the best scenery the Grand Canyon of PA has to offer, especially in the fall.
I’m local and I ride the trail a lot. So much so, that I wrote a guidebook about it so that others could know what I know about it.
Its a beautiful, pristine, 62 miles of sheer pleasure. The trail is kept in tip top shape by Pennsylvani’s Department of Natural Resources staff.
Come ride here. You will be impressed.
Noticed the trail shortly after the highway was rebuilt in that area and finally got a chance to try it out. My wife and I parked near the Lowman end at a parking lot across the freeway. The ride was very pleasant with only a few joggers. We rode to Wegman's in Elmira for a late lunch and then rode back. Pavement was smooth with some small sticks (broken from nearby trees) laying around.
The nearest "restroom" on the Lowman end is about 1/2 mile south of the trailhead. There are two porta-johns at the fishing access ramp. There are no facilities along the trail as it runs between the highway and the river until it reaches Elmira where it follows the old RR right of way and crosses OVER a few busy streets on old RR bridges. Wegmans is at the western end and they do have restrooms available.
Not a real long trail, but nice nonetheless.
I recently moved to PA and wanted to ride this trail that I have heard so much about. I did a two day ride on May 1 and 2 riding from Jersey Shore to Wellsboro Junction on day 1 and back on day 2. I noted the Tale of Two Trails in the headline since the trail from Jersey Shore to Wellsboro is essentially 62 miles uphill with the grade rolling between 1 and 3 percent the entire way. The grade by itself wasn't that big a deal but on May 1 there was a 10-17 MPH wind in the face the entire way. At 71 years of age it was tiring. Having said that, the ride goes alongside Pine Creek for much of the route until one nears Wellsboro Junction. There are many beautiful homes, lake views, mountain views, fishermen views, old railroad and telegraph remnants to keep ones eyes and senses occupied. There are also Comfort Stations about every 5 miles for the first 30 miles and then they really thin out. There is also an old pump for water along the trail from the Jersey Shore trail head at one of the Comfort Stations but I don't remember how far along it is. There is also a 1" PVC pipe with water sticking out of the hillside along the way but since I didn't know what it was, I just passed it up.
I should note that the trail map shows a lot of towns along the route. Don't be fooled. They are clusters of a few homes with no outlets for water or food. The one exception is an ice cream shop about half way but I didn't stop so I don't know the days or hours of operation.
Once you arrive at the trail head at Wellsboro Junction you are close to a small ice cream/convenience store which came in handy to obtain a cold beverage. The trail does not go into Wellsboro but stops 5 miles out of town. So I had another 5 miles to ride on well traveled roads that are not marked to get you into town. The bigger issue was remembering the route out of town back to the Trail Head since there are a few turns along the way. Everyone in town told me that the rail is going to be extended into town eventually but no one seemed to know the exact time frame.
There is an old train station near the trail head where visitor excursions are run. I didn't learn any of the details but saw a GN diesel, Pullman passenger cars and other rolling stock at the station. You may want to check it out and go for a ride.
Wellsboro is a quaint town and I had dinner at Wellsboro House, a micro brewery. I don't drink but the people were great and so was the food. (I can recommend the house made peanut butter pie!)
The ride down the trail back to Jersey Shore on day 2 was much easier. There was a wind from the SW at 10-15 mph so on some of the zig zagging of the trail there was a very strong head wind at times but it wasn't all day as it was on day 1. I always find it interesting that I see different things based on the direction I go on the trail. Day 2 had some very interesting photo ops and vistas. I should also mention that the first 25 miles or so out of Wellsboro are reasonably isolated with few rest stations and no options to stop at a convenience store as you have leaving Jersey Shore, so be sure to have some food and plenty of your preferred beverage to get you through this section.
A great time and I highly recommend it.
Such incredible views and scenery that you and your bike might wander right off the trail if you're not careful (I came close to doing this at least 3 times). I spent 3 days riding this trail in October, logging 95 miles. The only part of the trail that I did not cover was the southernmost 8 miles. This was my first visit, and certainly won't be my last. Rural, peaceful, away from it all. Trail surface is excellent and well-maintained. It is very flat, and you can expect to pedal most of the time.
My wife and I rode out tandem from Cass Park to the north end at Taughannock Falls. Starting at Cass Park, the trail has a long, steady (but gentle) climb for about 4 miles. The surface is crushed stone like it says, but the size is like fine gravel (think fish tank). Although I didn't ride with them, I plan to switch to my MTB slicks to reduce the rolling resistance. There is a small parking lot near the northern end, by the falls, where we found a picnic table to eat a bag lunch at. There are otherwise no services or restrooms along this trail. The return ride back to Cass Park was a bit faster, being downhill most of the way.
10/15/17
Watch out for the biting flies along the Pine Creek bike trail.
Need to ride 10 mph to keep the flies off you.
Did about 12 miles of this trail from north to south from the trailhead in Ansonia. Beautiful scenery from a well maintained trail with campgrounds available if desired. I will be back to do the entire trail with a few friends in the spring!
Stunning, serene, smooth. Biked this trail in three days, with round trip rides, in late June. Gorgeous rhododendron, day lilies, and other blooms along the trail. Very few road crossings. Wonderful.
Parked at the Millport parking lot and rode just past Montour Falls and back. Around 18 miles and most of it is on a covered, well maintained trail - only a few spots where you have to cross roads. I can’t wait to ride it again when I’m in the area!
Get Your 2018 RTC TrailNation Jersey!
Download the TrailLink mobile app and take TrailLink with you!
Donate and Get a FREE 2018 RTC Guidebook!
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
